Free Kyele's Passion: A World Beyond Book 4 by Michelle Howard Page A

back of his seat. Ice slid through Kyele’s veins as he shut down his fear and worry. “Communication? Demands?”
    Jaron growled. “Nothing. I’ve tried Sylvie, Faye and Lissi’s room.”
    “Comms?” He couldn’t remember if any of the females wore them.
    “I cannot reach them, Kyele.” Jaron’s voice turned ragged. The Team One leader was particularly close to Faye and treated her like a sibling. “I…I have received no demands but it could be too soon.”
    Kyele pressed his thumb along the sharp edge of his favorite knife, drawing a bead of blood. He pushed his emotions down deep, using the pain to steady him. Emotions had no place in this moment. “We’re on our way.”
    Kyele disconnected the call and sat up in his seat, meeting the gaze of the other four men. “Prepare to defend an attack as soon as we reach the facility. The safety of the females is a priority.”
    That any of them could be dead wasn’t an option. If anything happened to Joni or the others, no force on Enotia or anywhere else would stop their brand of Jutak justice.
     
    ***
     
    Joni leaped forward, forgotten prayers falling from her lips as she knifed the man in the back. “Now, Sylvie! Shoot him!”
    Distracted, Joni’s head whipped to the side as the punch to her face took her by surprise. She fought to hold on to the thrashing body beneath her. Lissi screamed as she ran back toward them. At last, the man in Joni’s arm sagged forward, his weight throwing her off balance. Her momentum sent her crashing to the ground beside him. A thud to Joni’s right caught her attention and the other intruder fell, blood spilling from his shorn scalp. Both men were down.
    Way to go, Sylvie .
    A muffled groan caused Joni to scramble to her feet. Rough fingers grasped her bare ankle, stopping her escape. She bent over with another brutal swipe of the blades in her hand, grimacing as the mask slid askew to reveal sharp features, pale skin and a thin line of blood on his throat.
    “You still lose,” he gasped, then pricked the flesh of her ankle with a sharp object. He stared into her eyes and something sinister passed through his gaze. “Kill the Jutaks. Kill the Jutaks.”
    “Screw you!” Joni kicked him for good measure as his gaze blanked and he died.
    “Oh my God, oh my God.” Sylvie’s shaky chant accompanied her drop to her knees, the laser falling from her lax grip and hitting the ground with a clatter.
    Faye limped over, curling an arm around Sylvie’s trembling shoulders. “What,” she gasped, eyes stark, “The. Hell?”
    Swiping her forehead, Joni shook her head. “No idea.”
    Lissi gathered Aya to her and Boid came flying over to his maman, almost knocking her down with his arms around her knees. “Maman.”
    “We need to get inside. All of us. Now!” Joni gave the order, her fearful gaze scanning the area. They were too exposed. The alarms continued their strident bleating. She wasn’t sure if more men would spring out but wasn’t taking a chance. Every tree was now an unexpected hiding space for a threat.
    In a huddle, they stumbled and half-limped into the safety of the building. Joni slammed and locked the back doors. Another smack of her palm to the wall shut off the alarm. Silence reined, the quiet unnatural in the wake of the loud notes.
    Face chalky, Faye slid down the wall, butt hitting the floor hard. Tears tracked down Lissi’s cheeks and she curled around her two children, both crying in muffled sobs. Joni inhaled sharply but nothing stopped the waves of fear pulsing around her or the adrenaline surging through her veins. Her chest burned from the pounding of her heart, while she tried to catch her breath.
    “Are we okay?” Sylvie asked, arms folded around her waist, fingers clenched white as she leaned on the wall.
    Swallowing, Joni nodded and pushed back her disheveled hair. “I think so.”
    Sylvie let out a broken chuckle. “The men are not going to be pleased.
    Lissi’s head snapped up and her