“Yeah, flammable, remember?” I rolled to my knees and led the way.
Technically Calvin had struck out by taking me to Stravinsky as he’d done.
But I’d let it slide...because this was Cal and I wasn’t sure I could kill him even though I’d promised. There was too much history, too much shit between us. And not enough time to make any sort of rational decision.
Rachel was moving away from me, though not quickly. That meant they were on foot, which was good and bad.
Calvin kept close, but said nothing about me taking the lead. In less than a minute, I had us back in the main garage where we’d started.
Bodies lay where I’d left them, the big-ass truck was gone and there was no sign of anything moving. Of course, that wasn’t to say we were in the clear. “Can that main gate be opened?” I pointed at the oversized steel-plated door that cut us off from the outside world.
“Yes, but even now, I couldn’t do it on my own. The hydraulics are out with the power.”
I followed him to the mechanism. He pointed at two sets of chains with links thicker around than my forearms. “Those are the backups. They pull them with forklifts if something goes sideways.”
I grabbed a chain in each hand and tipped my head back. “Get to the door.”
His eyes widened. “You aren’t Superwoman, Lea.”
“Do it,” I snapped. There was no time to fucking argue.
Calvin headed to the door and I took a deep breath. This was going to be a test even for me. I thought about Ivan and Rachel; they were waiting on me, so it was now or never.
Teeth gritted, I leaned back, putting my body, muscle, and heart into this. If I didn’t get out, Rachel would die. I knew in my gut that more trouble was coming our way; she was going to need me.
I couldn’t let her down. Especially not now that she knew the truth about the bond. With a scream, I hauled the chains a foot, then another, then another. There was nothing but the pull of metal on my skin, the pain of muscles being pushed beyond limits, followed by the snapping of something in my left shoulder. A joint maybe, I wasn’t sure.
“Lea, I’m through. You’ll have ten feet,” Calvin yelled.
It would have to be enough. I gave the chains one last jerk, let go and bolted for the door with all I had.
The steel door raced to the ground as I dove toward it.
It was so close the back of my shirt got caught behind me.
“Lea, you’ve been holding back on me all these years.”
“Shut up, Cal.” I was on my feet and running toward Rachel before I’d even finished speaking. She was close.
And as pissed as she’d ever been.
I ran across the sand, about three hundred yards before the building behind us exploded into the night air with an eruption that sent shock waves across my skin.
“That’s going to bring the rain,” Calvin said.
I was pretty sure he didn’t mean clouds and a gentle patter of raindrops.
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
I bolted toward Rachel. As I drew close, all I saw was Antonio standing over her. He was yelling; she was holding a hand to her head.
Like he’d hit her.
Something in me snapped loose. I was on Antonio and strangling him before he could draw another breath.
“Lea, no!” Rachel touched my shoulder and the spell snapped. I backed off Antonio and shifted my attention to Rachel. There was a bruise growing on the side of her head. “Did he hit you?”
She grimaced. “Not like you’re thinking.” Damn, she was protecting him. I shot a glance at Ivan, who shrugged.
I scooped her up, slinging her onto my back. “Time to go. Rain is coming.”
Calvin nodded. “They’ll set the hounds on us.”
“How is that possible?” Antonio slowly got to his feet, rubbing his neck. “Are they not all dead in the explosion?”
Calvin and I shared a glance. I nodded. “Shadow men will not die in a fire, and they can still make things happen. Antonio, will you be riding the wolf or the vamp?”
“Riding?”
“We have to move fast,” Ivan said. “And you’re a slow-ass human.”
Rachel tightened her hold around my neck. “It’s not so bad, kind of a souped-up pony ride.”
Ivan laughed. “Souped-up, nice play on words.”
I felt her smile, and was more than a little freaked out by the way I was picking up on her movements and gestures. Was it the same for her? Or maybe it had something to do with the situation?
Ivan grabbed Antonio and slung him onto his back. “Tally ho!”
Rachel snorted and I took off as fast as I could. “I hate to say it... But I’m glad you brought the wolf. He’s been...a good addition.”