Page 82 of Wicked Fate

The vampire landed hard. Gage went down under its weight, slamming to the floor with a grunt. His gun skittered across the tile.

“Get off him!” Briar’s voice cracked. She grabbed a kitchen knife off the island and slammed it down, but missed the enemy.

The shadow moved toward her, and I fired, hitting it in the chest.

It shrieked as visible blood poured to the floor, leaving Gage coughing and clutching his ribs.

“You all need to get the hell out of here before I can’t hold them off any longer,” Cassi shouted.

Ryker grabbed my arm again.Where are the enemies we’re going to face when running out?

They’re being pushed back, so we have a hole right in the center of the shadows if we can move now.

Briar screamed.

I whipped around in time to see a shadow latch onto her back and yank her toward the bedrooms.

My heart pounded as I fired, aiming for what I hoped was right between its eyes. Four other shadows were now in the living room behind us, and I aimed at each one.Go down the front steps and stay right in the center of the walkway. Now.

She hit the floor face down. The vampire screeched and retreated, but not before it raked its claws across her back. Blood welled instantly.

Xander and Kendric took off out front, slowed from injuries and carrying an unconscious witch.

I rushed to my sister, feeling Ryker’s frustration peaking. However, he knew better than to ask me to leave Briar behind. Desperate, I helped her stumble to her feet.

“You all need togo,” Cassi grunted, sweat beading on her forehead.

I didn’t argue. Ryker pushed forward, and Gage, Ryker, Briar, and I sprinted for the SUV. Cassi ran behind us, and I noticed the wind was slowing.

Outside, the cold hit me like a wave.

They were everywhere. Unseen but pressing in. And we were out of time.

Three on our left,I linked, and Gage didn’t hesitate. He turned mid-stride and fired. Since he couldn’t see them, he hit only one, but the shadow thudded into the grass.

As I fired at the other two, Kendric stumbled with blood soaking his shirt. Briar ducked under his good arm and hauled him forward.

I covered their retreat, firing at a blur that surged for their backs. The bullet found its mark, causing blood to spray back upon my face and chest.

Xander sprinted past me, Adara flopping against his chest. Every few steps, he dipped, making his route more unpredictable. Still, the shadows had to know what our plan was.

Cassi continued to spell the wind, though it was dying down to a trickle. When Xander and Adara caught up to Briar and Kendric at the SUV, I fired at shadows until my clip was empty.

Here, take mine.Gage handed me his rifle, and I shot at every shadow that got too close to us.

“Cassi, drop the wind. It’s already almost fizzled out,” Ryker ordered. “We may need your help here in a bit.”

Briar threw open the back door, and Xander, Kendric, and Adara went to the very back. There was only enough room for seven people, but we’d make eight work, even if one of us had to lie in the floor bed.

I ran out of bullets.

Get into the passenger seat now,Ryker linked to me and pushed me in through the driver’s side. My hip banged against the steering wheel, but I crawled over as Briar and Cassi climbed into the back and slammed the door.

Ryker jumped into the driver’s seat just as a shadow grabbed his arm. I had no bullets to use, so I threw the gun at the shadow. It made its mark but then bounced off the shadow and hit Ryker in the neck.

Pain shot through him as he shoved the shadow away and slammed the door shut. Within a second, he had the SUV running, but shadows had surrounded us.

The rearview mirror went black, and my pulse spiked.

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