Read Online Siren's Surrender by Devyn Quinn - Free Book Online Page A

look. “They are, and they’re about to play some catch up.” The words barely left her mouth before a blast hit the door behind Whittaker. Flaming bits and pieces of wood flew through the kitchen. A hole about the size of a baseball appeared, edges still smoking and sizzling from the intense detonation of energy against it.
    Whittaker beat at the flames chewing up his jacket. “Shit, I’m on fire!”
    Another sizzling blast tore through the door. A third followed. It was beginning to disintegrate. In another few minutes there would be nothing left.
    Kenneth paled, the blood instantly draining from his face. “Everybody hit the basement,” he ordered. “Now!” He grabbed for his wife, pulling her over to his side.
    Nobody questioned his command.
    Realizing he didn’t know up from down, Gwen grabbed Whittaker’s arm. “This way,” she urged, dragging the confused agent in the direction Kenneth indicated.
    One by one they clattered down the narrow staircase. Kenneth brought up the rear, herding them all toward the back of the basement. “Hit the safe room,” he snapped.
    Hand still clamped around Whittaker’s arm, Gwen dragged him into a small concrete room. The final sliver of light disappeared when steel scraped against concrete.
    Then everything was black. Pitch-black. The space was cold, the gloom impenetrable.
    A minute later, a set of emergency lights snapped on.
    Gwen blinked as the glare hit her eyes. So did everybody else.
    Everyone looked around.
    Addison was the first to find her voice. “I think we made it.”
    Kenneth stood in front of a panel, punching more buttons. More lights came on. “It’s not finished, but I think we’ll be okay for a while.” His face took on a grim, shadowed cast.
    Whittaker shook off Gwen’s hand. “People usually don’t have panic rooms unless they’re expecting trouble.” He turned an unblinking gaze toward Kenneth. “I take it those women who just tried to turn me into cinders are a part of that trouble.”
    Kenneth’s jaw tightened. “You could say that.”
    Whittaker nodded. Now that the shock of the moment had passed, his features had reverted back to immobile. His expression might have been cast in lead for all the emotion he was showing. “Mind telling me why they want to kill you?”
    “I hope you’re prepared to stay a while,” Addison piped in. “This is going to be one hell of a long story.”
    Gwen inwardly winced. The narrative involving Ishaldi and the opening of a tomb that was really a sea-gate-come-portal that led into another realm was almost too incredible to be believed. She’d hardly been able to comprehend the tale when she’d first heard it from beginning to end.
    This is too much . Whittaker’s going to think we’re all nuts.
    Or maybe he wouldn’t.
    Given the fact he’d just been ambushed, he might have more of an open mind. Either way, the situation definitely sucked.
    Kenneth hedged. “Let’s get settled in, first,” he finally said. “Then we’ll talk.”
    Agent Whittaker shook his head. “No time. I need to get out of here, and get those people into custody.” He looked around. “Where’s the communications center?”
    Kenneth ruefully pointed to a section of wall where another panel was installed. Unfortunately it was just a jumble of parts and wires. “We were still in the process of putting in a two-way radio system,” he explained ruefully.
    “I’ll handle it.” Whittaker dug in his pocket and retrieved his cell. He flipped it open. “Damn.”
    Gwen glanced at his phone, a sleek little ultramodern number. “Let me guess. No signal.”
    “Right.” Whittaker flipped his phone shut. “So much for the global coverage Uncle Sam has been paying for.”
    “Cell reception is iffy on the island,” Addison said. “There are some places around here where you can’t get a signal. That’s why we have to rely on the old shortwave radios for communication with the mainland.”
    The agent pocketed his phone.