when the ogres burst out right behind him. “Liam!”
I spun and saw the ogres as they launched toward him. I lifted my gun and squeezed off a round, nailing the ogre closest to Levi in the shoulder. The big brute spun backward and took out the ogres behind him like a big fat set of dominos.
“Hurry your ass up, kid.”
Suddenly, Levi was beside me, step for step. Mind you, his face was white as a new sheet of paper and his breathing was ragged enough that I figured if he hyperventilated much more, he’d pass out. We reached the top floor just as his legs wobbled and his eyes rolled back in his head. I caught him around the waist and helped him through the door. I set him off to one side, turned, and threw the deadbolt lock on the door. Beside Levi was a large concrete planter. I tucked my gun behind my belt and grabbed the edges of the planter. Maybe it would give us an extra few minutes if we were lucky. One could hope.
As I grasped the edge of the planter, I noticed a handprint on it, bright red and wet. The scent of Mai hit me along with the smell of blood. That was not good. She was injured and stumbling. I could almost see her fall out of the door and use the planter to right herself before hurrying onward.
The gravel shrieked as I dragged the concrete planter across it. I got it against the door just as the first blow hit the steel. I grabbed Levi’s arm and hauled him up.
“Time to find Mai and get the fuck out of here.”
He said nothing as I pulled him along behind me. After a few steps, he got his feet under himself and he shook me off. “I’m good. I’m good.”
I said nothing, only kept my attention on the smell of a wounded Mai. “Mai!”
There was no answer, of course not. Her scent trail led to the edge of the roof. I looked over the edge, searching for more bloody handprints.
“Did she jump?” Levi asked.
There were no prints that showed her scaling down the building.
“Not like you’re thinking.” I pointed to the building across from us. It was about four floors lower than the one we stood on, and easily forty feet away. Forty. There was a scuff in the roof that looked like hands and feet imprints to me. “She jumped across there, and we have to follow her.”
“Are you crazy?”
I glanced at him. “No. I’m not. But I can’t leave you here because those assholes know you’re with me and Mai now. And that does not bode well for you.”
“I can hide,” he said. “I’m good at hiding.”
“This isn’t like your dad, Levi. Hiding won’t work. They’ve got your scent.” I shook my head.
He swallowed hard. “Then how are we going to get across there?”
I grinned at him, the wolf in me surfacing a little, liking that what I was going to say would make him squirm.
“Remember the zoo fence?” I asked.
He groaned. “Are you serious?”
I pointed at the far building. “I’m going to boost you. Get back there, close to the door, and then run at me with all you’ve got. I can throw you across, but only if you’re going full speed.”
“You’re serious?” he squeaked again, and behind him the door echoed his sentiment.
“No time to argue. You’ve got elemental blood in you. You’re tougher than you look, so this is not going to hurt like you think. Trust me.” In other words, hurry your ass up, kid. I need you to trust me or we’re both going to die, and I can’t leave you here and just save myself. A pack doesn’t work like that.
He backed away about twenty feet and I crouched at the edge of the roof. “Get your foot on my leg here, where my hands are. We’ve got one shot at this.”
Levi’s jaw tightened, and a wave of determination seemed to roll over him. He bolted toward me, timing his step and jump just right.
As his foot touched down on my leg and cupped hands, I stood, using the strength in my limbs to vault him over my head. I didn’t even look to see if he made it; he was free flying now. I turned and backed up, prepping my own run.
I spun and saw the ogres as they launched toward him. I lifted my gun and squeezed off a round, nailing the ogre closest to Levi in the shoulder. The big brute spun backward and took out the ogres behind him like a big fat set of dominos.
“Hurry your ass up, kid.”
Suddenly, Levi was beside me, step for step. Mind you, his face was white as a new sheet of paper and his breathing was ragged enough that I figured if he hyperventilated much more, he’d pass out. We reached the top floor just as his legs wobbled and his eyes rolled back in his head. I caught him around the waist and helped him through the door. I set him off to one side, turned, and threw the deadbolt lock on the door. Beside Levi was a large concrete planter. I tucked my gun behind my belt and grabbed the edges of the planter. Maybe it would give us an extra few minutes if we were lucky. One could hope.
As I grasped the edge of the planter, I noticed a handprint on it, bright red and wet. The scent of Mai hit me along with the smell of blood. That was not good. She was injured and stumbling. I could almost see her fall out of the door and use the planter to right herself before hurrying onward.
The gravel shrieked as I dragged the concrete planter across it. I got it against the door just as the first blow hit the steel. I grabbed Levi’s arm and hauled him up.
“Time to find Mai and get the fuck out of here.”
He said nothing as I pulled him along behind me. After a few steps, he got his feet under himself and he shook me off. “I’m good. I’m good.”
I said nothing, only kept my attention on the smell of a wounded Mai. “Mai!”
There was no answer, of course not. Her scent trail led to the edge of the roof. I looked over the edge, searching for more bloody handprints.
“Did she jump?” Levi asked.
There were no prints that showed her scaling down the building.
“Not like you’re thinking.” I pointed to the building across from us. It was about four floors lower than the one we stood on, and easily forty feet away. Forty. There was a scuff in the roof that looked like hands and feet imprints to me. “She jumped across there, and we have to follow her.”
“Are you crazy?”
I glanced at him. “No. I’m not. But I can’t leave you here because those assholes know you’re with me and Mai now. And that does not bode well for you.”
“I can hide,” he said. “I’m good at hiding.”
“This isn’t like your dad, Levi. Hiding won’t work. They’ve got your scent.” I shook my head.
He swallowed hard. “Then how are we going to get across there?”
I grinned at him, the wolf in me surfacing a little, liking that what I was going to say would make him squirm.
“Remember the zoo fence?” I asked.
He groaned. “Are you serious?”
I pointed at the far building. “I’m going to boost you. Get back there, close to the door, and then run at me with all you’ve got. I can throw you across, but only if you’re going full speed.”
“You’re serious?” he squeaked again, and behind him the door echoed his sentiment.
“No time to argue. You’ve got elemental blood in you. You’re tougher than you look, so this is not going to hurt like you think. Trust me.” In other words, hurry your ass up, kid. I need you to trust me or we’re both going to die, and I can’t leave you here and just save myself. A pack doesn’t work like that.
He backed away about twenty feet and I crouched at the edge of the roof. “Get your foot on my leg here, where my hands are. We’ve got one shot at this.”
Levi’s jaw tightened, and a wave of determination seemed to roll over him. He bolted toward me, timing his step and jump just right.
As his foot touched down on my leg and cupped hands, I stood, using the strength in my limbs to vault him over my head. I didn’t even look to see if he made it; he was free flying now. I turned and backed up, prepping my own run.
Similar Books
