Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“You know how to use it?”
I wrapped my hand around the grip and the weight of it instantly felt familiar.
“Yes,” I replied as muscle memory kicked in, and I checked the magazine. “Thank you.”
“Don’t shoot me in the ass,” the new brother replied.
“Let’s move,” Chance ordered.
Pulling the strap of my bag over my head and across my chest, I handed Charlie my bat, just in case, and followed the others toward the door. My brother crowded me, not letting me move more than a foot away from him.
I took a deep breath as Danny threw open the door and stepped outside.
“Sorry, Lucy,” Matthias said quietly as he wrapped his hand around my arm.
I opened my mouth to ask why the hell he was apologizing as worry filled my chest, but suddenly we were moving. The sun was rising, making the wet pavement practically glow outside, and I squinted as it burned my eyes. My hand grew sweaty around the pistol as I kept my eyes on Ambrose’s backpack ahead of me.
The Vampires moved like a well-oiled machine while Charlie and I lurched along, trying to match their pace.
We’d gotten about ten yards from the hotel doorway and were turning a corner when I realized why Matthias had apologized.
Fire engulfed my arm.
Every single point where his fingers touched felt like it was being burned with acid. The breath in my chest felt stuck there as I tried to yank it out of his hold, but his hand was like a vise. Black spots dotted my vision as I stumbled.
“Keep going,” he ordered calmly, his head swiveling from side to side. “Try to ignore it.”
My mouth filled with saliva, and I fought the urge to vomit as the pain just went on and on. It was probably a good thing that I couldn’t seem to catch my breath, because if I had, I would’ve been screaming. Only Charlie’s presence beside me and the knowledge that these Vampires were trying to protect us kept me from fighting Matthias off.
It only took a few minutes, but it felt like hours later when we heard the helicopter. The blades were still spinning as we jogged toward it. Someone I didn’t recognize sat in the pilot’s seat, but I barely glanced at him as we bent our heads and climbed inside.
Calling it a tight fit was a joke. Chance got in the front seat while the rest of us piled in the back like clowns in a car.
I let out a whimper as Matthias shoved me into a seat and finally let go of my arm.
Charlie sat on one side of me, and Ambrose on the other, but I barely noticed them as I cradled my arm against my chest.
Someone carefully pulled the pistol out of my other hand.
Then we were lifting into the air. Charlie cursed next to me.
I couldn’t even look at him as I curled over my arm. The pain was gone, but the memory of it wasn’t.
“Shh,” Ambrose soothed into my ear, wrapping his arms around me. He pulled me tightly against his chest, tucking my face in the crook of his neck. “You’re okay, Lucy.”
I shuddered and pressed closer. Yes. That was what I needed. My hands fumbled with the hem of his shirt until I could slide them under it. The skin against my palms was smooth and warm as I breathed him in.
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
The helicopter was loud as hell, and there wasn’t any conversation as we flew, but at some point, Ambrose set a pair of headphone-things on my head that at least blocked out the noise of the wind and engine. My stomach lurched over and over again, and I could feel Charlie shifting uncomfortably beside me, but I didn’t have it in me to check on him. Ambrose’s chest felt safe, and I wasn’t ready to let go of him yet.
The moment we touched down and someone opened the door, my brother lurched outside, fell to his knees, and puked in the grass.
“Charlie,” Matthias called in amusement. “Bad form.”
“That was awful,” my brother replied, breathing heavily as he wiped his mouth with the back of his wrist.
I looked around as Ambrose helped me step down. We were next to some kind of landing strip. There was a plane parked at one end of it, opposite where they’d parked the helicopter, and across from us was a huge building with another plane parked inside it. Those were the only things visible. We were surrounded by trees as far as you could see.
“Where are we?” I asked as I reached for my brother and pulled him to his feet.
“My family’s property,” Matthias replied, walking toward us.
I stumbled backward until my back hit Ambrose’s chest. His arm came around me instantly, which made me feel a little better, but Matthias was still too close for comfort, even a few feet away.