Page 62 of The Vampire's Thirst
Despite the pain in her eyes, her lips tugged into a smile. “Yes, sir.”
Kole moved on to an injured incubus who was gritting his teeth to keep from wincing. “How ya doing, son?”
“Dreaming about the soft healing touch of a female. Looking forward to finding one tonight.”
Kole chuckled, tapping the male’s shoulder.
His gaze sweeping the room, Kole eyed Ram kneeling beside Brak, the unit’s leader. After he moved from Firebrand to Firebrand, chatting them up, he approached the two males.
With a strip of material torn from his shirt, Brak staunched the flow of blood on his upper arm. When a healer walked his way, he waved her on to another injuredfreron. “Take care of him first.”
Kole waited until they were alone. “What happened out there?”
“We ran into a shitload of armed Arisen Dawn fighters headed for Earth at that portal near the Strigodierna Shrine in Bludhaven. My unit engaged despite being seriously outnumbered. They fought like warcats. Proud of them, Comm. They’re raw but mighty. Anyway, a few sonsabitches escaped through the gateway. We killed most, though. What remained turned tail and scattered.”
Ram watched the blood from Brak’s wound drip onto the floor. “Did you give chase on Earth?”
“No. I made the decision to return. Not one of us is uninjured. I had no choice.”
Kole fell into a crouch, an elbow on his knee. “Wise decision, demon.”
Brak waved off another healer, but Kole called him back. “Hold on. See to this Firebrand now.”
When Brak shook his head, Kole snarled. “I’m the commander here. I get to say who does what. Your wound is nasty. Can’t have one of my best losing an arm.”
As the healer worked on Brak, Ram fired questions. “How many insurgents?”
“Maybe a hundred.” The demon flinched, snarling at the male who helped him. “That hurts, you know?”
“How many got through?” the satyr asked.
“Only a couple. I should have sent someone after them, but we were ass deep in fighters.”
“You did better than anyone could expect. Ram, get a cleanup crew to the site. See if there are any survivors we can interrogate. Destroy the bodies.” Kole voiced the question which had to be asked. “Any of ours dead?”
“None, Comm. They done good for kids. I’d have any one of them on my six in the next battle.”
Ram nodded and left the training area.
Kole followed the carnal demon’s gaze around the room. Soft moans were the most he heard out of the wounded Firebrands, even the ones with serious injuries. Brak was right. These recruits were brave males and females. He hoped they were strong enough for what was coming.
Tap. Tap. Tap.Bounty’s footsteps echoed across the gym floor. “Galena and her unit are headed into the stronghold. She’s called for healers. They ran into a bunch of Arisen Dawn assholes trying to get to Earth from North Shelters.”
Kole brushed a hand across his buzz-cut hair. Looked like the Firebrands were going to war with a minimal number of experienced warriors and a shitload of green recruits. Battle and bloodshed would test the newbies long before they were ready.
****
Whilehe drank a beer in Poughkeepsie’s Icehouse which overlooked the Hudson, Miller’s cell buzzed. “Harry. What’s happening, mate?”
“Just traveling around checking on my charges. I’ve been all over the place. I wish my people would move into the same city. I’d settle for the same state. Hell, at this point, maybe the same country. How are you?”
“Been better. Blokes are still on my ass.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. Our phone system is safe. I ditched everything on me when they tried to nab me. Different clothes, watch, phone, wallet. There’s no tracer on me. It’s making me barmy.” Miller tapped his beer mug on the bar to request a refill.
“Not to be doom and gloom, but what if they catch up. What should I do?”
