“Let’s get this show on the road,” I said.
He stepped back and bowed dramatically before extending his arm. “Ladies first.”
I squatted next to the RV and wedged my fingers beneath it. Christian did the same. We looked at each other and held a silent countdown before putting our backs into it. Up until that point, the heaviest piece of machinery I’d ever moved was a washer. On a dolly. With the help of a neighbor.
The muscles in my arms were so taut that I imagined them snapping beneath my skin. My back strained beneath the weight, and my shoulders felt like they might pop right out of their sockets. But with both of us working together, we lifted that bad boy up to our chins before shifting our hands so the heels of our palms were up.
With my right knee bent, I held another silent countdown with Christian before we shoved with all our might. The trailer sailed forward and made a racket when the tires hit the concrete. For a minute, I thought we’d pushed it too hard and it might tip the other way, but it merely teetered before steadying.
Applause erupted from the other side. I blew out a breath and staggered around to keep myself from falling into the grass.Did I just lift a thirty-foot trailer?
“The window’s busted,” Christian pointed out. “You wouldn’t happen to have any duct tape, now would you?”
I rubbed my back. “Ask Shepherd. That man carries the most random shit in his coat pockets.”
Once I caught my breath, we joined everyone on the other side. Shepherd was eyeballing the spare tire affixed to the back.
Blue darted inside the trailer. “Where the hell are the tools?” she yelled.
Another car drove by, but this one didn’t slow down. Humans were spectators who didn’t like getting involved in anything that might put a damper on their schedule. Not unless it was something visually exciting to video and upload to the internet.
Claude mussed Carol’s hair and strolled to the door. “I’ll clean up inside.”
Carol looked around, and Viktor caught her gaze.
“Why don’t you children go in and help clean,” he suggested. “Better you stay off the street. You might get struck by a car, and then where would we be?”
After a few groans, the kids piled in. Someone flipped on the lights, and the engine fired up briefly before cutting off.
“Engine works,” Blue announced, hopping out of the trailer. She strode to the back and rested her arm on Shepherd’s shoulder. “Where’s the jack?”
“Fuck the jack. I need a socket wrench.”
I looked alongside the bottom. “What about the storage area?”
“Jaysus wept. We’ll be here a fortnight at this rate.” Christian patted the tire on the back. “Let me handle it.”
Shepherd poked him with his finger. “Bust that tire, and I’ll bust your ass.”
“Shut your gob and show me what you need.”
“Show-off,” I muttered, heading over to Viktor. “Anything I can do?”
He glanced at the woods. “Search the perimeter while they’re fixing the wheel. I do not like this location.” Viktor snapped his fingers, and Blue darted over. “How well can you see in the dark?”
“Pretty good. I don’t normally fly at night though, and the trees are dense.”
“Circle the area. Fly back if you see anything suspicious.”
She bustled back to the trailer and looked left and right before shifting into a beautiful falcon. After she ascended into the night sky, Viktor collected her clothes and went inside.
To the sound of Shepherd and Christian’s curses, I distanced myself from the trailer and traversed the woods. While I already had decent night vision, Christian’s blood allowed me to see a smidge better. Perhaps even hear better, but not enough to pick up someone’s heartbeat or hear a cricket tap-dancing on a rock.
I used my Mage gift to search for large currents of energy. Twigs snapped beneath my shoes, and a branch jabbed me in the ribs when I circled a tree. I broke it with ease, still marveling over my temporary Vampire strength.
I turned a sharp eye toward a movement in the tree overhead, but it was only an owl rustling its feathers. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. If someone wanted to ambush us, they would have already done it by now. But if it gave Viktor peace of mind, I was willing to get poked in the eye by sticks and step in muddy holes. Just don’t let me run into a skunk.
I froze in my tracks when a rumbling growl sounded from up ahead. Bears didn’t growl like that. It sounded more like a…
