Damian's Oracle

Sofia almost cried in relief. Two continued walking, finding a narrow path in the dark and starting down it. She followed, shivering. The path wound its way downward, dumping them into a draw far enough away to be safe. Two walked on once he reached the desert, and she trotted after him, looking back at the floodlit entrance to the elevator. Gunshots streaked around the entrance. A massive explosion went off, shaking the ground beneath them.

She stopped and stared, throat tightening.

"Damian," she whispered.

Two took her arm, driving her onward. When assured she'd follow, he released her and marched on into the desert, away from the mountain. A sense of familiarity hit her as they neared a clump of rocks. She'd seen it in Pierre's future. The images she'd seen the night of the Quarterly replayed in her mind.

Pierre unloading his shotgun on the man in executioner's garb from Czerno's. It was dark, cold, and the shots hit the man with lopsided shoulders, dropping him dead to the ground. An explosion blazed in the distance. A woman was screaming, another man shouting.

The Guardians were here, ready to take the shot that would kill Darian. Urgency jarred her out of the memory, and she launched forward.

"Pierre, no!" she shouted, running past Two.

He snatched her as she passed, but not before she heard a shot and felt fire burn through her. She was driven back against Two, who caught her. Warm blood splattered her neck and face. She cried out in pain.

"Let her go!" She recognized Pierre's voice.

Two lowered her, pulling up his sleeves to fight.

"No!" She barked and snatched his shirt.

"Fuck, Pierre!" Dustin snarled. "Sofia? You okay?"

"I'm … okay," she said, suddenly dizzy. "Dustin, don't shoot him, please! Please!"

A dark shape moved from the rocks while three more fanned out from the sides. Two strained against her grip and tensed. Sofia held onto him as if his life depended on it and shook her head to clear the dizziness.

"Darian, lower your head," she ordered. The man beside her hesitated and then obeyed. She yanked his hood off.

"Dusty, Jule's got him!" Rainy shouted triumphantly. "I'm calling the choppers."

"Fast," Dustin ordered. "The vamps are heading this way."

She twisted her head to see the jumbled outlines of the small army of vamps running toward them from the direction of the burning mountain. A flashlight blinded her. She held up her hand.

"Mon dieu!" Pierre said then cursed in French.

"Holy shit," Dustin breathed as the flashlight rose to Darian's face. "Holster 'em! Now!"

He moved forward, stopping to stare at Darian.