Finding the Lost

“All of you turn around,” ordered Andra.

Madoc did, making sure the others had as well. He heard a drawer open and close and the soft rustle of fabric. Then a sgath howl split the night, loud enough that Madoc could hear it through the thick glass. The Synestryn were close.

“We’re done,” said Andra. “Let’s go.”

Madoc rolled his shoulders and headed out the door, ready to kick ass.

Andra held Nika close as they raced out of the building. Amazingly, no one seemed to notice their passage. It was as if they were invisible, just as Madoc had said. Not only that, but the guards had opened each door for them without having been asked. She had no idea what to think of that except that Logan must be using some weird mind-control mojo. It was best if she didn’t spend too much time thinking about just what he could do with that kind of power.

Nika clung to her with weak arms, trembling and hiding her face against Andra’s neck. She was covered in a clean nightgown now, but Andra had seen what had become of her sister’s body when she’d helped her change. Poor Nika’s body was a skeleton covered by loose, pale skin. Her belly was sunken and her ribs and hip bones protruded grotesquely, breaking Andra’s heart. The only recognizable thing about her body was the ringshaped birthmark on her left shoulder—the same one that graced Andra’s calf.

It had taken every ounce of willpower Andra had to not break down into tears at the sight of her sister’s wasted form. It was a wonder Nika was still alive. Why hadn’t the doctors done something before now? Why had they waited until it got this bad before treating her more drastically? Was her psychosis so much worse than her physical state that they hadn’t even noticed?

She had no answers, but she sure as hell was going to find some.

They hurried out into the parking lot, and out of the corner of her eye, Andra saw movement. She held Nika tighter and sped her pace. The howl of those demons got louder as they neared, and she was sure she could practically hear the sound of their claws scraping across the pavement.

“We’re not going to make it,” said Logan from behind her.

“Get in your truck and go,” Paul ordered Andra.

She thought about telling him she wouldn’t leave without him, but the truth was, she would do just about anything to get Nika out safely. He was a big boy, and she’d seen firsthand that he was capable of taking care of himself. “What are you going to do?”

“Kill the fuckers,” said Madoc.

Paul’s voice came from beside her, strong and steady. “Don’t worry. We’ll be right behind you.”

He pressed one finger against her bare arm for a moment and she felt a shock of energy jump into her, like static electricity, only it didn’t hurt. Instead, an odd sense of peace flittered over her skin, making her feel safe and protected.

She looked down and saw a bright bloodred mark on her skin where he’d touched her. “What was that?”

“Bloodmark. I’ll be able to find you now, wherever you go,” said Paul. Something about his tone, the way he spoke the words, told her that it was less a statement of fact than it was a promise. He would find her.

“They’re here,” whimpered Nika.

Andra didn’t stop to ask her if she was sure. The trembling in her body told Andra she was. How she knew it was true was another story—one that they didn’t have time for right now.

Paul took a fighting stance between her and the direction of the howls. He gave her one last look, then turned away.

Andra had to choke down the urge to go back and fight at his side. She belonged there. She knew it was true, though she had no idea how she knew. There seemed to be a lot of that going around tonight.

Andra slid Nika into her truck, jumped into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and drove away. In her rearview mirror, she saw half a dozen of those furry things leap from the shadows and charge the men.

Paul’s sword flashed under the lights of the parking lot as he slashed at one of the demons, his body strong and fluid as it moved across the pavement. She could watch him move like that for hours and still not be bored. He made fighting look so easy, so effortless. Almost beautiful.

Andra hit the curb and pulled her attention back to her driving. She didn’t look back again. Nika was safe. That had to be enough.

But it wasn’t. She felt as if she were abandoning the only people on earth who had even the slightest prayer of saving her sister from her insanity. Not to mention leaving behind a man who made her body come alive every time he touched her. As selfish as it was for her to even put that in the equation, she did. She wanted more time with him to figure out what it was about him that called to her and made her heart pound.

“They’re going to die,” whispered Nika. “There are too many monsters. And more are coming.”

Andra glanced sideways. “You don’t know that.”

