Refuge(146)

“You’re going to have to help me up, cousin,” Chris said, and I wished I had some of his fortitude. I took his hands and helped him to his feet, putting one of his arms over my shoulders so I could support him. He shook his head to clear it, and despite my fear, I felt the urge to grin at him.

“See, Dimples, I knew I’d end up having to save your ass someday.”

He tried to scowl but couldn’t quite pull it off. “If I remember correctly, you said it would be from all the women. You didn’t say anything about almost getting my brain turned to mush.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.”

He stumbled, and I shifted to take more of his weight. Damn, Mohiri warriors were not light.

I looked around us. “Where to?” I asked Chris, trying to keep the fear from my voice.

“That way.” He pointed to the cluster of low buildings a few hundred yards away on our left that housed the garages. “If we can make it there, we’ll be okay.”

“If we make it.” I took a deep breath to steady me and started in that direction, trying not to stagger under his weight as we moved as fast as we could. I looked straight ahead so I didn’t see the battle around us, but there was no way to block out the sounds of fighting and dying. If I survived this, those sounds would haunt me for the rest of my days.

“Sara, we will make it.” The arm across my shoulders squeezed me. “Nikolas will be so proud of you.”

“Have you seen him? Where is he?” I asked anxiously.

“We were coming back from town when someone raised the alarm. We found the main gate open and ten vamps waiting inside. The two of us were holding them off when Desmund showed up to help. Nikolas asked me to come find you.”

“You left them there?” My voice rose when I thought of Nikolas and Desmund alone and outnumbered five to one.

“Don’t worry about the two of them. Desmund is as good as Nikolas with a sword, and he actually looked like he was enjoying himself. Trust me; he and Nikolas are safer than we are right now.”

A menacing growl behind us made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and I spun us around, fearing for Jordan who followed us with the witch. My breath hitched at the sight of the black werewolf ripping apart a vampire less than twenty feet from us. Roland made short work of the killing then dropped the body and bounded toward us with Peter close behind him. Both of my friends looked like they’d been through more than one battle tonight. Their fur was wet and dirty and bloody. Peter was limping, and Roland had a nasty cut above one eye that looked like it was already starting to heal.

“Phew, you guys really do smell like wet dog,” Jordan declared, stumbling when Peter brushed against her.

Roland came up to me, and I would have hugged him if I wasn’t supporting Chris. I put a hand in the rough fur on his back, and he leaned against me.

“I’m so glad to see you guys.” I wanted to sob with relief, but now was not the time to break down. My friends were safe and their arrival greatly improved our odds of survival, but we were far from out of danger. We picked up our pace with renewed energy. Roland walked beside me, and Peter took up the rear to protect us from a surprise attack.

“Roland, once we get to the garage, will you go find Nate and keep him safe? Please?” My voice broke on the last word. I hadn’t allowed myself to think about Nate, but seeing my friends made me painfully aware that he was the only one whose whereabouts were unknown. I also knew Roland and Peter would not leave me until I was safe, even to help Nate.

Roland growled softly and nodded his large head.

When a high-pitched cackle echoed through the woods a few seconds later, my bladder almost gave away and my heart threatened to break through my ribs. Chris stiffened and tried to stand on his own. Roland’s hackles rose as Peter came racing back to us. We all turned to stare at the trees.

“What is that?” Jordan asked.

“You don’t want to know,” I said through numb lips. “We’ve got to go – now.”

We broke into a run, going as fast as we could with two injured people. I tried not to think about what was out there, but it was impossible to not picture the grinning mouths and the six-inch claws that could rip the roof off a pickup truck.

The sound came again, much closer this time, and I knew we weren’t going to reach the buildings in time. Roland and Peter realized it, too, and they moved to take up defensive positions between us and the trees. They had a chance against the creatures, if there weren’t too many of them. All I could do was stand there and hold up Chris, who was wheezing from our short run.

Jordan let go of the witch and hefted Chris’s sword like it was made for her. She was wet and bloody and tired, yet she stood bravely to face a threat unlike anything she had encountered.