Page 47 of Wicked Fate

Ryker rolled his eyes. “Fine, Reid and Sun can come with us too. Everyone else rides with Briar.”

No one argued as the sky lightened further and we hurried into the vehicles. Ryker climbed into the front passenger seat of the Mazda beside me while Cassi, Sun, and Reid took the back.

Next, we needed to leave before anyone heard us.

You ready?I linked to Briar.

Now,she replied.

Our engines rumbled softly to life, and Briar pulled out of her spot first. I may have scouted the lands and handled more pack business than she had, but Briar thrived on learning all the secret facts about our pack. She found things like the backup exit fascinating, along with how our pack theology resonated differently than most packs.

I pulled in behind her, and we eased down the little-used track. Briar cut into the grass, increasing her speed to drive around the trees and swerve around potholes.

The cold pressure suddenly pressed against my body and lungs.

“Ember?” Ryker turned toward me, his eyes wide. “What’s wrong?”

The sensation increased.

Four shadows stepped onto the track in front of Briar, and then I noticed something a slightly lighter shade of gray than the dark shadows. Something that resembled a hand grenade.

Briar, stop.My heart tried to lurch from my chest.We need to turn around.

But it was too late. The vampire launched the grenade, and it barreled straight for the Accord.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

Hysteria took over my mind as I linked to our entire pack,Grenade! Stop!Cold tendrils of fear choked me as I watched my sister barrel toward her death.

My wolf howled in my head, and the warm magic within me started churning.

The red brake lights flashed, but it was too little, too late. The grenade was right on it.

I screamed, “No!” hoping like hell to somehow stop it.

The grenade hit the car with a sound that resembled metal skidding across stone... and ricocheted back toward the vampires.

The grenade spun, flipping over itself once… twice… and then exploded.

“What the hell?” Ryker gasped, twisting in his seat just as a deafeningboomshook the earth.

Fire erupted several feet in front of the cloaked vampires, spraying flames toward their shadows in a blast of blinding light. Mulch and dirt sprayed upward in a violent cloud as shrapnel exploded, embedding into the trunks of trees, slicing off branches that crashed to the ground, and stripping bark.

The vampires screamed—high and sharp—but the noise cut off fast as smoke rolled through the woods.

“What wasthat?” Cassi gasped, peering between the front seats.

“A grenade hit the other car and somehow blasted back toward the vampires.” The words felt like sandpaper against my throat. I linked with everyone again,Are you guys okay?

Yes,Briar replied, but that was all I got.

“They’re fine.” Ryker reached over and rubbed the tops of my hands. “I can feel them. They’re just in shock.”

I tore my gaze from the Accord and looked at my hands, noticing how tight I was holding the steering wheel. Despite their death grip, my hands were shaking, and that’s when what had just happened truly hit me. I had nearly lost my sister and three of my pack mates.

That was fucking badass,Gage interjected.

“How was that even possible?” Sun asked, her breathing ragged.

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