Cursed Angels

by Edwards, Anna

  “I think we both know by now I had a lot of help. I was the guinea pig after all, for all the men out here.”

  “A perfectly made man.” She licks her lips, but I’m done here. I take the bottle of water and towel from the soldier carrying them, ignoring Rebekah’s flirting, I return to the main building. She follows me. I hear her heels clicking on the sidewalk when we reach it.

  “Archer, wait,” she shouts after me.

  “What?” I spin around and face her down. My lips pursed together, my nostrils flare with the anger coursing through my body. This is the woman who ordered them to cut Mara’s womb from her body. This is the woman who had the chip put in my head. I want to wring her tiny little neck with my hands. I want to hear the bones snap. I want to feel her last breath on my face. But what I’m not prepared for is the next words that come out of her mouth.

  “I’m pregnant with your baby.”

  Chapter 29

  Samara

  It’s been more than eight hours since we found Diana’s sister, and my anxiety has twisted my stomach in knots. We don’t have much time left to get to Archer, and with every moment that passes, I find myself on edge.

  “Okay,” Mikaela says when she enters her living room again. A folder, thick with paperwork, is gripped tightly in her hand. “I have everything we need. How to get into The Factory, and how to get into my sister’s office. Once we can get in there, we can turn off the chips she inserted into the soldiers.”

  “And as soon as those devices are turned off, they’ll get their memories back?” Hunter questions as he steps toward her, holding out his hand to grab the folder. She nods, allowing him to scan the documents as he flips through the paperwork.

  I can’t look.

  I’m tense, nervous we’ll be too late, and Archer will end up back in the clutches of that bitch. I’ve never allowed myself to hate. Yes, I was angry, and revenge was certainly something I craved, but hate was an emotion that I learned a long while ago was futile from Diana herself. Focus on action rather than wallowing in the rage that seemed to consume.

  “When do we leave?” My voice sounds harsh, raspy with emotion, and I realize it’s fear. I’m scared of losing Archer again. And I’m afraid of walking into that hell once more. For years I ran, I wanted to escape the clutches of evil, yet here I am, planning to stroll back in. Only this time, I know it’s for a reason; I’ll finally get the closure I need.

  “In an hour,” Mikaela tells us.

  Sitting back, I close my eyes while she heads into the kitchen, leaving Hunter and I alone. “Hey,” he whispers. Leaning in close, he plants a soft kiss to my cheek. “It will be okay.”

  Nodding, I meet his gaze. “I’m nervous, Hunter. I haven’t been inside that hellhole for so long it scares me.”

  “You have Archer and me,” he informs me with a smile. I never thought he’d be able to move on or even come to terms with my love for Archer. But something about Hunter’s grin tells me he’ll be just fine. We were never exclusive. There wasn’t any emotion other than needing to vent our rage into a fuck every now and then, but he became my closest friend. And I realize I needed him.

  “I’m sorry for everything.” I swallow back the sadness, realizing once this is all over, I’ll have to walk away. “Using you to stop my—”

  “You have nothing to apologize for.” He winks playfully. “Plus, we had a good time fucking in every corner of the gym, bedroom, and anywhere else you were hungry for my cock.”

  This earns him a swat, to which he chuckles. “You’ll be just fine, finding some random girl to put up with your shit.”

  “Just don’t leave completely. I still need your friendship.” It’s the first time Hunter has shown any form of emotion or affection that wasn’t sexual. My heart kicks wildly in my chest at the thought of losing him, and I know it’s not love; it’s sorrow.

  “I won’t leave,” I promise him, but deep down, I wonder if it’s a lie.

  * * *

  The building before us is lit up with lamps along the wall. There are no visible guards, but I know they’re there. The fencing is electric, and if we near it, we won’t survive the shock.

  “I need to hack into the system,” Mikaela tells us from the back seat. With Hunter driving and me sitting beside him, the tension in the air is thick. The uncertainty that thrums through my veins is burning through me at an alarming rate.

