Armored Hearts by Angela Knight Page B

circumstances. His agility and power was breathtaking as he spun, leaping off his feet and slamming fists, elbows, and feet into his opponents, dropping most and forcing others to retreat as Zara tried to pick them off.
    Then she had no more time to keep an eye on him. She had her own hands full, as the men in the transport she’d targeted raced to the rear of the craft, where they fired back at her. Most of the shots slammed into the walls on either side of the tunnel where she lay; the mechs were unable to see exactly where she was because of the camouflage.
    If she didn’t keep them ducking, they’d be able to target her by shooting toward her fire. She had to keep rolling from side to side to keep them from homing in on her.
    The firing trailed off a moment, and Zara scanned for targets. She tensed, spotting a man darting toward Rand. Her bolt sliced across the front of his mask, and he screamed, hitting the floor in a tumbling roll.
    Zara frowned, wondering if her blast had really done any damage. Then a shot hissed over her head, missing her by centimeters, and she forgot about her last target in favor of returning fire. By the time she looked for the man again, he was gone.
    Zara rolled again. Just in time; another shot hissed through the spot where she’d just been. They’re zeroing in on me , she thought.
    It wouldn’t be long before she would have to fall back, take cover in another tunnel where she’d be less vulnerable.
    She swung her rifle back toward the other craft, where Rand still fought its defenders, alternating pistol fire between ferocious blows. Blood sprayed from one man’s helmet, and he went down hard. That one won’t be getting up , she thought in grim pleasure as she fired at one of the men trying to get to safety behind the transport.
    At least she was keeping the attackers from the second transport from giving Rand any trouble. It seemed none of them quite had the guts to try to cross the open floor with Zara waiting to shoot them.
    Spotting a man trying for Rand, she fired, taking him high on the chest. Unfortunately, the bolt was deflected by his armor, and he kept moving.
    Rand leaped up, flashing into one of those incredibly graceful moves vamps did so well. The roundhouse kick took down two Godssonists who’d had the bad judgment to try to come after him side by side. Pieces of both helmets flew as the attackers dropped.
    Zara was drawing a bead on another of the fighters when she saw a flurry of movement in the corner of one eye. She jerked her head around just in time to see a boot coming right at her face.
    Light exploded behind her eyes and she screamed as blood flew from her nose. She flipped over onto her back, trying to roll away from the shot the man was probably about to fire into her skull.
    Instead she felt hard hands grab her by the arms and jerk her right up off the ground. The rifle flew from her hands. He dragged her out of the tunnel, despite her efforts to jerk away. He was just too damned strong in his mechsuit.
    “Now, bloodwhore, let’s go have a talk with your fanged boyfriend.”
    Zara’s blood ran cold in her veins. She’d recognize that voice anywhere: Lordsvengeance .
    Somehow she got one eye open despite the radiating pain from her broken nose. His faceplate had a furrow burned across it, and she realized he was the man she’d hit with the glancing shot. “I almost got you, you bastard!”
    “Almost isn’t good enough, you little slut. And you will pay for it, believe me.” Something cold and circular pressed against the underside of her jaw: the muzzle of a plasma pistol.
    He hauled her across the floor toward Rand. Her skull throbbed viciously with every step, and she wondered why his booted foot hadn’t taken her head right off. Evidently he must’ve pulled the blow.
    “Get out of the way!” Lordsvengeance bellowed at the Godssonists between him and Rand. Startled, they scuttled aside. The colonel shoved the pistol hard against her jaw.