was already two thirds of the way there. The officer caught sight of him. Cleaver saw his eyes go wide with fear. Shit! The cop didn ’ t know Cleaver was one of the good guys.
More gunfire rang out. Cleaver watched in horror as the cop spun in place, spraying blood. Cleaver reached him a second later, catching him with one hand and firing his shotgun with the other. Reloading one-handed Cleaver scooped the cop up and backed away. Officers behind him laid down covering fire.
There was a hiss like gallons of boiling water and then a white streak shot from one of the malls windows. A SWAT truck instantly exploded in a roiling mass of metal and flame.
“ Jesus fuck! ” Someone cried. “ They just fired a fucking missile! ”
A second streak shot from a different window. Screams of warning filled the air. Cleaver automatically ducked as the missile flew over his head and hit something big behind him. He heard the whoosh of a huge explosion and then a blast of heated air drove him to his knees. Cleaver used the distraction to drag the wounded cop the last few yards over the police line. Other cops rushed to help, eyeing Cleaver with quiet respect. A medic rushed towards them.
The blood-soaked people were returning to the mall.
Cleaver took a deep breath then turned around to a scene of bedlam. At least four cruisers had been destroyed by the second missile . Nothing but twisted metal and flames remained. Cleaver saw three cops lying nearby, unmoving, broken as if they ’ d been thrown down from the uncaring hands of a passing giant.
Uniforms ran in and out of the turmoil. Someone shouted on a bullhorn to pull back the perimeter. Cleaver turned back to the burning shopping mall.
Was this ‘all Hell’ starting to break loose?
21
YORK, ENGLAND
I woke in the dead of night. The rain bea t against the window and a wind blasted around the eaves. I climbed out of bed and padded to the window. The garden below was under assault from the elements. Security night-lights flicked themselves on and off as trees and shrubbery waved. I stared harder, wondering if there were any vamps or lycans down there.
I f I woke at this time normally , it would be because of an old, unresolved guilt called Raychel . Mentally, I shook my head. Memories of Raychel inevitably led to raw reflection on Lucy. The thought of an early coffee in the warm security of the kitchen beckoned me , along with the chance I might bump into Belinda.
The kitchen was occupied, but only by Felicia. I hesitated .
“ Come on in, Logan, ” she said with a smile. “ I won ’ t eat you. ”
I sniffed the air. “ Coffee? ”
“ Mmmm. Belinda ’ s finest, ” Felicia smirked. “ We all drink it when she ’ s asleep. ”
I took a seat, smiling when the small Lycan placed a hot mug before me. I watched as she took the seat opposite. She was perfectly formed, this Uberhuman, and she looked like a bundle of fun. The sparkling ring at her navel drew my attention again.
“ It ’ s not silver, it ’ s steel, ” sh e followed my eyes .
“ Is it . . . symbolic? ”
“ It ’ s an Uber thing. ” She shrugged, then gave me a sly smile. “I have them. . .in other places too.”
I did my best to ignore that one, leaned back in my chair and took a sip of coffee. The winds howled outside and rain rattled against the windows.
I said, “ I know nothing about Ubers. God, I never even knew you existed before …” I paused. Christ, what day was it anyway?
“ Lycans are the best Ubers, ” she grinned. “ We turn when the mood takes us. We change back at will. We can live among humans easily, so long as we stay clear of silver. We are completely free. ”
She unwrapped a chunk of expensive chocolate marked with the Ghirardelli seal.
“ And vamps? ”
“ Chained forever by their reliance on blood. By their duty to their Shades. By their aversion to sunlight. And by their incessant need for material gain. ” She bit off a chunk of chocolate
More gunfire rang out. Cleaver watched in horror as the cop spun in place, spraying blood. Cleaver reached him a second later, catching him with one hand and firing his shotgun with the other. Reloading one-handed Cleaver scooped the cop up and backed away. Officers behind him laid down covering fire.
There was a hiss like gallons of boiling water and then a white streak shot from one of the malls windows. A SWAT truck instantly exploded in a roiling mass of metal and flame.
“ Jesus fuck! ” Someone cried. “ They just fired a fucking missile! ”
A second streak shot from a different window. Screams of warning filled the air. Cleaver automatically ducked as the missile flew over his head and hit something big behind him. He heard the whoosh of a huge explosion and then a blast of heated air drove him to his knees. Cleaver used the distraction to drag the wounded cop the last few yards over the police line. Other cops rushed to help, eyeing Cleaver with quiet respect. A medic rushed towards them.
The blood-soaked people were returning to the mall.
Cleaver took a deep breath then turned around to a scene of bedlam. At least four cruisers had been destroyed by the second missile . Nothing but twisted metal and flames remained. Cleaver saw three cops lying nearby, unmoving, broken as if they ’ d been thrown down from the uncaring hands of a passing giant.
Uniforms ran in and out of the turmoil. Someone shouted on a bullhorn to pull back the perimeter. Cleaver turned back to the burning shopping mall.
Was this ‘all Hell’ starting to break loose?
21
YORK, ENGLAND
I woke in the dead of night. The rain bea t against the window and a wind blasted around the eaves. I climbed out of bed and padded to the window. The garden below was under assault from the elements. Security night-lights flicked themselves on and off as trees and shrubbery waved. I stared harder, wondering if there were any vamps or lycans down there.
I f I woke at this time normally , it would be because of an old, unresolved guilt called Raychel . Mentally, I shook my head. Memories of Raychel inevitably led to raw reflection on Lucy. The thought of an early coffee in the warm security of the kitchen beckoned me , along with the chance I might bump into Belinda.
The kitchen was occupied, but only by Felicia. I hesitated .
“ Come on in, Logan, ” she said with a smile. “ I won ’ t eat you. ”
I sniffed the air. “ Coffee? ”
“ Mmmm. Belinda ’ s finest, ” Felicia smirked. “ We all drink it when she ’ s asleep. ”
I took a seat, smiling when the small Lycan placed a hot mug before me. I watched as she took the seat opposite. She was perfectly formed, this Uberhuman, and she looked like a bundle of fun. The sparkling ring at her navel drew my attention again.
“ It ’ s not silver, it ’ s steel, ” sh e followed my eyes .
“ Is it . . . symbolic? ”
“ It ’ s an Uber thing. ” She shrugged, then gave me a sly smile. “I have them. . .in other places too.”
I did my best to ignore that one, leaned back in my chair and took a sip of coffee. The winds howled outside and rain rattled against the windows.
I said, “ I know nothing about Ubers. God, I never even knew you existed before …” I paused. Christ, what day was it anyway?
“ Lycans are the best Ubers, ” she grinned. “ We turn when the mood takes us. We change back at will. We can live among humans easily, so long as we stay clear of silver. We are completely free. ”
She unwrapped a chunk of expensive chocolate marked with the Ghirardelli seal.
“ And vamps? ”
“ Chained forever by their reliance on blood. By their duty to their Shades. By their aversion to sunlight. And by their incessant need for material gain. ” She bit off a chunk of chocolate
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