  “Is this going to take long?” Hunter questions in frustration as he shoves ammo into his gun. The black pistol is heavy. It’s the one he’s used all the time I’ve known him, and he’s never let the damn thing out of his sight.

  “Done. We have approximately five minutes to get through the gates and ten to get into her office,” we’re informed. My body is trembling with anxiety, the fact that we’re walking into The Factory guns blazing has me on edge. I’d like to walk away. To take Archer and Hunter and leave this place, but I know there are far too many innocent people in there.

  Too many innocent youngsters, teenagers who, like me, just wanted a normal life. And they got lumped into Hell with Satan herself.

  “Are you ready?” Hunter’s deep voice comes from beside me, dragging me from my thoughts, and I meet his stare, wondering just what’s behind it tonight. He’s doing this for me, that much is certain, but what else will Hunter gain from this?

  We move silently. Exiting the vehicle, the only sound is the crunch of the dried leaves beneath our feet. Hunter is beside me, his confidence and excitement making me smile. Even though this is dangerous, with him here, I know I’ll be okay. We’ll all get through this and make it out alive.

  There’s a click, and a small gate which Mikaela told us would be there slides open. As soon as we’re through the barrier, my heart kicks against my ribs, reminding me of what I’d endured in this place.

  I should focus.

  I need to focus.

  Silently, we make our way closer toward the large building, which looms over the grounds. There’s nobody else out, and I wonder where all the soldiers are. They should at least be out on the perimeter.

  “Over there,” Mikaela whispers, and I glance to my left to find two of them sitting on chairs near the entrance. Their guns are on the ground beside them, and I’m tempted to take them out. As soon as the thought crosses my mind, I realize they’re younger than I am.

  Probably just eighteen. Maybe nineteen, but they’re still kids. Blinking the emotion from my eyes, I stalk toward the back of the building, which is where our in will be.

  As soon as we reach it, Mikaela taps the keys on the pad, and we’re alerted with a loud beep of the door being unlocked. My body is tense. My hands grip the knife so tightly I feel the indents on my palm.

  My heart is racing a million miles a minute, but it’s the thought of seeing Archer again that steers me forward. There are steps before us. The rooms we pass bring back a torrid of memories, and I’m sucking in deep breaths to keep from falling into a dark corner of my mind.

  A phantom pain stabs me right in the stomach, where the scar is still visible. The thick, dark slice where they cut me open and removed the one thing that made me a woman. The only thing I can no longer give Archer.

  As soon as we reach the top floor, there’s another door which slides open when we near it, and we’re met with a deep blue office. At least, that’s what it looks like. The dark furniture is illuminated with a strange blue light.

  “Ah, welcome, sister.” A voice has me jumping backward, slamming into Hunter’s tall frame. The woman who steps out of the shadows is the spitting image of Diana. Her steely glare is pinned on me, and I know immediately who she is.

  I’m about to open my mouth when Archer appears from behind the door she just entered from, and I’m stunned speechless. His hardened gaze lands on me, and the vacant expression in his eyes causes my stomach to lurch and bile to burn its way up my throat.

  “You’re just in time,” Rebekah utters with a grin. “We were celebrating our good news.” The woman settles i
n a chair behind her elaborate desk. Archer closes the distance between them, stopping just behind her.

  “And what would that be, sister?” Mikaela spits out the word as if it’s a poison burning through her veins.

  “Our baby,” Rebekah smirks, placing a hand on Archer’s. My mind goes blank, my throat closes, and darkness envelops me.

  Chapter 30

  Archer

  I long to go to Mara. The pain on her face and the way she collapses causes my heart to rip in two. I can't show weakness just yet though. My mind’s too much of a mess with the news that the Devil herself is carrying my child. I’ve always been so careful. I wanted to see the results of her test, but she’d sprung the fact that her sister was on the way here on me.

  Apparently, she’s been watching her closer than I thought, and when Mara along with Hunter showed up, she knew it wouldn't be long before they appeared in her office, searching to end her triumphant business — her words, not mine. For now, I must play the role of expectant father and hope Mara forgives me in the end.

