Page 59 of Forbidden

Talon wrenched the swords away from three paladins with his power. Wolf smashed one over the head, and Talon grabbed another by the throat, flinging him into the wall, his mouth a snarl of fury.

Malachi made it to the exit across the room as another Molotov cocktail burst through another window and shattered against the bar. “We can’t get out! Luke, come break this salt line!”

“Fuck!” Luke shouted, cutting down a paladin with a twisted snarl. “I’m trying! Hold on!”

“Somebody break the salt line!” someone else screamed from another exit.

“They’re coming in the back door!” Talon hollered over the din.

Goddammit, they were all going to die.

Chapter 15

Ira couldn’t convincethe cab driver to go any faster, and when In Extremis finally came into view, a horrified sound left his mouth.

The warehouse was on fire. Flames flickered through the broken windows, and familiar black SUVs were parked in the middle of the deserted street around the entrance. There was no sign of the usual bouncer, the white-haired Storm. Ira really hoped he wasn’t dead.

“Stop! Stop the car!” He flung some cash at the gaping driver and dove from the vehicle.

“Hey, pal, wait! I don’t think you should?—”

Ira slammed the door shut, cutting off the driver’s protests.

He sprinted down the sidewalk. Paladins stood outside the club, people he recognized, their familiar faces hungry for violence. The fire gleamed in their eyes. If he was fast enough, he could slip past them and make it to the salt line. They weren’t expecting him; he could take them by surprise. He’d break the salt line, and all the demons would be able toescape. They would be okay, and whatever happened to him next would be a small price to pay. He just had to get there.

“Who’s that?” someone shouted as he drew near.

“Who?”

“Where?”

“That’s the missing prophet! That’s Ira! Grab him! Stop him!”

Ira dodged somebody rushing toward him and ducked under someone else’s reaching arms. He was almost to the entrance. The pale line of salt was visible, like snow on the dark concrete, and he could see figures inside, silhouetted by the flickering light of the fire. Dark liquid covered the abandoned dance floor. He couldn’t tell if it was red blood, black, or something else. Malachi wasn’t far from the door, grappling with a paladin wielding a holy blade. They were still fighting. He wasn’t too late.

“Wolf!” He couldn’t see him. Where was he?

His sneaker hit the salt and skidded out from under him, breaking the line and sending him crashing to the concrete, scraping knees and elbows. For a moment, he was staring up at the billowing smoke above the club. Then arms hooked under his, hauling him to his feet and away from the club.

Panic shot through him. He hadn’t seen Wolf yet. He had to make sure Wolf was okay. That was all that mattered. All of this would be a waste if he hadn’t gotten there in time to save Wolf.

“Wolf! No, let go of me! Wolf!” His sneakers slid on the pavement. He tried to wrench his arms free, but despite the handful of weeks training under Alex and Luke, he was no match for the muscled paladins.

Wolf’s voice roared from within. “Ira! Get the fuck out of my way! Ira!”

Relief nearly took him out at the knees. Wolf was alive. As long as he was alive, everything would be okay.

Two paladins shoved him into the backseat of an SUV, bracketing him with stony faces and unforgiving grips.

“No, no, no! Let me go!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Michael snarled. “Drive!”

“No!” Ira lunged across Michael’s lap for the door.

Something unforgiving crashed against the back of his skull, and everything went black.

The first thingIra became aware of was the absence of sound. The room around him was oppressively quiet. He didn’t move, cataloging everything his senses could pick up. No sound. A flat pillow under his head. A scratchy, wool blanket under his bare arm. The last thing he remembered was fire andpaladins. His throat aching as he screamed for Wolf. And something hitting the back of his head. He reached up to check for a wound and found only dried blood crusted in his hair. No pain. Wolf’s blood had healed him while he was unconscious.

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