“We’re so fucked,” Jax says, looking between the two groups.
“Phoenix, you can’t fight them!” Vera shouts. “There are too many!”
She’s right. But we can’t just take off either. They’ll slay the horses, and the coachman. And then they’ll finish us off.
I look at Jax. “Are you willing to fight?”
I don’t expect him to, but Jax flashes me a half smile and shrugs. “Why not?”
The mobs are fast approaching.
“Phoenix, no!” Vera’s voice is more desperate now.
She reaches for my arm, intending to pull me inside the carriage with her. I slam the carriage door right before her face. Tapping the side of it, I shout at the coachman, “Go! NOW!”
The coachman obeys and they ride off, into one of the narrow streets, right before the two mobs enter our street, caging us in.
With the Caligos focused on me and Jax, Vera may as well make it out alive.
It’s me and Jax now. He’s skilled, and I’m an Ezkai. But I’m wounded, and it’s only two of us against twenty or so Caligos.
Jax looks at me. “I really wish we had more time, darling. We would have made a stunning pair.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. I shake my head. “Let’s agree to disagree.”
With one wild smile, Jax attacks the first man. I draw my blades and charge at a heavily tattooed thug. Blinding pain sears through my thigh, into my hip. I grind my teeth and ignore it.
“Don’t kill her!” someone shouts.
“We have orders to not leave anyone alive,” another man shouts back. “Gut the bitch!”
It’s carnage.
I lose track of Jax quickly, surrounded by the enemy. With each step, my thigh hurts more and more, blood soaking through my leathers. I try hard not to move as much, keeping most of the weight on my good leg.
But these bastards are relentless.
And they keep coming, from all sides.
I duck and parry, swing my blades in all directions like a hurricane. Blood spills, and soon my face is sticky with it. I taste it on my lips.
Finally, I catch a glimpse of Jax. He’s drenched with blood from head to toes, two blades in his hands. I can’t tell if he’s wounded or if it’s the enemy blood. He sways a little on his feet.
Fuck.
Burying a dagger in a stomach of a slim Caligos girl, I push her to the side and charge for Jax.
“Jax!” I call.
He’s locked in a fight with a weaponless Caligos. He looks at me, and that’s a mistake. The big man punches him right in the face and his head almost flies off his neck.
Thankfully, I make it there in time to catch him and help him remain on his feet.
“We need to run,” I tell him.
He spits blood on the stone pavement. “I didn’t think you were a coward. I thought it was my role to play.”
I scoff. How can he have time for sarcasm and humor in the middle of this? When we’re about to die?
