Page 3 of Tender Wild

Rubber burned against asphalt as Diablo’s bike skidded onto the shoulder. Miguel followed, cutting his engine as loose pebbles crunched beneath his bike. He jumped off, boots hitting dirt as dust kicked up around them.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He grabbed Diablo’s arm, yanking him around. “This isn’t the time for revenge!”

Diablo shrugged off his grip, face carved from stone. “Go.” His voice dropped low, barely audible over the distant whine of approaching engines. “I’ll hold them off.”

“You’re insane if you think I’m leaving you behind.” Miguel’s hand went to his waistband, fingers wrapping around smooth metal. “We ride together, we die together.”

The sportbikes slowed, tires hissing against pavement as they pulled over about fifty yards back.

Miguel withdrew his gun, checking the magazine. “You really are out of your goddamn mind.”

Behind them, engines cut off. Footsteps crunched on course dirt. Miguel turned, gun raised, and caught the flash of sunlight bouncing off something metallic in one of the rider’s hands.

Not a gun. A tranquilizer.

Fear locked his muscles, froze him in place.

A hard jerk yanked him backward as Diablo pulled him down. Gunshots cracked the air, three rapid pops that sent the hyenas scrambling for cover in the tall grass flanking the road.

“Down!” Diablo hissed, pulling Miguel into the grass on their side.

They crouched low, stalks bending around them. Miguel’s knee hit a rock, pain jolting up his leg. He bit back a curse, adjusting his position to keep his head below the road level.

Something whistled past his ear, close enough to feel the air displacement. A soft thunk as it buried in dirt.

“Dart,” Miguel hissed, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead.

Diablo’s jaw tightened. He rose to one knee, then stood completely upright. “I’m already fucked,” he said, firing again into the grass where the hyenas hid. “What’s one more dart gonna do?”

“Kill you, you fucking idiot!” Miguel grabbed for Diablo’s jacket, trying to pull him back down.

“Let it,” Diablo said, squeezing off another round.

“I’m not letting you take another hit.” Miguel sighted down his barrel, keeping low in the grass. He squeezed the trigger twice, aiming for movement across the road.

Another soft thunk made Miguel turn. A dart had buried itself in the leather seat of his motorcycle, the orange feathers at its end quivering slightly.

Terror crawled up Miguel’s throat, but anger pushed it back down. He wasn’t letting Diablo take another hit while Miguel ran. Not today. Not ever.

Staying low, Miguel aimed through the grass and squeezed the trigger. The recoil traveled up his arm as his gun bucked. A high, pained, furious scream tore through the air.

Miguel’s lips curled into a savage smirk. “Hope I killed the mutt.”

Diablo let out a dark laugh, arms spread wide. “You motherfuckers shoot like first-time gamers! I’m a big ole target and you keep missing! Go level up. I’ll wait.”

Lips parting, Miguel stared up at him. Diablo really did have a death wish. He stood there like he actually wanted to get shot with another dart. “You saw those bodies back there,” he murmured, but knew Diablo could hear him. “Is that how you want to end up?

His face was eerily calm, eyes flat. “Ask me that question after you’ve lived with your beasts trapped inside of you.”

“Drop to the ground or I’ll shoot you myself.” Miguel reloaded, his hands steadier now. “I didn’t come out here to watch you die, asshole.”

“I told you to leave,” Diablo said, crouching low. “But you’re right. I can’t die yet. I have to save your hairy ass.”

The throaty rumble of motorcycles was faint at first, then grew stronger with each passing second. Miguel’s head snapped toward the sound, relief punching through his veins.

“About damn time,” he muttered, ducking as another dart whistled overhead. “Keep them busy.”

Diablo smirked and aimed where the hyenas were hidden in the grass. Pop, pop, pop.

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