Page 75 of When Monsters Rise
Werushed across the field, a desperate horde of mortality with celestial death on our tails.WherewasGabriel?Wherewere the reapers andErelim?
Thesentinels closed in.
Weweren’t going to make it.
Theshadows in the tree line shifted then burst free in the form of monsters.
Beescreamed.
Butmy heart leaped becauseIrecognized the monster leading the charge as no monster at all.
“Kabiel!”Hisgaze swept over me in acknowledgement, then up to the sky.Wingsburst from his back, and he took to the air along with the devolved watchers.
Notso devolved now.
Theystill had the spider legs, but they also had wings and faces, arms and hands, andKabiel…Kabiellooked more humanoid than ever.
Theyattacked the sentinels, tearing a couple down from the sky and devouring them.
Icaught sight of the reapers andErelimweaving between the devolved watchers and teaming up to ward off the sentinels.
“Rue!”Gabrieljoined us at the tree line just asMichael’sdisembodied voice filled the air.
“Fallback!” he ordered his troop. “Wehave what we need.”
Thesentinels disengaged and shot up into the air, vanishing into the night.
Theywere gone.
Michaelwas gone.
Shemwas…
Ifell to my knees, chest heaving as my lungs struggled against the crushing weight pressing in on them.
“Rue?Rue, get up,”Beesaid. “Wehave to go.Wehave to get out of here now that all the celestial light has attracted monsters.”
“She’sright,”Kabielsaid. “It’show we found you.Move.Wewill hold back the worst of it.”
Yes,Ihad to move.Ihad to keep going, but my limbs refused to cooperate, wanting nothing but to curl into a ball.
“Findus at the church,”Zaqsaid toKabiel.
Theywere making plans.Ineeded to focus, but the desire to retreat into my head, into the warm fuzzy place waiting for me was too strong.Fora moment,Iwas back at the mall in bed withShem, playing little spoon as he cocooned me in his heat.Itwas safe here.Safeand warm and—
Beeslapped me hard enough to clear the fuzziness in my head. “Snapthe fuck out of it.Wehave people to protect.”
Ilooked up at the people around me.
Mypeople.
Myresponsibility.
GabrielandBastianheld out their hands andIreached for them, allowing them to haul me to my feet. “Staytogether.”Myvoice was a hoarse rasp. “It’sgoing to be a long night.”
Chapter34
“Rue?Rue, are you listening to me?”Sarq’svoice broke through the fog in my mind, and the world came sharply into focus.
