Page 84 of Sapphire Flame
Grant, we’re in trouble. The future shows us blocked at every turn. What do we do?
~ ~ ~
Grant heard Natalie’s words. She’d taken them this far, but he suspected the fae had them boxed in.We’re going to have to do this wolf-style.
What do you mean?
By now the aisles of the small theater were lined with Kryder’s men. Each wore black, short-sleeved t-shirts, black leathers, silver belts and blue flame logos on the front.
He set the young wolf down and drew his knife. He cut her bonds then in an instant transformed into a wolf. The young wolf jumped on his back and grabbed hold of his fur.
Natalie, stick close. We’re leaving this way.
He then levitated in wolf form and rose all the way to the ceiling, he glided through the air faster than he could as a human.
He couldn’t take his eyes off his path to see if Natalie was following, so he contacted her mind-to-mind.You with me?
Right on your furry ass, Warrior.
Her words made him smiled. He flew across the top of the stage then headed back up the opposite aisle and aimed for the doorway. He began clipping the heads of the security men with his powerful hind legs.
Natalie reported in.They’re going down like dominoes.
The foyer came next. Fortunately, the ceiling was twice as tall as the theater.
But Kryder was nearby hunting for them visually. The spell was holding. The doors, however, were shut.
There was only one thing to do. He told the young wolf to hold tight, that he was going to shift back to his human form.
She whispered. “I’m not letting go for nothing. Do what you’ve gotta do.”
Once he was done shifting, and Alanna was secure with her hands gripping his tank and her legs surrounding his waist, he flew toward one of Kryder’s men. He clipped him hard and grabbed his automatic weapon. He rose high in the air again as a spray of bullets sounded behind him. He then fired his weapon at one of the glass windows, well away from the stream of guests.
As the glass shattered and fell, he bolted through.Natalie?Please to God she was still with him.
Right behind you. Keep going.
He flew straight, then veered up and to the right heading back to the entrance point. As shouting sounded behind them, he increased his speed. Once out of the entrance, he flew straight up into the air.
He glanced back, but Natalie wasn’t following. She was well below him and faltering in the air. With Alanna clinging to his back, he flew like a torpedo in her direction. He knew at once what had happened.Natalie, you’ve been shot.
Yes. Damn, this was the nightmare.
He knew exactly what she meant.I’ll catch you. Don’t worry.
She stretched her arm out to him. He ploughed forward and caught her wrist. Though he was dragging her through the air, he had to get her away from The Sapphire Club entrance.
When they’d reached a safe distance, he slowed then pulled Natalie against him. He held her tight as he flew a long arc over the Graveyard then back in the direction of Kiara’s Revel refuge. Emergency room it was. Again.
A few minutes later, and out of their shared invisibility spell, Grant sat beside Natalie in the same bay he’d inhabited the night before. She’d taken a bullet through the back of her leg. The doctor was taking broad stitches. She’d given Natalie a shot, but Natalie winced through each pull of the cord through her flesh.
Through gritted teeth, she said, “We did it.”
He couldn’t help himself: He grinned. Relief that they’d made it out of Kryder’s club alive, all three of them, had worked on his mind like a drug. “We sure as hell did.” Alanna sat in the same bay sipping a bottle of water. She was uninjured though she kept wiping tears from her cheeks.
Natalie hissed through another stitch. “Wish this was over.”
“Just a couple more,” Grant said. The doctor glanced at him and shook her head. He turned back to Natalie. “More than a couple more.”
