Page 72 of Survive the Night
“We’re good!” Hugh said, and Otto felt his tensed muscles relax slightly. “Or we would be if you’d stop screaming at us.”
That was such a smart-ass Hugh answer that Otto felt a rush of relief. It only lasted a moment, though, before Otto remembered Sarah was alone and there was a small army outside. Duck-walking back to the window, Otto held his gun at the ready as he peered outside. The burning store and helicopter lit everything as brightly as daylight—a hell-scape daylight. He scanned the area, but all he could see were the fallen men lying unmoving in the snow.
“Looks clear on this side.” Theo echoed Otto’s thoughts. “How are things to the north?”
“Four down over here. We’re clear.” Hugh paused for a second, and then asked, “Unless you see anyone, eagle-eye Gracie?”
“No.” There was a slight shake to her voice. “No one moving, at least.”
Her words reminded Otto of what he’d just done, but he pushed away the memory to deal with later. Right now, he had to go find Sarah. There was still one more helicopter and who knew how many more of Aaron’s mercenaries. The town was still under siege, and no one could get in to help until the snow let up—even if Steve and Cleo did manage to get a message through to the outside world.
“Theo, you lead,” Otto said, straightening up to a standing position. Glass crunched under his boots as he moved toward the door. “I’ll take the rear.”
With a short nod, Theo picked up Viggy, slinging him over his shoulder. Otto turned to Hugh. “You okay with Lexi, or do you want me to get her?”
“We’re good.” With his unbroken arm, Hugh swung Lexi up off the glass-strewn floor. She wriggled and tried to lick his face. “Thanks, Lex. Okay! Enough! I think the puppies are more restrained and well-behaved than you.”
“And you, probably,” Grace said as she fell in behind him. Her voice sounded almost back to normal, although Otto knew that was just a front. They’d all have to deal with the events of the night…if they survived it.
Theo, gun in one hand and steadying his dog with the other, checked the area out front. He stepped outside, and Otto felt the tension in his muscles ratchet up. There were no gunshots, though, just the roar of the flames and the occasional pop of a small explosion. Otto now wished he’d given Hugh time to break into the gun-and-ammo case. It was a waste that everything would get destroyed when they’d likely need the weapons before the night was over.
Once outside, Theo lowered Viggy to the ground and then moved fast. The others poured out of the house and took off after him, running as quickly as they could through the snow. The dogs loved it, bounding along in rabbit hops. Otto, on the other hand, was tense and watchful, expecting people in camouflage to come out shooting at any moment.
It bothered him that they couldn’t stop long enough to check if any of the mercenaries were still alive. It was one thing to shoot in self-defense, but the idea of leaving survivors bleeding in the snow twisted up his insides. Again, he was forced to push that thought away and focus on keeping everyone in his group alive and getting to Sarah.
The snow was still falling heavily, muffling the sounds they made as they ran through the yards. Theo led them on a zigzag route toward Gordon’s compound, keeping close to trees and buildings as much as possible to give them cover.
Something was coming toward them. Otto opened his mouth to give a warning, just as Theo’s hand came up in a “stop” gesture. They were in the middle of an unfenced yard without any nearby concealment. It was the worst possible position for a fight. Otto, Theo, and Hugh surrounded Grace, Jules, and the dogs, and Jules immediately aimed her pistol through the small space between Otto and Theo.
The shapes kept moving toward them, and Otto brought his Glock up with both hands, lining the sights up to the biggest form in the center. Something was wrong, though. Whatever they were appeared both too large and too small to be Aaron’s soldiers.
One of them broke away and sprinted toward them. As it grew closer, Otto recognized him. Shock rippled through him. “Hold your fire!”
“Is that Mort?” Hugh asked.
“Yeah.” His surprise changed to a tentative thread of hope. If Mort was here and okay, then there was a chance that Sarah might be, too. Holstering his gun, Otto stretched out his hands and crouched, greeting Mort with a rough scratch of his scruff. He ran his hands over the dog, verifying that Mort really was in front of him, warm and familiar and blessedly alive. The delicate tendril of hope strengthened, and Otto’s heart beat faster. Mort was here. Mort was fine. Please let Sarah be with him. Viggy whined with eagerness, and Mort danced over to his old buddy.
His heart crashing against his rib cage in hope and excitement, Otto started to jog toward the other forms moving through the snow, unable to believe what he was seeing. As he recognized Bean and Xena and then the woman riding the horse, Otto’s jog turned into a run. She was there. He wasn’t quite sure how, but Otto didn’t care. His Sarah was alive and right in front of him, and he couldn’t reach her fast enough.
“Sarah?” His yell came out as a croak, all of his oxygen fueling his legs as he plowed through the snow toward her.
“Otto!” Sarah threw her leg over Bean’s back and started to slide to the ground. Otto caught her before her boots could touch the snow. Once his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her in to his chest, it became real. He was holding Sarah. All of the nightmare scenarios he’d been imagining—her bleeding or caught or blown to pieces—lost their power to haunt him. She was here, and he would keep her safe.
“Sarah.” He pressed his cheek against the top of her head, squeezing her even more tightly. “I was so worried.” At the understatement, his laugh bubbled out, filled with sheer joy and amazement and gratitude. She clutched him just as hard, her face pressed into his chest.
He didn’t want to let her go for even a second, but he needed to see her and make sure that she wasn’t hurt. Lowering Sarah to her feet, he looked her over, checking for any bullet holes or missing limbs or, really, even the faintest scratch. She looked perfect. Her cheeks and nose were pink from the cold, but none of her exposed skin looked like it was in danger of frostbite. He pushed back an irrational urge to strip her naked and check every inch of her for possible damage. His hands smoothed over her cheeks, and she smiled at him. He couldn’t seem to stop touching her. In fact, he was pretty sure he’d never be able to stop. Unable to hold back any longer, his mouth crashed down on hers.
She kissed him back just as desperately, just as eagerly. The night had been endless, and Otto felt as if they’d been separated for so long. As they kissed, warmth filled him, and his worst fears loosened their hold, slipping away until all he knew was relief and bliss.
Pulling back, he broke the kiss and met her eyes. He loved that dazed and happy look she got when he kissed or touched her. A part of him hadn’t believed he’d ever see it again. The thought of a life without Sarah felt like a kick to the belly.
“I love you,” he said without thinking or planning or even knowing the words were going to fall out of his mouth. He didn’t care about the possible rejection or embarrassment. She needed to hear it, because she could’ve died, and then she would’ve never known how he felt about her. “I love you so much.”
Her gloved hands came up to cup his face, mirroring his. “I love you, too, Otto.”
He had to kiss her again. When he finally raised his head, he felt almost dizzy with happiness. Clearing his throat, he somehow found his voice. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She smiled at him, and everything inside him warmed, but then her expression turned sad. “I need to tell you—”
