My heart is racing, and my ears are ringing. The world around me starts to shake, and I know I’m running out of energy. For some reason, that stupid feather I found in the alley pops into my mind. I remember how good if felt in my hands, how sleek and soft it was and how it felt familiar at the same time.
The creature pushes forward again, and Lucas moves a step forward, ready to take that thing on if need be. Seeing him so willing to risk himself…no…I won’t let it come to that.
My mouth falls open with a yell as I pull my hands apart, sinking a telekinetic hold on the creature. The wound on its chest starts to separate, and thick blood drips to the ground. Everything inside me hurts, but I don’t stop. Screaming with pain, I move my hands apart and rip the creature in two.
The two halves of the creature splat onto the ground and explode into a hundred dead rats. I jerk back, vision going hazy. I lose my balance and Lucas catches me, looking at the rats with the same horrified expression I have on my face.
One of the rats twitches, squeaking and squealing as it tries to get up. Lucas sets me on the ground and rushes forward, stomping on it. He looks around for any others that are still alive to squish as well. Kristy runs to me, slipping her arms under mine and pulls me back. Nicole and Naomi stand over us, holding hands and still chanting, keeping the demon-rats from getting me.
My eyes flutter shut, and time moves slowly. Or quickly. I’m not sure, because the next thing I know, Lucas is carrying me and I’m breathing in fresh air. The thumping bass of the bar rings out next to me, and when I blink my eyes open, I realize I’m in the alley. Lucas is holding me, and my friends are looking at me with concern.
“Can you hear me, Callie?” Lucas asks, voice low.
“Yeah.” The world spins and I feel like I’m drunk all over again. Visions of dead rats flash before me, and that putrid smell of death fills my nose. “Put me down. Now.” He sets me on the ground, and I hurry away, moving to the dumpster. I bend over and throw up all over the pavement.
“What in the ever-loving fuck was that?” Eliza sputters.
“A hellhound,” Lucas answers, gathering my hair in his hand. “Or at least it resembled the last one I saw.”
“Right,” I groan, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “You’ve seen one before.”
“You’ve seen a hellhound?” Eliza asks incredulously. “Why haven’t I heard about it?”
“It was many years before I made you,” Lucas tells her and directs his attention to me. “We need to get her home.”
“Are you okay?” Kristy asks, tentatively coming over.
“That hot dog tasted much better going in.” I shudder from the foul taste in my mouth. “I need some water.”
“Eliza,” Lucas says pointedly, raising his eyebrows.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” she groans, but isn’t able to hide her fear. She rushes away, presumably going into the bar to get me a cup of water. I move away from the puddle of vomit in the alley and lean against Lucas for support.
“Leave it to you to find a hellhound on a girls’ night out,” Naomi quips, eyes still wide. “At least tonight was unforgettable.”
The world is still spinning around me and all I want to do is lie down and take a nap. I depleted myself using that much energy.
“You kicked its ass.” Nicole shuffles over. “That was…that was…”
“Incredible,” Lucas finishes.
“I was going to say insane and dangerous.”
“I suppose it had a little of that all mixed in.” Lucas twists my hair in his hand, moving it off my back. “Are you all right, my love?”
“I don’t think I’m going to puke anymore,” I tell him ruefully. “The world isn’t spinning as much.” I sway on my feet as I turn around and look at the building. “Is it over? It…it turned into rats.”
“All the rats are dead.”
“Are you sure? I’ll come back with my familiars and enough vanquishing potion to—”
“No,” everyone says at the same time.
“You’ve been weakened, Callie.” Lucas slips his arm around me again. “As have I. We need to go.” He picks me up before I can protest and starts walking away from the alley.
“Wait,” I say and push out of his arms.
“What is it?”
“The vent. I…I need to recover it.”
Nicole takes Naomi’s hand. “We’ve got this.” They raise their hands together and the vent flies back onto the brick building, stuck with magic. No human will be able to get it off now.
Eliza zooms over, holding a plastic cup of water. I rinse my mouth out and then suck down the rest of the water. Lucas drove his Range Rover to the bar, and we all cram in.
“How did you find us?” Eliza asks, taking the front passenger side seat.
“I felt Callie’s fear,” Lucas explains, looking slightly confused himself. It’s not the first time he’s sensed my emotions, and it’s not a normal bond for a human and vampire to have.
Whatever the reason, I’m glad he came when he did…because I don’t
think I could have fought that thing off without him. I take my purse from Kristy and reach inside, fingers gracing over the feather.
Shit just went down.
Tough shit.
Deep shit.
Yet for some reason, the moment my fingers make contact with the feather, everything feels like it’s going to be all right.
Chapter 14
“I don’t know anyone who can say they defeated a hellhound.” Lucas sets me on his bed and moves to his knees, hands running down my calves. He starts to undo the buckles on my shoes.
“In heels and a pushup bra, no less.”
He looks into my eyes and smiles. “Are you sure you’re all right, Callie?” He takes one shoe off and sets it on the floor. “What happened back there was intense.”
“I’m alive. You’re alive and my friends are alive. Hell, even Eliza is alive. Well, I guess you and Eliza aren’t, but you know what I mean.”
“I do.” He takes off my other shoe and then helps me to my feet again. The shower is already on, and as much as I want to clean myself up, I just want to crash into bed with a bowl of pasta.
Lucas helps me to my feet and unzips my dress. It falls to the floor, and he does his best not to react to the sight of me stripping out of my clothes. My bra and panties come off next, and we get into the shower together.
“Does it hurt?” Lucas asks, gently washing away dried blood from the scrapes on my ankle.
“A little. The balls of my feet hurt more than anything, oddly enough,” I tell him, looking down at him. Warm water rushes over us both, and my heart swells in my chest. I’m too tired and too freaked out for sex right now, but I’m feeling so strongly for Lucas it’s almost overwhelming.
He found me—again.
He risked his afterlife for me—again.
He’s taking care of me—again.
“Do you have any of that healing balm left?” he asks, straightening back up. He towers over me and I step in, needing to feel him against me.
“Yeah, I do. And Kristy probably brought some. She’s usually well prepared.” My friends had intended on getting a hotel downtown for the night, sleeping off what we drank. They’re here instead, as well as Eliza.