Shadow Warrior (Shadow Riders 4)

Haydon looked genuinely puzzled. He indicated the door with the barrel of the gun. “We always go together. We’re a team. Get moving. Hurry, Gracie.”

She went in the direction he told her, and Haydon turned to follow her. Eloisa was up and on him, reaching to twist his neck in the classic Ferraro manner. Haydon whipped around before she could make the kill. Rene’s eyes had gotten big and he held his breath when he’d been continuously moaning. Just that small difference had tipped Phillips off.

He slammed the gun across Eloisa’s face and stepped back to pull the trigger. Grace leapt onto his back, her fingernails ripping across his eyes. He screamed, and the gun went off repeatedly, as if his finger was stuck in the trigger. He ran backward and slammed Grace into the wall. Her head hit a cabinet and pain exploded through her.

Eloisa ran at Haydon as he reached back to punch Grace in her injured shoulder. She threw herself on the floor at the last second, sliding, trapping Haydon’s legs in hers and rolling to take him down. Haydon bent forward, throwing Grace on top of Eloisa as he stumbled. He recovered enough to kick Eloisa hard in the ribs. Aiming the gun at her, he pulled the trigger repeatedly, but nothing happened. Grace forced herself up to face him. Four minutes. Where were the bodyguards? Vittorio? His brothers?

Haydon grabbed her by her hair and began dragging her toward the door. As he did, he took a small remote control from his pocket and hit the green button. Instantly a flurry of explosions went off in the kitchen, and flames crawled up the wall and over the cabinets.

Using the intricate updo she was wearing to pull her, Haydon yanked until she had no choice but to stumble after him. Both hands went to her head to try to force his hand back down to her scalp, so he couldn’t pull, but he was moving so fast she tripped and went down. As she did so, Eloisa came out of nowhere, emerging from a shadow behind Haydon. Blood streamed down her face and into her eyes. It didn’t look like she could possibly see let alone stand.

“Run, Grace!” Eloisa called as she launched herself at Haydon. “Get out of here.”

Haydon still had the gun in his hand and as he turned toward her, he used it like a bat, swinging it blindly. He hit Eloisa almost in the same place as the first time. She went down hard, her body crumbling like a rag doll. She didn’t even attempt to break her fall, telling Grace she was unconscious or dead.

Haydon turned his attention to Grace. She had already put several feet between them. Very slowly she crouched down and, watching him the entire time, unbuckled the straps to her heels. She stepped out of them.

“You can chase me, Haydon, and you’ll probably catch me, but by now, everyone is in that kitchen putting out the fires.” Stall, stall, stall. Vittorio would come.

“First they have to attend to the guards I left in the garden. Then they have to break down the door. After that, they’ll be trying to save the chef and the two idiots who work for him.” There was taunting laughter in his voice.

“Grace!” It was Vittorio, and relief swept through her.

“Out here. He’s out here and he’s hurt Eloisa.”

Haydon punched her hard. Her cheek seemed to explode, and she went down, her legs wobbly. He caught her chin. “I’ll be back, and I will kill them all.” Then he was gone.

The night itself seemed to swallow him, protect him, give him a way to hide when no one else could. Sirens sounded in the distance, but it was too late if the cops were coming. Haydon had once again gone free.Mi amore. Grace.” Vittorio crouched down beside her. Heart pounding, he wiped at the blood and tears running down her face. There had only been four men on Grace and Eloisa. All were unconscious or coming around. Not one was one of their primary guards. He was going to kill Emilio for sending their most experienced bodyguards to aid the riders. He should have known Emilio would have done so. His job above anything else was to protect the riders. Eloisa didn’t want that privilege any longer. She had taken the job of a greeter, relinquishing her job as a rider, unless there was a need, therefore, the bodyguards wouldn’t be as worried about her.

“He got away.”

His hands moved over her, noting every wince. “Not necessarily. I don’t want you to move. Don’t try to get up. I’m going to check out Eloisa.”

“I need to know if she’s all right, Vittorio. She saved me more than once.”

That would be just like his mother. She would bitch about their choices, but she would defend and fight for every one of them. She’d give her life if it was necessary. He crouched down beside her and gently examined the head wound. It was deep, and it was pouring blood. They’d already summoned ambulances for the wounded in the kitchen. He texted the others. He needed to go hunting and couldn’t do so until his brothers and sister were there for Grace and Eloisa.