“Caleb,” he answered, trying to force a mask of courage.
I planted a hand on his shoulder, offering him any strength I could. “I need you to stay here. Help Logan keep that door closed while I move the females and young out of here. Can you do that?”
His chest heaved and fear flickered across his face, but he nodded.
“I’ll get you out of here, I promise. I won’t leave any of you behind.”
He nodded once more, turning to help barricade the door.
I turned toward the females huddled in the corner. “I can only move three or four of you at a time.”
The females rose and hurried over to me. One of them dropped her gaze to the terrified young, offering them a warm smile. “It’s going to be okay. Lord Damien is here. He and Lady Cas are the strength of our race. He’ll protect us.”
I met the fearful gaze of the toddler clinging to her hand as he sucked his thumb, his teddy bear tucked tightly under his arm.
“Come on. It’ll be better if you hold them. I’ll take one of you with two of the young,” I said, stepping to the darkened wall, tapping into the dark void writhing inside me in response to the mass of darklings, to the corruption flowing within their veins just past the door.
The shadows came to life, and the children tensed, a fearful cry slipping through the toddler’s lips as the black mist danced and coiled.
I offered them a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. It’s safe, I promise.”
The female dipped to lift the little boy into her arms and grabbed another child. I motioned her to me, and as she drew closer, I wrapped my arm around her waist.
“I’ve got you. Close your eyes,” I warned, quickly guiding them into the darkness.
The children shoved their faces into her shoulders as she held them, crying out as we slipped into the void. The darkness quickly receded as we reached Johnson’s clinic. Anna was there, standing bedside as we emerged. She whipped around to me in surprise.
“Damien?” she gasped, running over.
“Take them, make sure they’re okay. I’m bringing more. The Complex is under attack—”
“Vincent?” she said, horror streaking across her face as her sepia skin paled.
“He’s with Cas. I’ll get him out, Anna.”
I turned from her, unable to waste any more time, hating that I couldn’t reassure her further. I slipped back through the darkness, finding the remaining group staring wide eyed at the double doors as claws raked the metal.
“Come on!” I called, and the other female grabbed one of the remaining children, rushing to me. I grabbed another child from one of the females, clutching the sobbing toddler to my side as I guided us through the darkness. Pain shot across my skull as we emerged, the caged void in my chest nearly fracturing.Shit. That was my limit. I couldn’t move more than four, and it was dangerous to do even that.
It took too long to move the remaining few. I needed to get back to Cassie. I hadn’t heard from her, and my mind drifted to the worst possibilities. Anna took the child from me before I turned to slip back through the darkness.
Cries pealed out as I emerged. A darkling plowed into me, and my back hit concrete as it pinned me. I braced my arm against its throat, its torn smile stretching impossibly wide as it snapped its razor-sharp teeth at me.
Johnson and Caleb braced the door against the others. Only one had gotten through, it seemed. I yanked my dagger from its sheath, sinking it deep into the creature’s chest, shielding my eyes as dust fell over me.
I blinked, rising to my feet as I met Johnson’s terror-filled eyes. How would I get them out of here without the darklings taking us down, without them slipping into the darkness with us, to those taking shelter on the other side? I could summon the Lupai, have them handle the darklings while we escape, but it took tremendous power to tap into the void and sustain the forms of theSkoteino Teras, the shadow beasts, their forms tethered to this realm only by my magic.
We’d have seconds.
I swallowed, calling out to the Lupai, the pack of shadow wolves rising from the void beneath my feet.
“They’ll hold them off. Get to me now!” I yelled. Johnson and Caleb’s eyes flitted to each other as the Lupai charged for the door.
“Now!” I urged.
Johnson and Caleb pushed off the double doors in unison, the metal blowing wide open as countless darklings spilled in. The Lupai leapt into the swarm, and the sound of growls and snapping jaws meeting shrieks and howls filled the room. Caleb and Johnson ran for me, the creatures overwhelming the twelve Lupai almost immediately. Their whimpers and cries filled the room, tearing something apart inside me as I grabbed Johnson and Caleb’s outstretched hands, pulling them into the darkness with me.
We crashed onto the other side, people screaming as the darkness receded, but not before a darkling slipped through behind us. I jumped to my feet, slamming my fist into the creature’s face, sending it crashing into the nearby empty bed. It flailed, struggling to right itself as I pulled my dagger free from its holster.
