Shackled (The Lord Series) by Amy T

271. Olivia - Demon I

Azael's roar throws the facility into chaos.

Experiments who are still locked start banging on the doors, demanding to be let out. Screams and heavy footsteps fill the hallways above and below us.

**429** grabs my hand and starts running, dragging me after him as doctors come out of the laboratories.

On our way to Azael's office, we pass several dead guards. Noticing that one of them has a handgun on his hip, I stop to grab it and put it in the waistband of my pants. Bullets will not stop Azael, but it will give me some advantages in case of an ambush. In the worst case scenario, it will be my only way out as I don't plan to return to my former life, when I was forced to do everything my brother said.

In another pocket, I find a bag of mints.

**429** checks the other guards for weapons or anything we can use. When he fishes out a mobile from a pocket, I quickly take it from him.

"If it has a signal, we will no longer have to go to Azzy's office," I say to 429 as I check the mobile. "Bingo!" The signal is weak, but it is there. I quickly type a message and share the facility's location. Seconds later, a reply comes in. *On my way.*

I exhale loudly. I never thought I'd get a reply and not so fast. But damn, it is good to know that I have my back covered for once in my life.

echoes through the walls of the

need to

have been hiding all my

forget everything. Yet, ever since I accepted the darkness inside me, I came to the realization that I don't need a knight in shining armor to rescue me. I'm

either die as cowards or walk out of here as free people," I look

hard

them. It happened with Rueben once. A look in his eyes and I knew he was no longer Camila's brother nor my friend, but a creature consumed by anger. After all this time, I understand Rueben entirely. There's this...rage... flowing through my veins...and the darkness inside me wants to harm all those who ruined my life, including *him*. And God help me, I want that too. I want *him* to feel the pain, the anguish, the desperation I felt all these years. Over my shoulder, I

"We risk destroying important papers Azael has

the Celestial Heaven, it is that those like Carlos or Azael didn't get away with all the crimes they did for leaving things in plain sight but for being smarter than most

me he is paranoid. With so many Lords after him, no wonder he is hiding his true identity. "What about information on the experiments he did?" Anton keeps pushing

there's a chance...to undo what was done to me. To others as

desire as Anton. But there's no turning back. Not for us, at least. I take his hand into mine. "Being different is

being in pain because of the buttle in his shoulder, Anton chuckles. "No

Azael's office at the end of the

us and the dead guards,