That was his only warning before the minion attacked, but Logan was ready for him. He didn’t trust anyone, but especially not the humans working for him. Just as the stake was coming down at him, he shifted to the side, grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted it until he heard a wet snap. He didn’t hesitate in breaking the traitor’s neck. He dropped the body to the ground and continued towards the hallway, not surprised when three more minions came for him.

He killed them just as quickly as the first and wasn’t too surprised when a few of his vampires, men he’d turned, came for him. He was a difficult Master to work for. He didn’t allow mistakes of give second chances and the chance to go to another Master, one making all kinds of promises they’d probably never fulfill was hard to pass up.

The vampires took longer to handle and caused some damage of their own, but they were turning to ash as he made his way to the basement. He wondered if he’d have to fight with the Ramjis for his prize as well. All it would take would be the promise of more money to turn the demons on him.

When he made his way downstairs he had to hold back the sigh of relief when he spotted the demons and a few vampires standing guard, looking almost bored as they watched the little scene in the cell unfold.

He forced himself to remain calm as he signaled for them to leave, hoping they would leave without a word, but of course they wouldn’t.

“We’re not leaving him with you,” one of the demons said firmly.

“He’ll be alive when you see him again, but for right now I need to do your damn jobs and go guard the upstairs,” he bit out evenly.

With one last glare in Kale’s direction they left. He knew they only had minutes before they came back and he needed them to count. There was no way he would allow another Master to get his hands on his prize. Not when he was so close to getting everything he needed.

When he heard the basement door click shut, he grabbed the crowbar in the corner of the room near the old furnace and found the small notch in the cement floor and jabbed it inside.

“What the hell is going on, Logan?” Kale demanded when Isabella thankfully stopped screaming.

“I’m going to make another deal with you,” he said as his muscles strained to pull the large block of cement and stone up.

Kale snorted. “Because this deal has worked out so well for me?”

He managed to pull the cement block and to the side just as he heard a loud bang upstairs. It would only be a matter of minutes before they stormed the basement.

“The other Masters got greedy. If we don’t get her out of here now they’ll probably tear her apart,” he said, pulling the key out of his pocket and unlocking the cell door, noting the murderous gleam in her mate’s eyes.

“If you want to get her out of here alive you’ll come with me and do what I say,” he said, knowing he’d be killing her mate and Kale the first chance that he got.

“Let’s go then,” the Sentinel male said, picking Isabella in his arms quickly and carrying her out of the cage.

How had he come so close only to have everything fall apart in the end? he wondered as he followed the couple to large hole.

“It’s part of the old Underground Railroad system.

There are stone steps that lead down and from there I can lead you to a safe tunnel,” he promised.

Holding the sobbing woman tightly in his arms, the male turned and met his eyes in a way no one had done in centuries. “If you touch one hair on her head. I’ll kill you.”

*******

“It hurts,” Izzy cried into his shoulder as they moved through the cramped tunnels.

He forced himself not to look back and to keep moving, but it was difficult. He didn’t like having two enemies at his back, especially knowing that at least one of them planned on killing him to get his hands on Izzy.

“I know, Munchkin,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he shifted her in his arms and quickened his pace.

“Where are we?” Kale demanded and Chris got the feeling the man didn’t quite trust the bastard either.

“In the old sewer system,” was the answer.

It was difficult making much of anything out from the light the vampire’s lantern gave off, but judging by the cracked walls they passed and the pipes running above their heads he assumed the man was telling the truth, at least about this.

“I can’t go any further,” Izzy said suddenly and at least he wasn’t the only one cursing.

“We have to, Munchkin,” he said softly even as he moved his ass faster.

Her answering scream was not comforting.

“Just for a minute, please!” she cried.

“We have to keep moving. If they haven’t found the entrance to the tunnel by now, they will soon,” the vampire said and he had to agree.

Shit.

“Is there a way to get to the surface from here?” he asked, not trusting the vampire even for a second.

“No, it’s at least a mile away,” the vampire said and at that moment he wished he had his father’s abilities to scent one out.

“Can you scent a way out, Kale?” he asked, not trusting the shifter anymore than he trusted the vampire, but he had to ask. For his mate and daughter he had to put a little trust in the man.

“I’m trying, but all I can smell is what’s coming up from behind us, quickly.”

Shit.

That was the last thing he wanted to hear and apparently the vampire felt the same way judging by the inventive curse he released.

Izzy clamped her hands over her mouth with the next scream. He kissed her damp hair, wishing like hell that he could do something for her.

“Does anyone have a weapon?” he asked, regretting getting rid of all of his weapons, but he hadn’t wanted to take a chance of getting Marc hurt.

“No,” Kale said angrily. “I was wiped out.”

“I don’t have anything,” the vampire announced with another curse.

“We’re going to have to find something and fast,” he said, squinting as he spotted what appeared to be a large opening to his right. He stopped abruptly and walked towards it.

“Where the hell are you going?” the vampire demanded.

“To find a weapon and a way out of here,” he bit out, doing his best not to trip over the small piles of broken rubble that lined the path to the opening.

“We need to keep moving,” the vampire said from behind him as he stepped into a large cavernous like room. Bright sunlight poured down through cracks in the ceiling, revealing a room filled with several inches of stale murky water, liter, sticks and boards.

It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.

He stepped into the cool water and made his way over to the far left corner where the sun lit up a good portion of the area and kicked as much debris out of the way as he could. He was surprised when the shifter came over and helped. Together they cleared a decent amount of space off the dirty rough cement floor. When he put Izzy on her feet she whimpered and knelt down, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she did her best not to scream again.

As he searched around for a weapon that would help her or at least make her feel safer in this f**ked up situation they found themselves in, the shifter ripped a strip off his shirt and grabbed two sticks and quickly made a cross.

“Here you go,” he said softly as he handed Izzy the cross. “This will work on demons and vampires, at least enough to give you some space.”