  “Oh, dear.” Rebekah peers over the table at where Hunter is bringing Mara back to her feet. “Well, she’s not a very good assassin if she faints at the drop of a hat. Whatever could be wrong with her? Not a maternal person?” Rebekah raises a malicious but well-manicured eyebrow in the direction of the woman I love. “Archer, why don't you get everyone a drink to toast the news?”

  Blowing frustrated air out of my nostrils, I retrieve a bottle of champagne located in a fridge in the office. Glasses rest on a shelf next to it, and I pop the cork and fill them. I hand the first one to Mikaela. With Hunter’s glass, I mouth “trap” to him. Mara shakes her head when offered, and I can see the wetness of tears around her eyes.

  A child, the one thing she can't give me, and the woman we both want dead probably has mine growing inside her. Can the world deal us anymore bad luck? Should we give up now? I pick up my glass and swallow down the bubbly liquid in one long gulp.

  Rebekah coughs next to me.

  “Are you forgetting someone?”

  I pick up her glass and tip the contents into the sink then fill it with water before handing it to her. “I don't think your sister has come here for a toast, and you can't drink. Pregnant, remember? Or have you already forgotten?”

  Rebekah bares her teeth at me in a snarl. “I’m the boss here. You don't get to tell me what to do.”

  “You’ve got my kid in there. I’ve got every right. I know just what you’re like with children, and this one won't be another toy soldier.”

  She shoves her water back into my hand and pushes past me to address her sister. “So, what was your plan then?” Rebekah questions with a tap of her designer shoe on the floor.

  “You still think what you’re doing is right, don’t you?” Mikaela responds weakly but stands tall, facing her sister. I’ve never met her before, not that I remember anyway, but I can see the family resemblance. I wish I worked for the good, sane one and not the Devil herself.

  “This is my company, and I have every right to carry out my business in the manner I see fit.”

  “By buying children and inserting chips into their heads to make them soldiers at the whim of you, or whoever, owns them?”

  “And the problem with that is?” Rebekah replies smugly. “It’s a business, dear sister.”

  “It unethical and ruins people’s lives,” Mikaela bites out angrily, and I have to applaud her conviction.

  “Good thing I’ve never had a conscience then, isn’t it?”

  The two sisters banter between themselves, and I allow my focus to drift to Samara. She looks broken, and it’s all because she believes there’s a baby. She looks defeated and ready to submit to Rebekah’s rule just for a peaceful life. A chip could take away all her memories and make her forget the pain.

  I won’t let that happen though, and neither will the man standing guard over her in my place. Hunter’s glaring at me, willing me to get on with whatever plan it is I have. The problem is at the moment, I’m coming up blank.

  “I’m the ruler here,” Rebekah continues on. “You will not stop my plans.”

  “I’m already putting things in place to destroy you, sister, and I won’t leave here today without turning off the chips in the soldiers.” Mikaela is fierce in her words, in her promise, and everyone in the room pulls in a breath.

  Rebekah laughs at Mikaela. “I don’t need a chip to control the soldiers. They all bow at my feet anyway.” The potential mother of my child turns to me licking her lips. “Archer, I believe you have a little toy stored in your bedroom. Go get her.”

  I don’t move.

  “Now.”

  “Why?” I fold my arms across my chest in defiance. I’m not a soldier who’ll obey her any longer. It’s pushing her limits, but I refuse to be her errand boy if it means letting Samara out of my sight for even one minute. The fact that she’s just been told I have a toy stored in my bedroom has left her paler than she was a minute ago.

  “Because I want to give a little demonstration to our friends here.”

  I saunter angrily toward the door and fling it open. “You.” I point toward the first soldier I see then turn back to Hunter, motioning for him to come forward.

  He glares at me strangely, but I’m also feeling the need to protect Reagan. If I send the soldier on his own to get her, there’s no end to the torment he would inflict upon her during the short trip from my room to Rebekah’s office.

