Page 28 of Under the Moonlight

“What about you?” Jill asked.

“My legs are pinned,” he said.

“Greer…”

“She’ll just slow you down.”

Jill glanced back at Greer and despite the pounding in her head, she managed to moan, “Go.”

Jill threw open the driver’s side door without another word and the explosion of a gun echoed in the night.

“Jill!” Greer screamed, but heard nothing. She prayed that they’d missed Jill. That she’d make it back to Xander’s and get some help.

Someone stuck their head into the shattered window next to her. It was Pax, the man who had turned Jill. Who wanted to kill Xander.

Fear and anger warred just below the surface as she glared into Pax’s dark eyes.

“Well, looky, looky what I found. I’ve been waiting to get you alone, gorgeous.”

Greer’s fight or flight mode kicked in and she punched him in the face, sending him reeling back out of the window. She saw the muzzle of a gun outside Dereck’s window, aimed at his head. As fast as she could, she reached along the side of his seat and pulled the lever that leaned it back. Dereck fell back with an “ooff” of surprise. The bullet shattered what was left of the window but missed Dereck completely.

“Can you get out now?” she said.

He didn’t answer her, just lunged across the seat to the driver’s side. Greer saw the gun raise once more and she lunged forward, shoving the door open and into the shooter. She heard the clatter of the gun hitting the road, and a wave of triumph washed over her. Dereck had made it out the other side and had vanished into the dark.

Something tangled in her hair, yanking her neck at a painful angle. She looked up into Pax’s angry face, and noted his nose was gushing blood.

“That was a mistake,” Pax snarled, spittle splattering across her face.

Greer reached back, digging her nails into the skin of her assailant’s wrist. With a howl, he shoved her head forward into the head rest in front of her. It was soft, so it didn’t hurt as much as dazed her, but it gave Pax time to let her go so he could open the door. As he dragged her out and held her in front of him, she stared at the woman dressed all in black, pointing a gun at her chest.

“You made me miss the mutt, meat bag,” she snarled.

Greer’s chin notched up. “Good.”

The woman, who had to be Dakota, raised the gun as though she was going to hit her with it, but Pax pulled Greer behind him.

“Get in the car, Dakota, and drive. People will come investigating soon and I want to get our bait far away.”

Dakota lowered the gun. She shot Greer a malicious glance before getting into the driver’s side of a four by four truck.

Pax started to drag her toward the truck, but Greer struggled against his grasp. “Did you just call me bait? Bait for who?”

Pax scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder so fast she had no time to react. The upside-down position made her nauseous.

“For dear Xander. I’ve seen the way he is with you. It’s rather sweet, actually.”

“You’re wrong,” she said, weakly. “Xander doesn’t care about me. He just feels obligated to protect me.”

He opened the back door and set her on the seat with ease. “Well, let’s hope you’re wrong, because I hate to be disappointed.”

Greer scooted across the seat to the other door. She tried to open it, but it didn’t open. Dakota turned, shoving the end of the gun into her cheek.

“Child proof locks. You aren’t going anywhere, bitch.”

Greer sneered at her. “From what Xander tells me, you’re the bitch.”

Dakota moved too fast for her to react. Pain exploded over the left side of her face and she fell back against the seat. Dazed already, her vision was now completely blurred. She felt the trickle of something run down her throbbing cheek.

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