Michael kept his eyes ahead, alert for any hint of danger. “I think the safest place for them at this point is with us.”
“If Sarah is here and she sees Amy …” His eyes shot to me, a flare of panic in them as if he too felt the dread.
“Then we will protect her,” Michael said, calm as though it wouldn’t be an issue.
“I don’t like it. I think we should get Josh to drive them to Dahlia. She can keep them somewhere safe until this is all over.”
I slipped away as they argued, using my mind to unlock the padlock. The argument stopped. I felt their eyes burning through the back of my head. Ethan muttered a curse.
“Oh, nice, that’s a bit quieter than snapping it.” Josh grinned as he opened the gate and indicated with his hand for me to walk through. “The other option was to hoist you both on my impressive shoulders and jump over the fence, but I thought Georgie would throw up all over me.”
Josh didn’t appear scared, but he had never fought before. Had never seen Sarah. He had no idea of her rage, her power.
The night seemed to deepen—thicken—as we entered the yard. To the right, a still river slithered through the landscape, glistening like a dark snake. Fog swarmed over the top in large patches, like spirits rising from death. I shuddered and walked silently across the cracked concrete yard.
Georgie ran to catch up, her footsteps heavy against the clouded silence, heavier than a vampire or witch. Her eyes darted up, roving the rooftops nervously. Michael, Josh, and Ethan would spot anything long before we could. But I scanned too; not even a vampire could look in every direction at once.
Ethan fell in line with me. “You stay right beside me.”
“Isn’t that where you always want her,” Josh said, his voice light.
Ethan nailed him with a hard glare. “What did you say?”
“Nothing.” Josh shoved his hands in the pockets of his thick baseball jacket and looked away. Georgie elbowed him in the side. He threw up his hands, a curl of white air puffing from his lips as he mouthed,What.
We barely made it past the first warehouse when the vampires stopped abruptly.
“Did you hear that?” Josh whispered gravely.
“What is it?” Georgie whispered back, her eyes wide.
“Quiet, please,” Michael said, ever polite, even though he looked worried.
Then, from out of the dark and the fog, a scream sounded. A terrible, keening, screeching noise. Like a horribly injured animal. My skin crawled with cold. Wherever it was coming from wasn’t close, it was distant, weak, and yet loud to my senses. Then it stopped, and all I could hear was my heart thundering and my breath thumping from my mouth.
“Do you think it’s her?” Michael asked.
Color drained from Ethan’s face. “I wish I could say no.”
“At least we know we are in the right place,” Josh said.
“What are we going to do?” Georgie asked, looking between Ethan and Michael.
“I will call Rodney to make sure it’s safe to move closer.” Michael took his phone out, but after a few moments, he shook his head. “No answer.”
“I suppose it’s too much to hope the screaming was him,” Josh said.
Georgie’s mouth opened, then closed, as she muttered, “Josh.”
He shrugged. “I don’t actually want him hurt … too badly.”
“If Rodney was the one screaming, Joshua,” Michael growled, finally losing his patience, “then I suggest whatever lies out there is too much for you and you better run.”
“Sorry,” Josh said, fidgeting. “I tend to crack jokes when I’m crapping my pants.”
“That woman is someone I care about,” Ethan said with a quiet warning. “So if you joke one more time, I will tear your tongue from your mouth.”
Josh held up his palms and took a step back. “Sorry, I … just … this is a bit much for me. I used to bake cakes and now I’m …” His hands swept out. “Here.”
