Page 28 of Under a Wicked Moon
“You’re free. I won’t let them take you back,” Ky whispered as he took her hand, his small tremors shaking hers.
“We’re not free yet,” she said, even though she was breathless and energy zinged through her. As she squeezed his hand and held on, she wanted to drink in the moment, to remember forever this feeling of optimism mixed with fear of her fellow car inhabitants. Since she hadn’t felt anything like this in ages. Years, at least.
“She’s right,” Flynn said. “We have to get out of this country.” A long while later, down mostly bumpy back roads, Flynn pointed. “There. The turnoff.”
A snow-choked lane hid a small runway.
“Finally,” Roman muttered. “Now we have to hope our ride shows up.”
“You didn’t fly your plane here?” Ky asked Roman.
“She’s in Russia. Can’t risk bringing her into China, not after that last time a few years ago when we got shot down.” Roman said low to Flynn. “You texted him?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“Where is he? We’re sitting ducks here.” Roman scrutinized the perimeter of the runway. “I don’t like it.”
Helicopter blades sounded in the distance, getting closer.
“About time,” Roman muttered, even though they’d waited only ten minutes.
Once the bird landed, they jogged for the open door as the rotors slowed. Vivi picked up a familiar scent. Everything in her kicked into defensive. She froze.
Vampire. Their species’ enemy.
With a yank, Ky drew Vivi behind him. He raised his rifle.
Roman knocked his muzzle skyward right as Ky shot, the bullet flying uselessly upward. “No.”
“Vampire,” Vivi hissed and aimed the Glock at the person sitting in the copilot seat inside the helicopter.
Roman bashed her hand against the side of the helicopter to dislodge the gun and restrained her. She struggled, refusing to go down without a fight.
Ky grabbed Roman’s wrist and forced him to release her. Once Roman did, Ky pulled her into him, protective. Part of her liked it, which was weird, since she didn’t do alpha macho bullshit, but the other part of her needed to fight for herself against this threat.
Ky asked, “What is Antonio doing here?”
“You know that vampire?” Vivi asked.
Roman picked up the Glock that had fallen to the snow.
“Will someone please tell me what’s going on? Why ishehere?” Ky pointed at the ageless Spaniard who was too pretty to be human.
“He’s our ride,” Roman said.
The vampire smirked. Clean-shaven with his dark hair neatly pulled off his face into a ponytail at his neck, he reclined in his seat. A white V-neck T-shirt peeked from a dark leather jacket showing off a smooth chest, so unlike male lycans. His gray-jeans-clad legs were crossed at the knee, showing off his leather boots. He exuded a threatening charm, but not sleazeball. He was the kind of guy who projected the aura of an elegant spy, when in reality, he was a dangerous predator.
“Not arguing he’s an ass, but he’s not exactly an enemy,” Roman said. “Anymore.”
“Did the world lose its mind since I spent several weeks in hell? How is Antonio not our enemy? We’ve been tracking him for four decades across all continents trying to narrow down what exactly he does and why he’s always a step ahead of us, possibly involved with the worst of the worst.”
“Get on the fucking chopper,” Roman ordered.
Flynn hopped on board and buckled into a seat. He unwrapped a new lollipop.
The vampire uncrossed his legs when he saw Vivi. His eyes narrowed. “We weren’t expecting extras, especially not one like her. How long was she in there?”
“A while. We’re not leaving her,” Roman said.
