Primal Bond (Warlords of Vasz #4)

28. Chapter 28

Chapter twenty-eight

T he club plunged into darkness, a suffocating blackness enveloping the room as the PA system crackled and died. Finn’s heart pounded, but he was ready. This chaos was part of the plan.

His pupils adjusted almost instantly, thanks to the low-light vision medicine Zanik had smuggled him earlier. He'd surreptitiously taken it from the Ironclad's shuttle when he'd left to 'check on his business'.

The stuff had tasted foul, and gave Finn one mean headache — but now, with the dark room visible with shimmery low light, he would have been happy to chug a whole bottle of it.

The instant the lights went off, Finn was already moving.

“Now!” Finn hissed, grabbing Asher’s hand in the darkness. He yanked Asher away from the gambling table, his legs stiff from standing by it for so long, waiting to be won — or lost.

Asher’s fingers were cold, his compliance eerie but necessary. Finn pulled him away from Rivek, weaving through the stunned Borraq who bumbled through the darkness in confusion.

A roar echoed, Rivek lunging toward where Asher had stood. Finn could see the faint outline of Rivek's bulk as he blindly swiped to grab Asher, but only found empty air.

“Stay close,” Finn urged, dragging Asher through the crowded club. The Borraq shouted, their heavy footsteps stomping wildly here and there as they searched blindly for their weapons or their slaves.

Finn ducked under a forgotten table at the back of the club, pulling Asher down with him. Asher sat down placidly beside him, his eyes wide but vacant.

“Stay quiet,” Finn whispered. He squeezed Asher’s hand again, a silent reassurance. "Stay here, okay? I'll be back."

The weight of his responsibility pressed down on him. They were so close, yet the danger was far from over.

The two of them were out of the way of the Borraq. They could hide here until Zanik had taken down Rivek, getting them out of danger.

But they weren't the only humans in the room. Borraq were grabbing their slaves and trying to find the exits in the dark.

The other humans were complete strangers to Finn — but they were still humans. Finn couldn't let them be taken away.

Finn crouched low, his heart racing as chaos erupted around him. The club's patrons scrambled, Borraq shouting and pushing one another, their once-confident swagger replaced by panic. Some patrons ignored their human slaves without a second thought, rushing toward the exits, eyes wide with fear of impending capture.

“Get out! Move!” a Borraq yelled, his voice sharp as he shoved a nearby slave aside. The human stumbled, glancing back in confusion, fear painted across her face. Finn’s stomach twisted at the sight. The desperation in the air was palpable, and the stench of sweat mixed with panic clawed at his throat.

Above it all, Rivek’s furious voice roared over the din. “You think you can get away with this, Zanik? You’ve made a grave mistake!”

Finn's pulse quickened as he caught a glimpse of Zanik across the club, standing firm against Rivek. Zanik’s muscles tensed, his expression a storm of determination and fury.

Finn felt an overwhelming rush of love for him. This was the man who had risked everything, who had seen the darkness in Finn’s eyes and chose to fight beside him.

“Rivek, you’re a fool,” Zanik shot back, his voice steady despite the chaos. “Now face your judgment."

Finn swallowed hard. Zanik could handle Rivek. He had to believe that. Yet, the primal urge to leap up and help surged through him…

No , he reminded himself. Zanik was a warrior. He could take care of this on his own. Finn had his own mission.

His eyes darted around, spotting a trembling human cowering in the chaos. "Hey," Finn breathed, crouching beside them. "I'm here to help. Come with me."

The slave's eyes widened in fear. "But my master—"

"Forget him," Finn said firmly. "Follow me."

He guided the shaking human back to Asher's hiding spot, then darted out again. Finn spotted two more slaves huddled together, abandoned by their fleeing owners. "Quick," he urged, gesturing for them to follow. "This way, come with me. You're safe now."

One of them hesitated. "What if it's a trick?"

Finn's chest tightened. There were so many slaves scattered throughout the chaotic club. He couldn't possibly save them all — he didn't have the time. Some Borraq had already fled, dragging their humans with them.

"What's worse?" he said. "Going with a human you don't know, or a Borraq you do?"

The human let out a bark of bitter laughter, and got to his feet. "Lead the way."

Finn got them back to the hiding place, and then he darted out again. Finn moved as fast as he could, slipping through the mass of bodies, taking humans by the hand and leading them silently away from their masters, slipping them away in the darkness.

But there were still so many. The path to the exit was clogged with panicking Borraq, all shoving each other, throwing around club furniture in the process. The humans in the mix were being bounced around, lost in the crush of much bigger bodies.

Finn's heart pounded as he moved. There were so many…

Suddenly, a figure appeared beside him, silently guiding another human by the hand. Finn's breath caught as he recognized Asher's blank face.

Joy surged through Finn, even as his heart ached at Asher's vacant expression. His old friend was still in there somewhere, fighting to help despite everything.

Together, they worked swiftly and silently, gathering more slaves and leading them to safety. Finn's spirits lifted with each person they rescued, but he knew they couldn't save everyone.

Finn's throat tightened with emotion. "Thank you," he whispered, squeezing Asher's shoulder.

Asher didn't respond, but it was enough. They'd done what they could. Now, they just had to wait and hope Zanik's plan would work.

Finn's heart raced as he caught snippets of the fierce battle between Zanik and Rivek amidst the chaos of the darkened club. Grunts, snarls, and the clashing of weapons echoed through the space, a violent symphony that both terrified and exhilarated him.

Despite the danger, a flicker of hope ignited in Finn's chest. Zanik was gaining the upper hand, his prowess and determination shining through even in the pitch-black surroundings.

But that hope was short-lived. Rivek's furious growl cut through the din, his words dripping with venom. "You won't win this, Zanik! You can't steal my slave from me. I know that human inside and out..."

Finn's blood ran cold. He watched in horror as Rivek sniffed the air, his nostrils flaring like a predator catching the scent of its prey. Even in the darkness, Rivek's eyes locked onto Asher's location with unnerving precision.

The scent of a human. Even in a mess like this, human pheromones stood out to a Borraq, entrancing and unique.

And Rivek was very familiar with Asher's.

Time seemed to slow as Rivek, ever the predator, lunged forward through the darkness. His movements were a blur of deadly speed and purpose, storming his way through the mess of toppled tables and chairs.

Finn's heart leaped into his throat. He grabbed Asher's arm, yanking him away from the impending danger. "Run, Asher!" Finn yelled, his voice cracking with desperation. "Move, now!"

But Rivek was too fast. He closed the gap between them with alarming swiftness, his eyes glinting with a feral hunger.