  I promised her protection, and with one stern look at Hunter, I know I can convey the message that she needs to be watched over. Hunter nods and let’s go of Samara. I hope she realizes what’s happening. I warned her about a new shipment, so this will hopefully put her somewhat at ease.

  The soldier enters the room.

  “You.” I point at Hunter. “Go with this guard to my rooms, and retrieve the toy.”

  “That’s not what I asked,” Rebekah interrupts.

  “It’s all I’m prepared to do,” I bite out my response. “I’m your bodyguard, you’re carrying my child, and I’m not going to leave you alone in this room when I have no idea what these people are capable of. The man can go in my place with the soldier. They don’t want anyone hurt. Well, he can ensure she isn’t.”

  Rebekah mulls over her response for a few minutes, her lips screwing together as she tries to piece together if I’m telling the truth.

  “I mean it, Rebekah, I’m not letting you out of my sight while they’re on the premises.”

  The ice queen finally melts, and she nods for the soldier to disappear. Hunter goes with him, and we remain in the office in silence for several moments. The tension in the room is palpable. I catch Samara’s eyes often, and she reassures me she’s all right. I want to go to her and wrap my arms around her, but I know with everything she’s been through, she’s a strong woman and can handle this. I have to trust her even though the trust she has in me is still brittle.

  Rebekah eventually pulls up her computer screen and enters her password. She fiddles around on it for a few minutes and pulls up the section which contains the personnel files. What is she looking for? She turns her computer screen away from me so I can’t see, and her printer whirls to life and spits out a piece of paper.

  “I can see what the plan is now,” she says mysteriously before getting to her feet and retrieving the piece of paper. Hunter comes back into the room with Reagan, her eyes wide with fear, and when she sees Rebekah, she tries to run but slams into Hunter’s big body.

  “Reagan, my dear, good to see you.” Rebekah walks up to the girl and Hunter pushes Reagan behind him. “Ever thought of being a soldier?” She trails a hand over his bicep, and he shrugs her off.

  “What was it you mentioned?” Hunter muses. “Morals. I have them, so you can go fuck yourself.”

  “What a wonderful man you’ve brought here, sister,” Rebekah calls over her shoulder to Mikaela.

  “Anyway, where was I? Yes, Reagan, I hope Archer has been showing you a g
ood time. He’s wonderful in bed, isn’t he? Knows exactly how to treat a woman. Slow and loving, then rough, and a damn good fuck. You sore, Reagan? Has he fucked you really hard?”

  “Is there a point to this?” I ask, bored, and lower myself into Rebekah’s chair. The screen flickers like it’s going to turn off, and I see the home screen listing the personal files. Surreptitiously, I scroll down on the mouse until I find the name I want and click.

  “There is always a point, Archer. Don’t you get that by now? I’m sure Samara, your ex-girlfriend, does.” The room falls silent, and I’m momentarily distracted from the screen. “I thought I recognized you. Did you have fun killing my doctors? I bet it was great retribution for what they did to you. Did it give you satisfaction?”

  Samara steps forward, an answer on her tongue, but she gives nothing away.

  “They took your womb, it says here.” She hands Mara the piece of paper, and her eyes scan it.

  “I don’t need this to tell me what I already know.” Mara’s cold eyes bore into her nemesis. My hated Devil.

  “How does it feel to know that I’m carrying his child? I bet it hurts, burns deep into your soul. And to know that he’s fucking another girl on my say so as well.”

  “It would say more about the state of your relationship than anything if he’s cheating on you,” my girl bites back with venom, and I’m tempted to stand right behind her as she spews out her poisonous words.

  “I wonder if the girl’s pregnant. Reagan, are you?”

  Reagan shakes her head.

  “Because he was careful when he fucked you, or because he hasn’t laid a finger on you? I know you weren’t pregnant when you arrived because we did a test.” Rebekah turns around to me. “Did you do it?”