“Just as easy as it was to hunt down your little girlfriend. I hope you’ve suffered.”
Red-hot rage flushed through Xander’s veins. David had killed his parents. Put Vivian into a coma. And he might have killed Leila. His wrath detonated into a roar, then he lunged. He latched onto David’s forearm and twisted.
David stumbled forward, quickly regained his balance, and pivoted at his waist, pushing the barrel of his rifle back at Xander. The man’s eyes widened with madness, protruding from his skull as lightning flashed across the irises.
Whether on purpose or not, the gun fired. The bullet zinged past Xander’s ear, then hit somewhere in the rocks behind him with a clang. From his side, a bloodied blade flew toward him, the moonlight glinting off the sharp edge. He took a sidestep, crossed his arms over David’s, then flipped him into a heap.
David rolled away, sat up, and lifted his rifle. He squeezed the trigger; a flame burst from the barrel.
Once the bullet pelted into the rocks behind him, Xander kicked David’s jaw then pounced, latched onto the gun, and pulled. The man was smaller, weaker, but some inhuman strength shook in his arms. David didn’t budge. Xander locked his jaws together and pushed, scooting David along the ground toward the cliff edge.
They fought against each other silently, baring their teeth at this test of strength. Once they were on the threshold, Xander stopped. All he had to do was give a little shove, and David would take a free fall. Rocks tumbled over the edge.
The man twisted his fingers around the handle of the gun, his eyes bulging. The fury Xander had seen in them before had been replaced with panic. David knew he had lost.
“If I die, you’ll never find her,” he panted, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
Hesitation seeped into Xander’s mind. It could be a trick. “Where is she?”
“I’ll—I’ll take you to her. She’s alive, I promise. Don’t kill me. Please. Please don’t kill me.”
Xander frowned, wanting to believe him, but also wanting to crush his neck. David no longer looked menacing as he held on, his wide eyes pleading for his life.
He begged for the mercy he had never shown anyone else. All Xander had to do was let go of the rifle and this monster would be gone. Forever.
“I’ve taken her somewhere.” David’s voice shook. “She’s trapped. You won’t find her here. She’ll starve to death if she waits any longer.”
The man was probably lying, but Xander couldn’t take the chance. He stood and dragged David away from the edge. The man fell to his knees, letting go of the gun. He lifted his shaking hands into the air in surrender.
Xander flipped the rifle around and pointed the barrel at him. Despite David’s resignation, he couldn’t feel relief yet. This was probably a mistake.
“Get up,” Xander growled. “Take me to her.”
David slowly rose to his feet, his eyes darting between Xander and the gun. “We have to go back into the cave, to the gate. It’s the fastest way.”
Eyes narrowed, Xander slid his finger over the trigger. Using the barrel of the gun, he motioned toward the cave. They trudged down the path, into the gaping mouth, then came to a stop in front of a metal gate. Keeping the gun steadily pointed at David, Xander furrowed his brow. With what little moonlight reached the gate, he could make out columns of hieroglyphics covering the walls and the sparkle of gold. What was this? A fancy prison-tomb on a mountaintop. Now he’d seen everything.
“Open it,” Xander ordered.
“I can’t,” David wheezed. “It’s too heavy. We both have to lift.”
Xander balled his free hand into a fist. First David had gotten him away from the ledge. Now he wanted him to put the gun down. It wasn’t going to work.
David’s lips curled upward as if he knew Xander was on to him. The man reached for his waist.
Xander aimed for his chest and squeezed the trigger.
The rifle clicked.
Xander’s heart skipped. He glanced at the gun and popped out the magazine. Empty. Sensing movement, he looked up. David stood straight, pointing Xander’s own handgun at him. And it was still loaded.
CHAPTER 46
Leila swallowed, unable to ease the pain in her chest. She should have seen this coming. Abdullah would have done it anyway, even if he weren’t already dying. It was what he came here to do in the first place. There was no way she could talk him out of his plan: to make sure no one else could ever get their hands on the Greek fire. His life, in exchange for a million others. Was she really going to go along with this?
“Let’s go, then,” she said, her throat burning. She’d make up her mind downstairs, where they didn’t have the risk of getting shot. The question now was how to get there safely. The doorway to the stairs would be in view of Mr. Psycho, if he was still watching closely. Although, it had gone quiet. Too quiet.
Making sure Abdullah was steady against the wall, she inched toward the stairs, stopping before she got too close. Silence.
She slid toward the stairwell, then flattened herself against the wall and stretched out a shaking hand, exposing it to the shooter.
Nothing happened. She glanced at Abdullah.
He nodded and stumbled forward. “Quick.”
She darted onto the top step, expecting another blast to explode behind her. Instead, she heard voices drifting into the tomb. She paused and turned. The front doorway was empty, but the voices continued. Mr. Psycho’s voice. And Xander’s. Her heart dropped. He was here. Who cared about Greek fire? She had to go to Xander. Her gaze locked on the doorway, she started forward. Abdullah grabbed her arm, digging his fingers painfully into her flesh, and she stopped in her tracks.
“Don’t,” he hissed. “Take the hidden exit. Double back.”
She watched the empty doorway, her heart begging to scream out for Xander. But she knew Abdullah was right. Reluctantly, she nodded. It was a better plan than rushing straight out there. With a new sense of urgency, she whirled around and hurried down the first few steps, far enough to be sure the shooter wouldn’t be able to see her. Abdullah limped after her, grimacing with each step, using the wall for balance.
They continued down the stairs, their progress slow. Abdullah refused any more help, shoving her hand away each time she offered it.
She swallowed back the urge to run ahead. Every second meant more danger to Xander. Unless he had already taken care of the problem. Would that be too much to hope?
A few minutes later, they emerged into the lower hall. Using his rifle like a cane, Abdulah limped on, his gaze anchored on the jackal’s head at the other end of the hall. The black box waited in its mouth, sinister, cryptic, beckoning.
Once they passed between the statues, he turned to Leila and shrugged his bag off his shoulders, then untied the sheathed dagger from his waist.
