Page 139 of White Raven
CHAPTER 26
BATTLE CRY
Leigh might have had good reason for her whining, but Rhaena couldn’t stop herself from voicing the threat. All she could think about was Athan, and the hell he had to have gone through being buried alive in some grave where no one had been there to help him. Suddenly, hearing Ryan’s voice nearly had her shifting from anger alone. If Leigh wanted to run off with the bitch, then she’d be free to do so once they figured out what kind ofotherthreats they were looking at. If Ryan was right, and there were bloodthirsty vampires coming, then everybody’s first priority had to be protecting each other.
Having each other’s six…
“You said you wouldn’t hurt her,” Leigh bitched, following Rhaena around the apartment with her eyes. “You promised me!”
Rhaena had finally had enough and stopped pacing to shoot her a cold stare. “Look around, Erickson! Do you see her anywhere? For now, she’s safe. Likely on a plane by now. She’s the last thing I’m concerned about. Now stop acting like a pussy and get your game face on. You’re gonna need to be ready to use your claws if the shit hits the fan.”
Brandon laid a calming hand to her shoulder. “Rhaena…maybe you’re being a little harsh, babe.”
“Not as harsh as these cronies are gonna be, if they’re brave enough to bust through that door. I think it’s finally time to get our heads out of our asses and get ready for a fight.”
Wren nodded, and glanced over at Leigh, who looked like she was about to puke. “She’s right, Jenkins. We gotta tough up, Leigh.”
“What exactly are we up against? You guys forget…I only found out about all this other-worldly shit a few hours ago,” Leigh asked, crossing her arms.
Brent’s turn. “If I had to imagine a lion’s den…with a single warthog to fight over…and a dozen starving lions? That might be close.” They all looked at him like he was an idiot. Brent shrugged. “We’re the warthog, if anybody was wondering.”
“You’re so fucking cringey,” Wren huffed, rolling her eyes with a grin.
“Really know the way to my heart, Red,” he winked, shuffling back into the kitchen, and looking for God knows what.
His heart…
“Go for the heart. They can’t live without one…even if it doesn’t beat.”
Brandon walked to the window and peered through the curtains. “She was telling the truth…got some very unfriendly faces staring up here.”
“Well fuck, let’s just wave some flares so they know right where to find us,Brando…Jesus,” Wren snarled, stomping after Brent in the kitchen. The clang of utensils implied that Stratford wasn’t completely useless, after all.
“Their venom is lethal to humans. Mine is lethal to them.”
Sykes wasn’t just a vampire…or a werewolf. She was both. So was Rhaena. If her claim held any water, then that could only mean that Rhaena’s bite could be lethal to them too. “Brandon…you remember the night I called and said I needed you at the hotel? The night of the benefit?”
He cocked his gun, glancing over and nodding. “The vampire chick we turned into a burn pile?”
“Yes,” Rhaena nodded, pointing at him. “Athan emptied his gun into her. But she didn’t die. He ripped her heart out, remember?”
Wren and Brent came in with every pointy thing they could find, and handed a couple over to Leigh, who looked absolutely terrified. “So,” Wren started. “Are you saying that filling them full of holes won’t kill them? Cause it sure killed the one I shot in the street.”
“He wasn’t turned,” Rhaena corrected. “He was human. Working for Dahlia. She had used Sarah’s blood to turn the girl at the benefit.”
“But blowing holes through them should slow them down, right?” Brent asked.
“It should. How many do you see, Brandon?”
He bristled, turning away from the window. “They’re in the building now. But I counted six. We don’t know how many more are out there.”
Leigh swallowed, gripping a large butcher knife. “So…six of them, five of us…and there could be more?”
“Could be. They’re already technically dead, so don’t feel too bad about hacking them up. If you get them down, carve the heart right outta their chest. Got me?”
Wren tossed her bag onto the couch, pulling her revolver from it. “I hoped I’d never have to use this again, but you know what?” She checked her ammo, and snapped the cylinder back in place, handing the gun to Leigh, and trading her for the knife. “I’m feelin’ stabby.”
Brent grasped his belly in the spot where he’d been shot and swallowed hard. “It’s okay if you don’t know how to use it. Point and shoot. You’ll be fine at close range. Just…you know…I’d rather not go through that again. If you could refrain from pointing it my way, it’d be delightful.”
