Page 32 of Harmless
“I don’t know who’s giving it to us, but this is our chance.” Rori popped a fresh magazine into her gun and yelled at the top of her lungs. “If you have a weapon, return fire now!”
She didn’t have to tell anyone twice. Riders, gladiators, service workers, anyone who’d gotten their hands on guns, emerged from their cover just to gain enough clearance for shooting.
Now we weren’t the ones who were trapped.
Those who weren’t getting shot were falling to their deaths into the canyon. We were barely even hitting them and they dropped like flies.
Somewhere between an instant and an eternity later, the canyon fell silent.
Not a single living soul remained in sight on the rim. Everything was still, even Tezca, who had taken to calmly lying down on top of the bullet hole-ridden picnic table.
“Is it over?” Paige whispered.
“Highly doubt that.” Rori checked her ammo, then motioned to me, Carter, and Santos. “Hunter, you stay with her. You three with me.”
Santos and I fell into position on either side of her and later, I would recall how natural and seamless the formation had been.
We stayed just on the edge of cover, heading toward the main elevator that carried us in on our first trip here. I guess for me, it still was my first trip, and hopefully my last one.
The elevator cage was at the top, the inside of the glass walls now covered with some kind of stiff, gray sheet. I assumed it was some kind of bulletproof shield for getting people out safely.
The four of us kept moving toward the panel with the button that would bring the elevator down. Carter, in front, kept sweeping his gun back and forth in front of him, and I did the same on Rori’s left. On her right, Santos’ remained hypervigilant with his machetes at the ready.
Once about ten feet away from the panel, we heard a metallic clanking and an electric hum.
“It’s moving!” Rori hissed. “Someone’s coming down!”
Without another word, the four of us pressed into a dipping curve in the canyon wall, covering ourselves but within full view of the elevator door. The three of us with guns pointed at the slowly descending elevator and waited.
“That shield sure is a cock tease,” Carter muttered.
“So this is what guys feel like when they’re about to see some titty,” Rori mused.
No one else commented as the elevator made its descent. When it gently touched down on the floor pad, we collectively sucked in a breath and tightened our hold on our weapons.
The door slid open and…adogcame loping out?
No, wait. That was a wolf. And one I’d seen before.
“Lupa?”
The wolf ran straight toward us, tongue lolling out and lips pulled back in a canine smile.
Rori stepped in front of Carter and shoved his gun muzzle down. “Put your weapons down, they’re allies.”
“How the, what—”
Her cousin was still sputtering his disbelief when Gwen stepped out of the elevator, her smile a bit more reserved. “Hey, Rori. Torr. You guys really should get better at accepting help when it’s offered.”
12
RORI
“I’m so, so grateful you didn’t listen to me on the phone,” I said, pulling Gwen into a hug for at least the third time.
“I just knew the resort had more tricks up their sleeve that they’d never reveal to guests.” She returned my squeeze, then pulled back with a cheeky grin. “Plus, I had to return your bikes.”
“Oh, Gwen…” My motorcycle was my baby, my most prized possession in the world. And it was crazy to think that I hadn’t given her a thought while I was hellbent on rescuing Santos and Torr. But now, thinking of reuniting with my treasured steed, controlling and riding her in the way I only knew how, brought tears to my eyes.
