Page 1034 of One More Kiss

Chapter4

I sprinted after Jett,rounding the corner and flattening myself against the wall. Unscathed.

Jett was waiting, Clara still cradled in his arms, baby like. “We can’t stop. You lead. We’re right behind you.”

Clara tapped at his shoulder but he ignored her.

She tapped harder, more of a slap. “I’m fine. It’s just a scratch. Put me down.”

He complied with a frown, keeping his arm around her until he was sure she was steady on her feet.

The bleeding had slowed to a trickle. I pulled a bandana from my back pocket, kept there for emergencies like this, and tied it firmly around her head. “That should help stop the bleeding.”

She smiled gratefully. “Thanks.”

Her color was better, but that was no guarantee she could run. I touched her shoulder.

“Jett can carry you if you need him to. You don’t have to be the tough guy.” I grinned. “That’s what he’s for.”

“I’m fine.” Her teeth were gritted but I had no doubt she meant it. “Let’s go.”

We moved, not a moment too soon. The bullet that smashed into the bricks where our heads had been moments before came from a different angle than the roof. The shooter had back up. There was no way anyone could move from the rooftop to the ground that fast.

We ran. If I died here today my sister would never be saved.

Jett supported Clara as I took the lead. He was faster than me, but we could only go as quickly as our slowest member and that was her. Not only was she the oldest of our group, she didn’t have the benefit of Fae blood or whatever the hell type of shifter Jett was. My feet pounded on the pavement as I led us around a corner and down another long street. We were parallel with the railway line and I intended to cross the tracks so we could lose our pursuers in the throng of people at the station.

“No. Not there.” Jett was barely out of breath, despite the fact that he was half carrying Clara. “Too many innocents.”

Man had a point.

A shot rang out behind us, proof that we hadn’t lost our pursuers.

“We should split up. I can lead them away so you can get Clara to safety.” I sucked in air. This wasn’t a friendly ‘steady state’ jog, the type where you’re out of breath but can still carry on a conversation. This was more the run for your life and hope you don’t collapse before you reach safety type of run.

“We stick together. We don’t know who they’re after, or how many there are.”

We kept running, following the train line and looking for a side street. Up ahead I saw an opening. Thank goodness. I couldn’t see our pursuers but it felt like they were closing.

I swerved right, down the narrow alley. Three steps in I slammed on the brakes. I knew this alley. This was the short end, and in front of us was a twelve foot chain link fence. We were on the opposite side of the fence to where I’d been the other night, when Jett had caught me.

“Turn back. This is a dead end.”

“Up and over, Sunshine.” Jett put Clara down. At some point during our mad dash for our lives he’d scooped her up, speed being more important than her dignity. She could yell at him later, if we survived. He glared at me. “Move it.”

I jogged backwards a few paces and sized up the fence. I bounced on my toes a few times, then sprinted the few short steps and leaped. I made it part way up, a much better start than the other night, and started pulling myself hand over hand. Once again, I was wearing my kick-ass boots and my legs swung uselessly.

I made it to the top and swung my leg up and over, then laid my belly flat, balanced perilously along the wire at the top. Thank goodness it wasn’t barbed. I dug my heels in, one on each side of the wire, and gripped the fence as far down as I could with one hand. The other I stretched down towards Jett, so I could help Clara.

He grasped her around the hips. “Ready?”

She nodded. He crouched, then sprang, pushing her high into the air as he went. He got her over half way up and she grabbed onto the wire, eyes shut tight.

As gravity took over and he fell back to the ground he released his hold on her. She shrieked as her weight went to her arms and scrabbled to dig her feet into the chain links.

Fortunately Clara was wearing sensible shoes, those fashionable canvas sneakers that women her age were reclaiming, and it gave her some grip.

“Come on!” I stretched down as far as I could. “Climb!”

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