Page 84 of The Union
“Aim for the heart, man,” I said. Cobalt bullets would definitely stop a vampire.
We headed toward the waiting room while Dr. Martin darted into what looked to be a hallway beneath the radiology sign.
The energy within me thrashed around like a caged animal struggling to get free. Pulling both arms back, I turned my palms out—waiting, scanning, listening, sniffing. The surest way to kill Roman was to burn him, and I was primed and ready to bury the fucker once and for all.
Hawk raised his fist, coming to a halt. He scanned the door that led into the hub of the ER.
Layla’s pulse was beating rapidly.
I tossed a look over my shoulder, meeting an empty hallway. “Keep moving, Hawk.”
Just as Hawk took a step, Ben sailed through the doors from the hub of the ER. My best bud landed in front of Hawk with a resounding thud.
Hawk pumped several bullets into the beast of the guy, who marched out with a semiautomatic in hand. One down.
Ben jumped up. “More are coming. Sam, take Layla. We got this.”
“Where’s my sister?” Layla asked as I snagged her arm.
Ben didn’t have time to answer. Another burly vampire with arms bigger than his head marched out behind his counterpart.
“Layla, this way.” I spun on my heel, tugging her with me, searching for an exit, which I didn’t see.
“I need to find Jordyn,” she said, running alongside me.
“We will, but I need you safe first.”
“I can’t let my grandmother take her.” Layla’s voice pitched and rolled.
I didn’t want that to happen either. “I know. But we have bigger issues. You’re carrying four. You and them are the only ones who are important right now. Are we clear?”
She nodded reluctantly as she puffed out her cheeks.
When we reached the end of the hall, a gift shop sat on the right, and there was nothing to my left.
Motherfucker.
“New plan.” I scanned the hall for another escape route.
Ben and Hawk had disappeared.
A war raged in my head. The only way out was back the way we’d come. We were sprinting toward the waiting room when two men bulldozed out from radiology. A blond giant tackled me to the ground. “Get her,” he said to his scar-faced comrade.
“Run, Layla!” I shouted as I pushed my attacker off me. Before he could react, I lifted my hands, the electricity sizzling in my palms, and swung one fireball at him.
He squealed like a pig, the scent of burning flesh permeating the air. Then he stumbled, swatting at his face to put out the fire.
“Sam!” Layla shouted in a petrified tone.
I bolted, my palms out, my head down, primed to burn the fuck out of the bald scar-faced moron on Layla’s tail. The oil on his scalp was sure to set him ablaze.
Out of nowhere, someone barreled into me like a fucking bowling ball. We crashed into a water fountain and then through the wall behind it.
I threw him off me and dove into the hallway with water spraying everywhere. When I jumped up, the bald dude and Layla were gone.
Hawk climbed out of the gaping hole. “Sorry, some fucker threw me.” He darted back in through the radiology door.
I closed my fists, clenched my jaw, and ran for my fucking life because she was my life, my heart, my soul, and she was carrying our kids. I banked around the corner, the emergency room entrance directly ahead. I ran out into the afternoon sun, skidding to a halt at the curb. No Lane. No Jeep. Only a parking lot of patients, nurses, doctors, and bystanders.
