The world lit up outside.
An explosion rocketed through the encampment, and men yelled. Dessie jumped out of her chair, but Dayne shoved her back down. “Stay here,” he barked, yanking a gun from his waistband and running out of the tent.
Ulric stood, but it took a moment for him to gain his balance.
Dessie leaped from her chair and ran toward the door, with Ulric knocking over furniture behind her. She burst into the storm and ran right into a soldier, taking a second to recognize him.
“Damn it.” Harold wrapped an arm around her waist, lifted her off the ground, and ran away from the tent toward a small copse of trees. He plopped her between two of them. “Stay here. Don’t move until I come and get you.”
Three helicopters hovered overhead, with soldiers rappelling down, all firing green lasers at targeted buildings. Gunfire erupted all around the camp. Kurjans poured out of tents and ran toward the soldiers who’d hit the ground. The rain blasted down, and lightning lit the area repeatedly.
Her gaze caught on Garrett, who was battling two Kurjan soldiers with Logan next to him. She started to rise.
Harold pushed her back down. “Right now the Kurjans think the Realm is here for Ulric. Stay out of sight until I can get you clear.” He shoved a green gun into her hand. “Shoot first, but not me. You’re human. Don’t forget that.” Then he turned. “Vero!” he bellowed, running full-out toward the other Kurjan soldier and hitting him midcenter just as a missile impacted the ground where he’d been standing.
Dirt flew into the air along with flames.
Dessie wiped rain off her face and pointed the gun toward the melee, trying to see if Harold was alive. Then she saw Dayne fighting with Realm soldiers, his knife slicing off limbs. She wanted to scream a warning, but the soldiers already knew.
Garrett fought soldier after soldier, cutting off heads or limbs as he moved through the camp. Blood covered his face, and fury lit his eyes, though his movements were cold and calculated. As if he could feel her, his head turned, his eyes a bright metallic multitude of colors.
She knew the second he spotted her.
His shoulders went back, and he threw a Kurjan soldier several yards to land on his head. Then he swiped and cut, kicking and punching, making his way to her.
Bullets struck all around him, and Logan shoved Garrett to the side, taking the hits. He went down, and Sam ducked and rolled, bringing Logan up over a shoulder to run toward a waiting helicopter.
Paxton Phoenix instantly took position next to Garrett, his face set in lines of harsh concentration as he fought with knives too fast to watch. Garrett kept fighting until he came face-to-face with Dayne.
Dessie’s breath caught, and she partially stood.
Dayne struck first, slamming a knife into the side of Garrett’s neck. Garrett yanked it out and sliced Dayne across the face, following up with a punch to the nose. Blood spurted from them both.
Then a Kurjan soldier grabbed Dessie and dragged her out of her hiding spot. Panic-stricken, she lifted the gun and fired several rounds into his eyes. Blood washed over her skin, burning her. The soldier fell onto his face and didn’t move.
She looked frantically around just as another soldier grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground. She kicked out and nailed him in the knees, knocking him down beside her. Pain burst through her along with panic. She didn’t have a weapon. A bramble cut into her arm. Was it possible? She flashed back to Garrett’s words about her skills. Then she sucked in air and imagined the weeds growing thorns. The sharp edges turned into vines and wrapped themselves around her attacker, cutting deep.
He screamed.
She rolled back and started to run, only to bounce off Ulric. He stood, feet braced, and yanked her back to her feet. She tried to kick him, but he backhanded her, sending her down again. She pictured barbed vines climbing his legs, but they weren’t able to penetrate his forged body.
He hauled her back up, his hand around her neck. Then he lifted her in front of him.
She struggled to breathe, staring at the carnage all around. Garrett manacled Dayne’s arms from behind, twisted, and forced the Kurjan leader to his knees.
In a move so smooth it looked choreographed, Paxton dropped to a knee, set a blade to Dayne’s head, and sliced through his entire neck.
The Kurjan leader’s head rolled away into the sopping wet leaves. Garrett threw the body to the side.
He rose, a powerful male in a dangerous storm, blood and bodies all around him. Lowering his chin, he prowled toward her, his gaze only on her.
Ulric shook her.
Paxton moved beside Garrett, and they charged.
Garrett reached her first and tackled both her and Ulric with the force of a blowing volcano. She yelled, her hands grabbing for purchase. They hit the ground, and Garrett shot his arm between Ulric and her neck, forcing her to roll off the Cyst leader.
Paxton lifted her off the ground and ran through the rain to a waiting helicopter. He placed her in the back, where two soldiers instantly flanked her, firing rapidly toward the dwindling Kurjan soldiers. “Stay here.” Pivoting, Paxton ran back into the fight.
