Page 57 of The Wayward Sons & The Vampires of Fortune
He abruptly shut up as one of the vampires suddenly vanished. I tensed and dragged Ryder behind me, making sure his back was firmly planted against the wall. I felt him shift behind me.
“Don’t you fuckin’ move,” I said gruffly.
“I’m not going anywhere, honey,” Ryder whispered. “I’m just making sure I can shoot without hitting you in the process.”
Fair. I’d rather not get shot.
One of the floodlights exploded in a shower of broken glass and sparks.
And then another.
And another.
And each one until we were blanketed in darkness.
I froze, my heart lodging in my throat. A hand touched my elbow, and I damn near lost my shit.
“Easy!” Sam exclaimed. “Easy, Gray. It’s just me.”
“You’re a goddamn idiot,” I said. “Sneakin’ up on me while there’s goddamn vampires…”
My voice trailed off as a horrible clicking sound filled the dark, bouncing off everything and growing in volume. That sound was the thing nightmares were made of.
“I hate that sound,” Ryder admitted.
“Yeah,” Sam agreed.
The Hellhounds matched the volume in kind with growls and snarls, loud enough to make the ground shake.
Wait… not them…
Cole’s body glowed green with his power, creating a beacon of light.
The wind picked up as Andrea dipped into hers, the white glow adding to his.
Not a bad plan…
I leaned into my power, feeling every molecule of the earth beneath our feet just enough to turn my adorable self into a goddamn nightlight.
Sam did the same. His gold glow clashed with mine, but as I glanced over my shoulder, I could easily see Ryder in the light. The fear etched on his face hit deep.
“Just a lil’ bit longer, baby,” I promised and hoped to hell I was right.
Winston howled once more, and the Hellhounds burst into a run.
What ensued was nothing short of chaos. Vampires scattered, sending the Hellhounds chasing after them. They flitted between shadows and stuck to the darkness.
Hellhounds had weight and power.
Vampires had speed and intelligence.
And then we had our powers and vampire-killing bullets.
Despite the numbers being in our favor, it didn’t feel so equal. The longer the vampires evaded the Hellhounds, who appeared to be trying their damnedest, the more it felt like the scales were tipping in their favor.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught how the shadows changed near us. Shifting. Practically breathing.
“Move,” Sam ordered, grabbing Ryder by the arm. He let out a loud and sharp whistle before repeating, “Move now.”
