Embraced By Darkness (Riley Jenson Guardian 5)

I ducked another blow then punched upward, aiming for the vamp's chin. He dodged, the bastard, and lashed out at me with a booted foot. The blow caught me in my still-healing thigh and pain flared. I hissed and whacked him with my remaining shoe. "Seventeen? I thought it was only a dozen or so?"

"There were four other similar kills the police couldn't connect to the club." He shrugged. "I did a little investigating after you went to bed."

"You didn't tell me that."

"Slipped my mind," He paused, then added, "The other men just entered the room. We need to get out now."

"Then go. I'll follow."

"Like hell. Sisters first."

He shoved me forward. I staggered a few steps, caught my balance, then ran like hell back through the machine room, heading for the loading bay and the half-open door. Hoping, of course, that it wasn't now closed. Although the lasers would soon take care of that.

Rhoan grabbed my arm, his grip tight, bruising. "Faster."

We pounded through the shadows, ducking and weaving as the remaining guards came at us, shoving them out of the way more than fighting them.

We reached the steps and pounded up them. I thrust open the door and ran inside. We'd gained precious seconds on our pursuers. Part of me wondered if it was going to be enough, simply because we had no idea what waited in the loading bay. I certainly didn't trust the silence coming from that room, that was for sure.

"Push the shelving unit down," Rhoan said, pointing to the unit on the left while he headed right.

I moved quickly to one side and shoved it with all my might. The unit made an odd sort of groan then slowly began to topple. Machinery bits and tools scattered, clanging across the floor and making enough noise to raise the dead. Or another alarm. Though I guess that was a pretty pointless worry when they were obviously more than a little aware of the fact they had uninvited guests.

Rhoan shoved a heavy-looking desk in front of the shelves. "That'll hold them for a few seconds."

I restrained the impulse to point out we'd actually wasted seconds creating the block, and just headed for the other door. There was still no sound coming from the loading bay, but awareness tingled across my skin as I gripped the door handle.

I glanced at my brother, saw him nod, then thrust the door open. Rhoan flowed through it, a shadow rilled with deadly intent. The man on the other side didn't have a chance.

I leapt over his body and followed my brother's fleeing form, my gaze on that bright patch of sunshine and the freedom it represented.

From the corner of my eye I caught the hint of movement. I risked a glance and saw the man with the gun.

"He's armed," I yelled, reaching for my own weapon.

But I was too slow. Far too slow.

Something hit my shoulder and spun me around. Somehow, I retained my balance and kept running. That batch of sunshine was close, so close.

Ahead, Rhoan stumbled, his fingers brushing the concrete as he balanced and went on. Something silver glittered in his shoulder. Fear hit me. I reached back, feeling my own shoulder. Felt something small and metallic sticking out from it. I pulled it free.

A dart.

He'd goddamn darted us.

Oh, fuck...

It was my last conscious thought as the concrete rushed up to meet me. Waking was a nightmare. My skin felt like it was on fire and everything ached. Everything thumped. My head, my heart, my body. Even whatever it was I was laying on. It was a thick, heavy beat that was both monotonous and relentless, going on and on and on.

It took me a while to realize that it wasn't actually me, that things were thumping. It was an engine. Not a very powerful engine, but an engine all the same.

With that realization, my other senses came online. The air was thick with smell offish and the tangy saltiness of the ocean, but behind it came the smell of diesel and man.

Jared. Or Jorn. Or whatever his real name was.

And given the fishy smell and that endless, relentless thumping, it was pretty much a given that neither he nor I were anywhere near the club.

I took a deeper breath, trying to find Rhoan.