Replica(12)

I yanked a silver stake from my boot. Lunging forward, I slashed down and cut three of the legs off. Howls rent the air and Ivan was able to slam the door shut.

“That won’t hold them long,” Rachel said as we strode toward the elevator. The light above it binged and the metal doors slid open.

Eight men in dark suits, guns out, spilled onto the floor.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Rachel breathed out.

I had to agree. “This way.” I pulled her toward the stairs just as another four men poured out of the stairwell doorway.

“You see, Ivan? Bad idea following me around.” I moved toward the smaller group of men. The stairwell would be easier to defend if it came to that.

“Oh, I knew what I was getting into.” He flexed his back and a low growl trickled out of him that curled down my spine. I shivered and focused on the task at hand.

“Lea, we can’t kill them. It’ll only convince them we’re dangerous and they’ll send more men next time,” Rachel said. I wanted to let out a sigh of frustration, but the first bullet zipped by.

“They don’t seem to have the same concern.”

I grabbed her and zigzagged down the hall. Ivan was ahead of us. He grabbed the first man just as his gun went off. The werewolf’s only reaction to the direct hit was to jerk and let out a snarl. The bullet popped back out of his bulky bicep and dropped to the floor as Ivan hefted his attacker into the air. Unless he was wounded with something silver or by another supernatural, he’d heal faster than me.

“Holy shit, we should keep the puppy,” Rachel said.

That’s what I was afraid of. That the puppy would be at our heels.

He threw the man into the other agents like he was rolling a bowling ball. They went down in a clatter, several guns going off at once.

Ivan stepped over them and held the door open. His eyes met mine. “Ladies first.”

Indeed.





CHAPTER 6





RACHEL



“I’ve been with you less than ten minutes and we’ve already fought off demon dogs and government agents,” I said as we ran down the steps.

“Never a dull moment,” Lea grunted, obviously frustrated by my human pace. Even the werewolf behind me was getting impatient if the way he was crowding my heels was any indication.

“It would have been great if I’d had time to change into more appropriate on-the-lam clothes.” At least I had on decent shoes. It had taken me less than a week to figure out that only the most practical walking shoes would work in a city this big.

“Are you really discussing your outfit at time like this?” the werewolf snapped as I took the last steps the ground floor. “Typical blonde.”

We needed to stop and assess the surveillance in the lobby, so I had no qualms about whipping around and hooking my foot around the back of his ankle. I caught him off balance and shoved him against the wall with my forearm across his Adam’s apple, not an easy task considering he was so much taller than me. But he’d bent his knees when he fell, putting off his center of balance. “Don’t ever make a statement about my hair color in conjunction with my intelligence or ability again,” I forced out through gritted teeth. “Got it?”

A slow grin spread across his face. “You have an interesting friend, Cazador.”

Lea grunted as she cracked open the door to peer outside.

The werewolf looked completely amused. “You do realize I could rip your head off? I could flick you away like a fly.”

“How many blondes have caught you off guard like I just did? One stumble and I could have easily shoved a silver stake into your heart.” I poked the left side of his chest to make my point, then dropped my forearm. “Do not underestimate me.”

My comment about the silver stake had wiped the grin off his face and he stood to his full height, glaring at me.

“If you two children are done, can we go?” Lea asked, glancing back at us. “I only see four men by the exits, but who knows how soon the others will be down.”

I shifted my messenger bag, thankful I hadn’t taken it off in the room. “Let’s do this.”

“Maybe we can find a side exit and get out undetected.”

Given our lousy luck, that seemed unlikely, but I let Lea lead the way. We stuck close to the wall and headed toward a hall to our left. To my surprise, we almost made it, but one of the guards caught a glimpse of Lea and alerted his friends.

I took off in a sprint. “Run!”

Lea pushed me ahead of her. “Go, I’m right behind you!”

I sprinted around the corner, skidding to a halt when a man in a suit stepped in front of the glass door leading to the street. Despite the half dozen people in the lobby, he lifted his gun to shoot. Lea jumped in front of me as the sound of a gunshot filled the hall. Ivan released a low snarl and bolted for the shooter. The man’s eyes widened as he lifted his gun toward Ivan, but Lea reached him before he could pull the trigger again. She struck his arm, sending his gun skittering across the floor, and Ivan shoved him against the wall. His head hit the marble with the sound of an overripe melon.