The Secret by Loribelle Hunt Read Free Book Online Page B

pain and defeat and regret. She swallowed a lump in her throat and stepped down, shuddering when she reached the bottom. It was dimly lit, row after row of locked doors like any good dungeon.
    There was a single guard sitting behind a desk, apparently asleep. She moved quickly, stealthily, knife in her hand. She dug the blade’s tip in the underside of his chin before his eyes snapped open.
    “Keys,” she demanded, sensing the others entering behind her. It made Sunny’s lion nervous, but she knew she could trust them.
    Her prisoner took a deep breath, and she knew he meant to scream. She dug the knife harder, turning a trickle of blood into a stream. “I wouldn’t.” She gave him the grim smile borne of years of disappointment in her people. He jerked, tried to nod.
    “In the desk.”
    Asa moved around them and retrieved several sets, turning to give her a speaking look. She knew what he expected, knew he was right, but taking a life didn’t sit well with her. Even if the man in question was a scumbag. She moved before her hesitation could compromise the mission, slit his throat cleanly, and grabbed one set of keys. She’d deal with the guilt and horror of her actions once her sister was safe.
    The first cells were empty, the next few occupied by men in irons. She heard the others snarling their fury and barely restrained herself from echoing them. Iron would prevent shifting and healing. Over time, it would sap away strength and fight and will.
    She moved on and discovered the women. Most cringed when she approached, but took off once she’d freed them. She didn’t offer comfort, didn’t ask if any were shifters. None were her sister. Only three doors were left. The first two were empty but ripe with the smells of blood and fear and death. None held the scent of family. Her gorge rose in her throat at the last door; her hand trembled as she twisted the key.
    She heaved a huge sigh of relief at the sight of the figure huddled on the bed, at the recognition that flashed in her eyes. She knew they were in trouble when she opened the cuffs and helped Jaz stand. She swayed on her feet. Her wrists were cut up and blood encrusted, and she had cuts and abrasions everywhere that wasn’t covered by her jeans and T-shirt. Sunny felt a heavy load of guilt. She’d been getting laid while her sister suffered.
    Carlos stuck his head around the half-open door. “We have to get moving.”
    Sunny heard the sounds of fighting coming down the corridor and went to look. Shit. It was the only way out, but there was no way she could get Jaz through in human form. In their smaller animal forms, though, they might be able to slip through. She went back to Jaz and gently took her hands, squeezed her fingers.
    “We have to shift,” she whispered, knowing she wasn’t giving only herself away to Carlos, who waited outside.
    Jaz’s eyes widened, her fear easy to read. She shook her head. “We can’t risk it. Too many males here.”
    “We can trust some of them. The ones who came with me.”
    God, she hoped they could. Carlos, apparently tired of waiting, stepped inside to hurry them up. He looked worried. And confused. Jaz didn’t cringe, but she didn’t move close to him either. The fighting in the corridor had moved closer. She let go of her sister’s hand and put some space between them.
    “Now, Jaz. We have to hurry.”
    She yanked her boots and clothes off and reached for the change inside her, felt her cat’s euphoria at being freed. When she looked up, Carlos wore a stunned expression that quickly morphed into anger. Trapped inside the cat’s body, she cringed. As far as keeping secrets went, this was a huge one.
    She turned and snarled at her sister for hesitating, and the reminder that freedom was close spurred her into action. In less than two minutes, she stood at Sunny’s side in her cat form. Carlos studied them both, his body shaking with what Sunny hoped was not rage. She wasn’t holding her breath. There’d