“Maybe it’d be wiser not to try and stop them,” she said.
“Wiser? Probably, but I want to know who these guys are that they don’t share any human blood types.”
We climbed into the car. Temi started it up. “Aren’t we still thinking this blood might belong to the monster?”
“I’m not sure what to think at this point.” That slip-up from Eleriss had me thinking the blood belonged to them, to Jakatra specifically; he’d been the one with the bandage. “I just know I want to see that DNA analysis.”
Nine by Night: A Multi-Author Urban Fantasy Bundle of Kickass Heroines, Adventure, Magic
CHAPTER 20
We didn’t drive sixty miles per hour this time, but Temi did run a few red lights. I wasn’t sure that was a good idea given how many police and soldiers were patrolling the town, hunting for monsters, but traffic was non-existent, and nobody pulled us over.
“Are they still driving or have they parked somewhere?” I asked, glancing back at Simon.
His MacBook was open in his lap. “Uh, sec.” He picked up his phone.
“I appreciate how assiduously you’re paying attention back there.”
“I got some results back from the app. I’m... No, they stopped. A half mile ahead.”
“That’s where the vet is,” Temi said, increasing speed.
We zipped past the Starbucks—judging by the line of cars in the drive-thru, the monster threat wasn’t quite big enough to keep people from their espresso addictions—and some other businesses, then hung a hard right into a tree-shaded parking lot. A single car was parked out back, and two familiar motorcycles waited next to the dog potty area.
“I’ll stop over there so they won’t see us if they walk out the front.” Temi veered toward the far side of the building. Towering boulders rose on that end of the parking lot, ensuring the vet would never have any neighbors on that side. Trees and brush blanketed the top of the rocky ledge.
I grabbed my phone and tried Autumn again. I’d called on the way and she hadn’t answered.
This time it stopped ringing immediately. “Sssh,” came the whispered response.
“Autumn?” I asked.
“They’re out front in the waiting area,” she whispered. “I think they know we’re back here, but we locked the inside door, and they haven’t tried to force it. Do you think they will?”
“I don’t know; they’re polite but determined.”
“Wait,” Autumn whispered with new urgency. “Someone’s fiddling with the lock.”
“Is there a back door you can come out? We’re in the parking lot outside. We can get you out of here.”
“Why didn’t you say so?”
“Don’t park,” I told Temi. “Drive around back. Look for a door.”
Before the car rolled into motion again, Simon hopped out with his MacBook cradled in his arm, the lid still open.
“What are you doing?” I demanded, but didn’t tell Temi to stop. Maybe Simon wanted to sabotage the motorcycles again. I wasn’t sure we should be pissing off our clients, but I didn’t want them chasing us down the highway either.
As we rounded the back of the building, two people darted out of a door by a dumpster, Autumn and a pasty-faced young man with eyes wider than horseshoes. I didn’t know what Autumn had told him, but he looked like he was being chased by the mob.
Without any need for encouragement, they hopped into the back seat Simon had vacated. The parking lot went all the way around the building so Temi continued forward, curling around the corner that led back to the potty area—and the parked motorcycles. We were almost even with the front door when it was thrown open, and two dark figures strode out.
Jakatra’s face was as stern and cold as always, but this time, easy-going Eleriss’s was too. They spotted us immediately and raced for their motorcycles. That sword hung across Jakatra’s back in its ancient scabbard. I envisioned him racing up beside the car like a Mongol cavalry warrior of old, ready to chop off his opponents’ heads.
“Go, go,” Autumn urged, gripping the back of Temi’s seat.
I was ready to urge the same thing, but then Simon jogged into view.
He ran toward the riders, waving his hand and pointing to his MacBook. “Wait, I have your cave!”
The car had reached the end of the parking lot. “Do I wait or go?” Temi asked.
I hopped out. “Go, take them wherever they want to—no, to Phoenix!”
I chopped a wave and ran back toward the other three. Despite Simon’s words, Eleriss and Jakatra had jumped onto their bikes. The motors growled to life. Simon ran in front of the Harleys with his hand up. It might not have been smart, but I raced up and joined him.