Page 84 of Camriel
It hadn’t been easy to make their way to the south of the island and find a boat that worked.Adrenalin had been coursing through her ever since they’d started running.It ratcheted up once they started exchanging gunfire with their enemies.
Jacquin was completely confused about her presence, the poor fudging guy.After exchanging names with him, she focused on the battle.
Vic hadn’t realized Phul was there until he’d suddenly appeared from the shadows.He’d somehow masked his presence from them.Up this close, she could feel a similar potential for a bond with the soldier that she felt with Camriel.She froze when her sire reached out to her with his mind.
Her allies tried to speak to her, but she wasn’t capable of responding to them.Phul was trying to worm his way into her head.He sought to gain control of her and force her to accept his bond.It was taking everything she had to keep him out.Her father grinned as he pulled two automatic pistols and began shooting.The bullets weren’t intended for her.Instead, he targeted the knights on either side of her.Rushing forward, he spun her around and put a gun to her head, using her as a shield.
More words were exchanged and she dimly heard Camriel shouting something.Sheer rage poured into her from the warrior, coming through their unlinked bond.It cleared her head enough to hear what he said next.“She’s my mate!”he roared, then he called on his sword and leaped forward.
Victoria shoved Phul away and threw herself backwards at the same time.He reflexively pulled the trigger, but she’d anticipated his reaction.She turned her head, so the bullet barely grazed her instead of blowing her brains out.
Cam swung his sword at his foe, making a sound of pure agony as Phul rapidly fired with his other hand.The soldier avoided his blade, then sprinted towards the boat where his companions were waiting.Amaros and Jacquin continued to fire at the vessel as it took off, fleeing back to the city.
Vic was still feeling dazed, but she knew something was horribly wrong.Cam staggered, then went down to one knee.Feeling his pain through their potential bond, she slung her bow over her back and rushed to kneel at his side.“Camriel?”she said, tentatively putting her hand on his shoulder.
He turned his head to look at her and she was horrified to see blood running from the corner of his mouth.“Are you alright, my beautiful mate?”he asked, struggling to lift a hand to cup her cheek.
“I’m fine,” she said, blinking back the tears that were trying to form.Rain still pelted down, washing the blood from his face.She looked down to see several holes in his jacket and terror seized her.“Amaros!Cam has been shot!”she shouted.
The warrior was at her side in an instant.He lifted his second’s jacket and shirt to assess the damage.“It’s bad,” he said grimly.
Jacquin lifted the warrior’s clothes from behind, but he already knew what the verdict would be.“They went through,” he reported.“He’s bleeding out,” he added.
“We have to save him!”Victoria said, breath hitching as she tried not to burst into tears.
“Forgive me?”Cam asked, rubbing his thumb across her cheekbone.“I’m sorry for being so terrible at romance.”
“You haven’t even made it up to me yet,” she said, bottom lip quivering.“You can’t die.I won’t let you.Amaros is going to patch you up and you’re going to spend the rest of your life making up for that trainwreck of a date.”
“Deal,” he said, then his eyelids fluttered shut and he passed out.
Agony seized hold of Victoria at the thought of losing the warrior.“Fix him,” she demanded, meeting Amaros’ dark eyes.“Do not let him die.”
Amaros gave her a harried look, then jerked his head at the boat.“We need to get moving,” he said.“Phul will be back with reinforcements soon.”
“I’ll drive,” Jacquin offered, helping his commander carry Camriel to the boat.
“You’ve never evenseena boat before,” Vic said, ignoring the tears that escaped her control.
“How hard can it be?”he figured as they put Camriel down beneath the canopy.
Amaros took the first aid kit out of one of the backpacks and began packing the bullet holes with gauze.Vic held Cam’s hand, murmuring to him as his commander did his best to save his life.
Jacquin got the boat started and jerkily took off, following Amaros’ directions to land on the far side of the river.They had to get away from the soldiers before they managed to track their location.Victoria knew they couldn’t sense them, but she still wished they could take Camriel home.
Amaros checked the wound and blood spurted out of one of the holes.He glanced at Victoria when she sobbed.“Look away,” he ordered her.She obeyed, but watched from the corner of her eye as he pulled a knife.He cut his second open before she could protest, then plunged his fingers into the injury.“He’ll make it if I can get the bleeding stopped,” he said, grasping hold of Cam’s veins or arteries or whatever had been severed.
Gulping down the urge to vomit, Vic turned to examine the newest knight again.As handsome as Amaros and Cam in his own way, he had paler skin than theirs.His hair was wet but she figured it would be dark brown when it was dry.His eyes were a striking shade of olive green and his attitude seemed cocky and self-assured.
He steered the boat to a dock on the far side of the Hudson River and tied it securely.She hadn’t spent much time in New Jersey and didn’t know the area.They needed to find somewhere to hide until her knight recovered.
Wincing at the significance she’d just given to Camriel, Victoria held the boat steady as the guys lifted the unconscious warrior onto the dock.The bleeding had stopped just before Jacquin had halted the vessel.
“Follow me,” Vic said, holding her bow ready to shoot.She only had a few arrows left, but she still had her reaping hook and throwing knives.
Amaros and Jacquin carried their brother carefully, trying not to jostle him.Camriel was deeply asleep, healing from the nearly mortal wounds he’d suffered.The storm kept most people inside.The few who spotted them knew better than to bother the small band.The fierce female wielding a compound bow looked ready to kill anyone who stood in her way.
“This place feels empty,” Vic said after they’d been walking for nearly an hour.They were far enough away from the river that she hoped they wouldn’t be tracked.She led the men to an apartment building and opened the door.She couldn’t sense or hear anyone inside.
