Page 90 of The Hunted
Sam growled. “Kraft and I will do a quick sweep of the homes. Olivia, can you take Layla and Rianne back to base? Call Kraft if you run into problems.”
I was tempted to stay and help, but I needed to make sure Rianne was okay.
As if Sam knew the debate raging in my head, he said, “We’ll be right behind you. This won’t take long.”
Olivia headed over to the Hummer. “Layla, let’s go. I want to make sure we’re there before Roman.”
Sam kissed me hard and fast on the lips before he stalked away. I watched him and Kraft fade into the darkness, then I hurried into the backseat beside Rianne.
Once Olivia was speeding down the road like a NASCAR driver, I felt along Rianne’s carotid artery. I sighed when her pulse beat lightly against my fingers.
“Sam likes you a lot,” Olivia announced.
“I think he likes my blood more,” I muttered as I held Rianne’s hand, staring out at the passing trees. That was the only thing that made sense to me. We’d only known each other for a mere twenty-four hours, and love didn’t just spark in an instant—or maybe it did with vampires.Love? Ha.I’d never been in love before. I’d had a crush on a boy in my freshman year of high school until he transferred out. That had been the extent of falling for someone.
Olivia’s dark eyes met my blue ones in the rearview mirror. “It’s more than that, so I’m going to give you some unsolicited advice. Hurt him, and you’ll have me to deal with.”
I was more afraid of how I was feeling and the changes I felt my body going through than her idle threat. Visions. Blood cravings. Those weren’t normal for a human. Maybe Sam was right. I could have vampire DNA. But I refused to believe that my lineage was born from vampires.
I shuddered. “Sam thinks I have vampire DNA.”
“Are you craving blood?” Olivia asked.
“Yes.”
Her worried gaze in the rearview mirror was like a punch to the gut, but my problems vanished when she slammed on the brakes and the Hummer fishtailed on the road leading into base. “We’re too late. Tripp, come in,” Olivia said into her comm.
I glanced out the windshield in between the front seats. A guard was lying on the ground.
“Tripp, come in.” Olivia growled her frustration.Shit.“Kraft.” A beat passed. “Roman’s on base. Get back here now. We’re under attack.”
I was ninety percent sure it was Roman, but one man down didn’t mean Roman was there. “How do you know it’s Roman?” The military vampires could have other enemies too.
She drove into a parking lot of an army thrift store and parked around the building. “Maybe it’s your uncles.”
My limbs locked. That was a possibility. “If my uncles were here that guard would be burned to a crisp.” Uncle Jack’s weapon of choice was a flamethrower. He felt the easiest way to get rid of vampires was to set them on fire.
“I need to see what we’re up against. Stay here.” She got out of the Hummer and took off.
I was about to jump into the driver’s seat when Rianne stirred. She sat up, holding her head. “Where’s Sam? Is he alive?” She sounded concerned for the vampire.
The sigh that came out of me shook my body. I knew she had a pulse, but I didn’t expect her to wake up as if nothing happened to her, although she looked like death, covered in soot and with a small amount of blood oozing from the cut on her forehead.
“I’m thrilled and shocked you made it out of that rubble.”
“Sam saved my life.” She glanced through the windshield. “Where are we?”
“We’re outside the naval base. They’re under attack. Sam is fine.” I opened the door. “I’m taking you to a hospital to get checked out.” It seemed like the best option since we probably couldn’t get to Dr. Vieira.
She rubbed her head. “Don’t. I’m good. And if they’re under attack, then they need our help.”
That sounded odd coming from her. Hell, it was weird that we were starting to grow close to the military vampires, or at least I was. “You can’t fight.”
She winced. “Maybe you’re right. My head hurts. Did we find Jordyn?”
“Not yet. What happened at the house? Was Roman there?”
“Everything happened so fast. I didn’t see him but heard Jordyn’s voice before some big-ass woman grabbed me then knocked me out. When I came to, I was in the chair with C-4, and she was setting the timer on the bomb on the oil tank.”
