Page 108 of The Auction Block

The assailant lifts me into the air and throws me back. I hit the wall, and pain explodes through my skull, dazing me, my body slumping to the floor. I roll to the left, barely avoiding his boot as he kicks at my face. I jump to my feet, spinning to face him and throw my right arm up in time to block a punch aimed at my face.

I block two more blows and he lands one into the right side of my face followed by a kick to my knee, sprawling me on the floor next to my guns. Grasping them in my hands, I roll onto my stomach, hiding them from view. The assailant grabs my shoulder and rolls me over. I lift my guns and squeeze the triggers in rapid succession, hitting him several times in the chest.

He staggers backward and falls, crashing into the fireplace. I take several deep breaths, trying to steady myself.

"Get up, Viper, now!" Hayato says with urgency.

I get to my feet as Vlad shoves his hunting knife through the back of someone's neck, the tip protruding from his throat. He pulls the knife out and his bracelet rattles, a faint, eerie jingle moving through the space. My eyes focus on movement behind him.

"Rattlesnake, move!" I lift my arm, firing two bullets. Vlad whips his head around in time to see a small man holding a knife drop to the floor.

"Vlad look out— "

I try to yell as we're tackled— two on him, one on me. I struggle against the mammoth of a man throwing punches into my ribs as he holds me in place by my hair. This is the reason I usually keep my hair shorter. I land three punches, but he twists me and pins me against the wall with his body, my back to his front.

Cheating bastards!

"Mmm, you a feisty bitch, I like that," he says in a thick Russian accent, grinding himself into my ass.

I'm going to flay this motherfucker.

The pressure from his body is ripped away, and I spin around. Rhett circles around him, putting himself between the asshole and me, his machete out. This dude is royally fucked, and not in the good way.

"She's got a boyfriend," Rhett hisses, as the assailant charges.

The machete flashes out, catching the moonlight as it impales the man right through the chest. A grunt snaps me back to reality. Rhett rips his blade from the man and we both turn, eyes locking on Vlad, who's got one guy hanging off his back and one in front of him.

Together, Rhett and I each lift a gun and fire one bullet. He hits the guy in front of Vlad and I hit the one hanging on his back. Vlad rears back, flinging the dead body into the wall and looks at us, irritated.

"Thanks, douchebags. Took you long enough, eh?"

"We were occupied," I say amused.

"Where are the other two?" he says, glancing around the room.

"Blake's bedroom is the only place to go from here. Rhett, head back to my office and make sure nothing comes up that back stairwell. Have Jameson watch the front hallway," I say as he holds his fist out for a bump. "Thanks for saving my ass."

"Anytime, Viper. Good luck," he says and jogs through the bodies to the far hallway.

We move as one to the stairs. Vlad keeps an eye behind us. Blake's bedroom door is cracked open, but no noise comes from inside.

"Be careful. Remember, Mason made us remove the bedroom cameras, I can't see shit up there. You'll have to go in blind," Hayato warns in my ear.

Cautiously, I push the door wider with my toe. The pressure stings, and I'm positive there's glass in my foot. I step inside the room. My sight blacks out as something hard connects with my temple. I scream in pain, stumbling to the side, the room slowly refocusing as I blink furiously. Strong arms grab my neck and slam me into the wall, my head bouncing off the plaster.

"Lily," Vlad's strained voice yells. Shuffling and grunts echo from the other side of the room.

"Vlad," I croak as the hand around my neck tightens. A fist connects with my face— once . . . twice.

The guns are on the floor, out of my reach. I pull my knife from my pocket, pressing the button on the front to open the blade. My eyes finally lock on my attackers, his face dripping with sweat. He raises his fist again, and I bring my knife down across his wrist.

"Bitch!" He lets go of my neck.

I lean against the wall, gasping for air as he stumbles back, clutching his hand to his chest. He growls, low in his throat, and lunges for me. I brace myself, gathering all my strength. Something shiny shoots between us. Vlad sinks his knife into the assailant, driving it up, through his chin, into his head. I breathe heavily as blood oozes down Vlad's hand. He rips the knife out, and I kick the body in the chest sending it flying back onto the bed. I lean over, placing my hands on my knees.

Vlad lays his hand on my back. "You okay, Viper?"

"Yeah," I pant. "Way to save the day." I stand, picking my guns up and shoving them into their holsters.