Page 46 of Unholy Gambit: Checkmate in Blood
He considered pointing out she might break her ankle in those heels, but didn’t want to crush her newfound self-confidence in them.
So he offered his arm for her to hold, and he walked at her speed.
* * * *
Aury curled her fingers around Axel’s forearm and remembered him talking as if ghosts really exist, but surely he’d just been yanking her chain, right? This was just for Halloween funsies, looking for haunted places.
Up the hill they trooped, crunching over leaves and gravel, so she was happy for Axel’s cool, steady arm. The view was amazing — stars overhead, the lights of the city glimmering below.
Except, when they got to the top, the air changed. Her neck prickled. A tingle went down her spine.
Probably just her imagination. There were no signs anything except the green grass and incredible view had ever been here.
She heard a low, growling noise and figured someone had set up a speaker to scare them—
A scream tore into the night.
Then another.
Axel moved in an instant — arms around her waist, lifting her with an invisible push of air under her feet. “Let me move us,” he said aloud, and in her mind,Relax. I’ve got you. I’ll get us away.
She clung to him, heart slamming against her ribs.
One of the other Beths was on the ground, a long red line across the top of her forearm. Her Rip staggered with a slice across his chest, shirt torn.
We have to help them!
It’s a ghost, Aurélie. Or worse. I don’t know how to fight non-corporeal beings.
Give it one of your fuckingsuggestions. At least try!
He set her feet back on the ground.Go inside the house and I will. I’ll draw attention to myself when I try, and I won’t risk you.
She knew arguing would only give thenon-corporeal beingmore time to hurt people, so she stepped away, took two steps down the hill…
Pain ripped into her thigh, hot and fast, before she could take a third.
“Fuck!”
She staggered, clutching at her leg, her fingers slipping on wet heat.
Blood.
People were shouting, running for safety, but Axel swore under his breath and caught her before she fell, his strong arms cradling her to his chest as if she weighed nothing. He didn’t slow for the chaos, didn’t heed the other screams. He barely slowed on his way down the hill, and strode straight for the car.
Seconds later, the world blurred into dark trees and glints of high-end homes as they plunged back down the ridge.
“You’re bleeding. I can feel your pain. How deep is it?”
“Not bad enough for stitches but it’s close. Ruby has first responder training and the trauma kit that goes with it. I can useher stash to clean it, and then use either the butterfly things or glue, if it needs it.”
“Why does an eagle shifter need first responder training?”
He was trying to get her mind off the pain, but she didn’t call him on it.
“Because sometimes people get hurt doing dumb shit.” She shrugged. “Some of the charity things she does, it comes in handy for her to treat the basics while waiting for the pros. There’s often minor scrapes and the occasional twisted ankle at the Haunted Swamp, and sometimes bigger issues at the endurance and sports events. She’s trying to look competent and in charge, and being able to step up and handle shit in a crisis helps.”
She blew out a breath. “You haven’t said you told me so, yet.”
