Replica (The Blood Borne Series Book 2) by Shannon Mayer, Denise Grover Swank

me.
    “Put your hands up!”
    I lifted my hands, a grin sliding over my face. “If you say so.”
     
     

CHAPTER 14

     
    RACHEL
     
    My mind was already spinning as Ivan hauled me to the top of the train. If we jumped off, we’d be seriously behind schedule to catch our flight in Philadelphia. But at the moment, I was more concerned with surviving.
    I glanced behind me. “Where’s Lea?”
    “She’s still in the room.” His brow lowered as he leaned further over the edge.
    “Be careful,” I said. “You’re going to fall off.”
    He shot me a grin, but I could see the worry in his eyes. “Aww…you care about me.”
    “No, but Lea seems to. I’d hate to have to explain why I let you fall off the damn train.” He looked back over the edge again, and I said, “You really care about her, don’t you.”
    His head jerked up. “She’s important.”
    “That’s such a bullshit answer.”
    Rather than respond, he leaned over and hauled Lea up with him this time. She had several fresh blood splatters on her hoodie.
    “Run!” she shouted, already racing toward the roof of the next train car.
    Ivan took off after her and I followed. The crack of a gunshot behind me gave me a new burst of energy. The source seemed to come from several cars down, thankfully, which meant they had a better chance of missing us, or more specifically me. I was the most fragile of all of us.
    That thought must have occurred to Lea too, because she slowed and reached for me when she got to the end of a car. “Get down and head to the dining car. I’ll meet you there.”
    “I think that’s a bad idea. For so many reasons.”
    “If we get separated, meet me at the airport in Philadelphia.”
    “Are you kidding me?”
    “No. Go.” She turned to Ivan. “Wolf, stay with me.”
    A grin spread across his face.
    I rolled my eyes and squatted next to the metal ladder leading down to a door. How the hell was I going to get down there while the train was still moving?
    I wasn’t. Fuck with doing what I was told. I’d gotten where I was today by disobeying orders. Why mess with what worked? But I started down the ladder anyway. This wasn’t the time for an argument.
    Lea had already lost interest in what I was doing and headed back to the middle of the roof, where she stopped, probably waiting for the gunman. Seconds later, I heard grunts and the sound of gunfire.
    The train’s brakes squealed, drowning out the sounds above me. If we were slowing down even more, then it would probably be a good time to jump. But I had no idea what was going on overhead and I wasn’t about to leave Lea behind.
    Looping my arm through the ladder, I pulled the gun I’d taken from Vincent’s bunker out of the back of my jeans and scrambled back up. Lea and Ivan were surrounded by six men. They seemed to be holding their own, even though Ivan wasn’t in great shape. Not that it stopped him from beating the crap out of the guy in front of him.
    The train vibrated as it continued to slow, but I braced my arm and aimed at one of the men on the periphery. I squeezed the trigger and he fell in a heap, but I’d already pointed the gun at the man next to him, aiming at his head. He fell too.
    Four left.
    One was so tangled up with Ivan, I couldn’t get a clear shot. The other three were blocked by the werewolf. Dammit. I was going to have to climb higher. Just as I started to pull myself up, Ivan tossed the man he was fighting over the side and moved on to one of the others, clearing my view.
    I squeezed the trigger and brought down another of our attackers. Lea suddenly grabbed the man she was hitting, and lowered her face to his neck. The man fell to his knees, but she went with him. She had to be draining him, probably to get answers. The vamps had a nifty little trick—they could absorb a person’s—or creature’s—memories if they were drained enough. But she’d drawn Ivan’s attention away from his opponent. The man pulled out a knife, the blade