Page 92 of Dark Princess Ascending
Lyall shot her a sharp look. "Did you forget?There are innocents in there who could hear you and also stop breathing. Leave the killing to the Guardians."
She managed a terse nod, though it cost her. He was right about the risk to the children, but there were other ways to kill that wouldn't rely on verbal commands. She could snap the Doomers' necks and tear their heads off with her fangs. They were just ordinary immortals, and she was stronger and faster.
The Doomers were still speaking in the background, their harsh language intercepted with bouts of cruel laughter. Drova's nails dug deeper into the arms of her seat, leaving deep gouges in the material.
"Control," Lyall said, noting her reaction. "Don't let rage cloud your mind. Angry people make mistakes."
"I am in control." Her voice came out as more of a growl than she'd intended. "I can follow orders. But when the time comes?—"
"When the time comes, you'll do exactly as instructed." His tone left no room for argument. "This isn't about satisfying bloodlust. It's about saving souls."
Drova forced her fingers to loosen on the handles, but her fangs remained extended. The Guardian was right, but that didn't make it any easier to suppress her instincts. The Doomers triggered something primal in her, an urge to huntand kill that grew stronger with each word they uttered in their ugly language.
Through the earpieces, Peter continued coordinating with the teams, and she tried to focus on the tactical details instead of her fantasies of violence, but the audio feed kept pulling her attention back to her prey.
"They're discussing prices now," Lyall translated grimly. "Setting up the bidding for—" He cut himself off, jaw tight.
Drova didn't need to hear the rest. Her fingernails pierced through the fabric of the seat arms, the pain of them digging into the wood underneath helping her maintain focus.
"We'll need a distraction," Peter's voice came through. "Something to draw their attention while we get Drova into position."
She could give them one hell of a distraction. Just let her loose for thirty seconds...
But no. She had to prove she could follow orders. Had to show them she wasn't just a predator acting on instinct, no matter how much those instincts screamed at her to hunt.
As more cruel laughter filtered through the audio, Drova closed her eyes, imagining in vivid detail exactly how she would silence those laughs.
But she would wait.
She would follow orders.
54
PETER
After forming a plan and asking for an immediate delivery of more vehicles, Peter climbed into the surveillance van while still mapping out the tactical sequence.
As Lyall shifted to make room, Drova watched him with barely contained intensity, her predatory nature evident in her extended fangs and the way her fingers flexed against the chair arms.
"I have a plan," he said, settling into the seat across from her. He tapped his earpiece. "Team One, I need two guards eliminated quietly. Strip them for uniforms and equipment. Bring one of the comms to the van." He paused for acknowledgments before switching channels. "Team Two, move into position to secure the control room. Wait for my signal."
Turning back to Drova, he pulled out his tablet. "This is going to require precise timing and control. Can you handle that?"
Her fangs retracted slightly as she focused. "Of course. What do you need me to do?"
"Once we have the guards' equipment, you'll use their communication channel to order everyone on that frequency to report to the control room for a briefing." He zoomed in on the building layout. "That way, even if the Doomers aren't on the same channel, they won't immediately suspect anything when they see guards moving through the house."
Drova leaned forward, studying the floor plan.
"You'll enter through the kitchen door." He pointed at the spot on the plan. "Two of ours will accompany you dressed as the mansion's guards. As you head to the basement, you compel anyone you encounter—staff and guests who most likely will not be wearing comms—instructing them to get outside through the kitchen door and stay there. Quietly." He traced a path on the tablet. "This is your route to the basement. Speed is crucial. We need you to reach the Doomers before they realize what's happening."
"I can do that." She sounded eager, her eyes focused on the display. "What about the guards in the control room? Won't they start to wonder what they are doing there?"
"Team Two will handle them as soon as they're gathered." Peter studied her expression carefully. "The guards are most likely human and easy for our Guardians to control."
She looked disappointed. "What are we going to do with them after we get the kids out and eliminate the abusers?"
He knew exactly what she wanted him to say, and if he could, he would have promised her that every monster in the place would be killed with extreme prejudice, but that wasn't conducive to their larger mission.