Atoning (Darkness Rising 3.1)

I fake-staggered, as if I'd slipped on the wet pavement. I went down on one knee, crying out.

"Come on!" Rae said.

I rose, took a step and stumbled, wincing and inhaling a sharp breath.

"Chloe!" Rae said. "Come on. They're--"

"I need a sec," I said. "Let's duck in there."

I pointed at a narrow passage between two buildings. She opened her mouth, as if to argue, but I was already lurching toward it.

I hobbled into the alley and lowered myself to the pavement, grimacing as I did. "Just give me a moment."

She looked genuinely torn now. She had a duty to lead me to whoever was holding her captive, and she probably feared whatever punishment awaited if she failed. But I was injured. So she hesitated while looking anxiously toward the street.

"You stand guard," I whispered. "Just two minutes. That's all I need. I banged up my knee last week, and that got it going again."

I waited until she got into position, crouched, peering out at the street. Then, I motioned to the figure I'd spotted, which I really hoped was Derek. While I could take down Rae myself, this would go a lot more smoothly with the guy who had supernatural strength.

When Derek stepped from the shadows, I exhaled in relief and hobbled up beside Rae.

"Do you see anything?" I whispered.

She shook her head.

"There!" I gasped and pointed at a random store. "I saw something moving."

She leaned over to peer out. I kept pointing, jabbing my finger at the shadows in a doorway. Behind her, Derek slipped out, moving soundlessly our way.

"I don't see anyone," she said.

"There, back in the shadows. I saw a hand move."

And a hand did move as Derek seized her from behind and covered her mouth.

"Her hands," I blurted. "Grab--"

He cursed as he remembered Rae's power. Fire. He wasn't fast enough, and he hissed as she burned him in her struggles. We caught her hands. She fought in earnest then, fighting and kicking and grunting. Behind us, a stray scrap of paper burst into flame.

Derek pinned Rae against the wall, her face pressed to it hard enough to make me wince. He held her there, her feet dangling as he leaned down to her ear.

"Remember me?" he whispered. "I remember you, Rachelle, and exactly what you thought of me. Except now I'm not just some big, ugly brute. I'm a big, ugly, werewolf brute. Which means I'm even stronger--and more dangerous--than you thought. A lot more pissed off, too, because you betrayed Chloe, and that's worse than anything you did to me. The harder you struggle, the more I'm going to remember what you did to her. Understood?"

She still gave a few token kicks and squirms. He tightened his grip until she gasped. Then, she went still.

"Now we're going to take you someplace where we can talk, and you can tell us why you tried to lure Chloe--"

His head shot up, and I knew he'd heard something I couldn't. His gaze swung toward the street. I hurried down the alley and peeked out. A dark shape moved along the buildings across the road. Another followed. Two figures. Both dressed in black.

"We have to move," I whispered.

He nodded, hefted Rae over his shoulder and started down the alley. I went ahead and scouted. A couple walked along the road. As always, I took a closer look in case they were ghosts. That had become second nature now--assessing clothing and actions, checking for some sign that I wasn't seeing living people. These two were dressed in modern outfits. The woman circled past a pop can in her path. Living people, then. Just an ordinary couple out for...

The woman lifted a two-way radio to her lips. Okay, not so ordinary. Damn.

I backed up fast, bumping into Derek.

"We're surrounded," I said. "We'll have to--"