He flailed in a pathetic attempt to throw me off, but I held on like a cowboy at a rodeo, ignoring the pain radiating across my back when he slammed me against the side of the van.
“Lights out,” I growled in his ear.
Applause sounded from above as the Vampire watched on.
The man stumbled, his face purple and eyes half open, and finally hit the ground. I held on, just in case he was faking. Niko’s spinning swords sliced at another man who had a blade of his own.
The idiot didn’t stand a chance. Niko was on form.
Blood tainted the streets, attracting even more onlookers.
The second I stood up, I jumped back with a start when a ball of light flew past me and exploded in a crowd of men. The energy wave ripped through the air like a meteor, prickling against my skin like tiny spikes. A pile of men lay in the snow, their skin blackened and the stench of burning flesh wafting in the air.
I turned on my heel, my mouth agape at Gem, who stood at the far end of the street with her arms extended. To the left, Blue was swinging her tomahawk like a warrior. Despite her long legs, shapely breasts, lush lips, and hair like silk, Blue wasn’t a woman who used her beauty in battle. She was fierce, relentless, and spattered with blood.
I blasted a man with energy while running toward the van. When I reached the driver’s side, I jumped in and slammed the door. The keys were still in the ignition. As soon as the engine started up, I hit the gas and crashed into Amber’s car, knocking it forward a few feet. She had bailed from the scene the moment the fight started.
I was turning the wheel left to do a U-turn when someone jumped into the back.
“Claude’s hurt,” Christian said. “Get us the feck out of here!”
“Shut the door!” I steered over the sidewalk and clipped a guy before skidding back onto the street.
“Niko!” he shouted. “Get in!”
I glanced in the mirror and saw Christian helping Niko in the back.
“Hang on!” I hit the gas, and the van torpedoed through the crowd like a juggernaut. They fell away like bowling pins, but one Vampire suddenly punched through my window and gripped the wheel. I slammed on the brakes, hoping to throw him off, but he held on with fierce determination.
“Get away from her, you shitebag!” Christian leaned across me and broke the Vamp’s arm before throwing him out. “Get up. I’m taking over.”
We switched places, and I stepped into the back of the van just as Christian hit the gas. I gripped the passenger seat to keep from falling and assessed our situation. Claude lay unconscious, and Niko was opening one of the back doors.
“Blue!” he shouted. “Blue!”
The van slowed.
“Take my axe!” She reached inside and handed him her tomahawk before shifting. Her falcon ascended out of sight just as an explosion rocked the van.
I stumbled to the bench, my heart racing. “Was that Gem?”
I looked to Niko. Staring into chaos, he held on to the end of the closed door.
My eyes drifted down to Claude, and I realized how grave his condition was. I had initially thought someone knocked him out, but blood pooled on the carpet beneath him in ghastly quantities.
I crouched beside him. “Claude, can you hear me?” I pulled his eyelids back, searching for signs of life. “He’s hurt bad. He’s not waking up.”
The van jerked to the left, and my back hit the bench.
“Hang on,” Christian shouted before slamming on the brakes.
Niko reached out and pulled Gem inside. Wyatt jumped in behind her, out of breath. Niko’s sharp whistle summoned Viktor’s wolf, who charged inside and onto a bench. Niko slammed the back door, and we took off.
I looked around. “Where’s Shepherd?”
Wyatt stepped over Claude and led Viktor’s wolf to the front passenger seat. “He didn’t come. Holy Toledo, get the hell out of here, Christian. The freshies are everywhere!”
When Gem saw Claude on the floor, her eyes rounded, and she crawled next to him. She stroked his hair, tears wetting her cheeks. “Niko, you need to help him.”
