Wings of Rapture

T itle: Wings of Rapture Series: The Gilded Butterfly Chronicles, Book 2 Copyright © 2023 Micca Michaels All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Micca Michael asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. Micca Michael has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. Cover design by Jodie-Plowman of Jodielocks Designs Formatted by Belle Ames Designs Edited by Belle Ames Designs This book is intended for readers 18+ Contents Dedication 1. Chapter One 2. Chapter Two 3. Chapter Three 4. Chapter Four 5. Chapter Five 6. Chapter Six 7. Chapter Seven 8. Chapter Eight 9. Chapter Nine 10. Chapter Ten 11. Chapter Eleven 12. Chapter Twelve 13. Chapter Thirteen 14. Chapter Fourteen 15. Chapter Fifteen 16. Chapter Sixteen 17. Chapter Seventeen 18. Chapter Eighteen 19. Chapter Nineteen 20. Chapter Twenty 21. Chapter Twenty-One 22. Chapter Twenty-Two 23. Chapter Twenty-Three 24. Chapter Twenty-Four 25. Twenty-Five 26. Chapter Twenty-Six 27. Chapter Twenty-Seven 28. Chapter Twenty-Eight 29. Chapter Twenty-Nine 30. Chapter Thirty 31. Chapter Thirty-One 32. Chapter Thirty-Two 33. Chapter Thirty-Three 34. Chapter Thirty-Four 35. Chapter Thirty-Five 36. Chapter Thirty-Six 37. Chapter Thirty-Seven Acknowledgments Also By About the Author To you, to me, to all survivors. No one can hold us down. We’re warriors and I’m proud of all of you and I hope you’re proud of yourself. The struggles are real, but they only add flavor to our victories. Sitting in the main meeting area of our security office, my thought process is completely scattered. I never thought I’d have to use the basement for one of my own. Part of me thinks I should feel bad for putting Crow in a cell and leaving him down there alone, but a larger part of me knows better. Looking around the room at the guys, I know it’s in the best interest of everyone that Crow’s separated from the rest of us. I’ve learned to never go against my gut or one of my guys’ gut feelings, and Phoenix has been suspicious from the start. I’ve been waiting for one of my brothers to say something about it, but they haven’t said anything one way or another. Shit’s running through my head like a checklist, trying to make sure everything is in order. Having him down there has me on edge. I know where Lennie is. I know where Brooks is. I know where Lyn is heading, so there’s… that’s when it hits me, Lyn wasn’t going to the house. Anxiety isn’t something I’m very familiar with, but right now it’s coursing through me hard and fast. Jumping up, I call out to Lyn as loud as I can, dreading what I suspect. The others must have stood up as well, because I can hear them right behind me as I take off for the other end of the house. The sense of urgency hits me so hard and fast I feel like my knees are about to buckle, but there is no stopping. I have to get to her. Our boots hitting the floor at a rapid pace sound like a regiment of men running through the building toward the basement. As I call out her name again, her scream pierces the air, causing us to speed up and all but fly down the basement stairs. The sight that greets me when I jump off the stairs, landing on the cement floor, sends a chill down my spine and anger coursing through me. "Crow! Get away from her!” I race toward him, barely registering what I’m seeing. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” I know the words came from me, but it definitely doesn’t sound like me. My voice is coated with fear, my body nearly trembling as I come to a stop, afraid to move any closer.Crow is still in the cell where we left him, but somehow, he has Lyn in there with him, cradled on his lap. How the fuck did he get out? My mind races as I search the cell walls. Wait, how the fuck did the cell door get twisted? My stomach churns as my gaze is drawn back to Crow, and I realize it’s the noise he’s making that made me look back. He’s hissing at us, his teeth all but exposed as he huddles over her, almost feral. He turns to look at us and renewed shock rolls through me as my eyes meet his demon red ones. Lyn remains in his arms, limp. Her long hair is a flowing mess that is strewn across her face and down Crow’s leg. I fucking swear he’s killed Lyn. Slowly inching my way toward the cell, I hear the others start to move with me, but we’re brought to a standstill by a hiss that escapes him once more. He seems to be protecting her, but from us. What kind of bullshit is this? Making a fist, I hold it up, signaling the others to stop where they are, hoping if it’s just one of us, we can get closer. I try again to quietly approach the cell, but his growls and hisses force me to stop after one step. I don’t want him to do anything else to Lyn, despite how she looks at the moment and I’m worried we might be too late.