Free 3 Hit the Road Jack by Christin Lovell

staring at the multi-tonal brick structure.

Chapter 8
     
    I didn't know what to expect as we entered, but I was quite surprised to follow Matteo into an actual church. Wooden pews lined the center aisle and stained glass windows amplified the magni fi cence of the cathedral ceilings. A large marble cross with Jesus nailed to it hung in the center back wall w ith a depiction of his crucifix ion in the small glass window above it.
    "Come," Matteo stated.
    I followed him through a side door next to the candelabra on the stage.   Immediately we entered a tiny pass through. There were no lights, no photos, merely the wooden floors that covered the entire church carried through the short hall leading to another door labeled with in an unrecognizable language.
    "It reads 'Cleaning Supplies,'" Matteo offered, as if he could read my mind.
    I watched him grab and hold the door handle. Seven seconds passed before a light flashed and the lock clicked. He led me down a set of narrow concrete steps; I could only picture the spooky steps leading down to a dungeon as we descended. The darkness surrounded me as a chill ran through me. My nerves returned as serum made its presence known in my throat.
    A single hurricane lantern greeted us at the bottom of the stairwell, illuminating a concrete door with a rectangle cut-out resembling a mob peephole. Nothing was visible through it though. I nearly leapt into Matteo's lap when a large blue scanner hummed, the grid of light passed over us.
    "You are not going to live through Jack if light scares you," Matteo smirked, a merriment of cockiness, amusement and, surprisingly, concern, dancing in his expression. I scowled as the door creaked open.
    The door opened to a TSA-type security setting. Vampeens in navy blue uniforms labeled 'Security' in multiple languages on the left side o ver their hearts dominated the space with several large pieces of screening equipment amongst them. Everyone had an array of weapons encompassing their waists via utility belts. Despite the high level of precautions in place, the atmosphere was much lighter than the vamp army headquarters.
    "Hey Mattey," greeted the blond male closest to us . They broke into the native language, shaking hands once he stepped through the x-ray machine. I stood staring at them, slightly annoyed as I waited for my cue.
    "Come," Matteo stated. I walked through right as everyone fell silent. Unease pimpled my skin as I followed their gazes to the far right corner. Relief washed over me at the sight of Auggy and another male dressed in fifties-style military attire.
    "Skip the shit and get your ass over here Lex," Auggy ordered. Matteo and his friend glared darts at me. Matteo had already made his opinion of my regard known in the car so it didn't surprise me.
    Matteo mumbled under his breath something I couldn't translate. That had the blond Ricky Martin beside him agreeing as he stared at me openly with anything but friendliness in his eyes. I rushed through the maze feeling elated the second I reached Auggy.
    "Glad you made it Jackson."
    "I'm glad to see you, but I'm still pissed at you." Several vamps gasped, whispers broke out at my casual grumble to the High Authority leader. I wasn't sorry after what he suggested with Mel.
    He studied me for a brief minute before shaking his head once. "I knew you would be. I also knew it'd drive home just what you were risking on this mission. Hartford was in on it, but there's no way in hell he was letting his daughter go. So miss pissy pants, you're just going to have to get over the fact that you're an emotionally driven vamp. That's both your greatest strength and your greatest weakness. Now don't let it become your downfall. Jack is brutal."
    I opened and closed my mouth several times. My knuckles were white, clamped tightly in a fist at my sides; my features pulled taut as Auggy laid into me.
    I jumped when,   "Don't be emotional. You're further proving his point,"   filled my head like a