“I do. They’re coming, Andra. I feel them.” Nika looked as lucid as she ever did, not that that was saying much. “Please, we have to go back.”

Andra’s hand clamped hard on the steering wheel so she wouldn’t do anything stupid and turn around. “I can’t risk it. You’re too weak.”

“Please, Andra. Go back.”

“You’re more important.”

“We need them.”

Shit. Maybe she was right.

Andra’s knuckles were white and her body tightened in indecision. There was so much at stake here. Nika’s life hung in the balance no matter what she did. If she went back, she might be ripped apart by monsters. If Andra didn’t turn around and the men were slaughtered, then Nika might spend the rest of her life screaming in fear. At least until she starved to death.

“Please, Andra. I need him.”

The pleading tone in her voice finally decided Andra. She hadn’t been able to do much for her sister for eight years. In all that time, Nika had never asked for anything from Andra until now. This was something she could give her, and even if it was the wrong choice, it beat the hell out of starving to death. Didn’t it? Heaven knew she didn’t like the idea of leaving those men back there to die. Not to mention what would happen to the people in the hospital if the monsters managed to get in.

Where Nika’s bloody gown was.

“Buckle up and hold on,” said Andra.

They were on a long road leading out to a major street. The only traffic out here was farmers and people headed to the hospital. Andra took a hard one-eighty and hit the gas. The truck spun around with a rocking jolt and headed back up the hill.

“Hand me my shotgun. Under the seat.”

The parking lot was up ahead. The fight was still raging. It looked like Paul and Madoc had taken down three or four of those things. She wasn’t sure what Logan was doing, but he was working hard at it—standing totally still with his hand raised and some kind of light pouring out of it, splashing up against the nearest wall of the hospital. Freaky.

Andra took the offered shotgun and told Nika, “Get down and stay there.”

Nika did, but Andra heard her frightened chanting, “They’re coming, they’re coming, they’re coming. . . .”

Since she was out of hands to roll the window down, Andra used the butt of the weapon to break the glass out of the driver’s-side window. She cleared enough of it out of the way to shove the barrel out.

Three of those roach things had shown up, and they were all in a nice, neat little clump.

Andra killed the lights on her truck and sped toward them. They didn’t see her coming until it was too late. She floored it and slammed the front of her truck right into them. The things scattered like bowling pins. One of them went under her wheels and made the truck bounce with a sickening crunch as its exoskeleton collapsed under the wheel.

She executed another hard turn, nearly clipping a BMW in the parking lot, and went back for more, just in case they didn’t stay down.

“You okay down there?” she asked Nika.

“Yeah,” she said, but she didn’t sound okay. She sounded like she was wishing for an airsick bag.

“Just hold on. We’re almost done here.”

From this angle, she had a great view of Paul and Madoc slicing away, their thick arms and muscular backs working almost in unison. That was a beautiful sight to behold. Pure female fantasy fuel.

She pulled her gaze away and focused on business. One of the things she’d hit got back up. It was oozing green stuff from a crack in its chest, which worked for her. Andra aimed and fired at that crack, hoping her shot might be able to bust through. The thing exploded like a watermelon filled with dynamite. It flew into a bunch of bits, making her windshield wipers a necessity. Green, fleshy bits smeared over the glass, and her stomach gave a warning heave.

Andra swallowed to keep everything down. There wasn’t time to be sick now, so her stomach would just have to wait.

She scanned the area, but she was running out of targets. The men had done their job and now stood near piles of fur leaking black blood.

Nika could not see that. She was way too fragile to face a sight straight out of her mind’s own horror flick.

“You stay down, baby,” she told Nika. “We’ll be out of here in a sec.”

She drove her truck to the men just as they were cleaning off their swords. Logan looked paler and thinner than he did before, but other than that, he seemed fine. Paul was breathing hard, but unhurt. Madoc, on the other hand, had taken a nasty gash across his thigh.

“You came back,” said Paul. It sounded like an accusation, but one she was willing to let slide.

“Couldn’t let you have all the fun.”

Madoc snarled at her, “Get the fuck out of here. It’s not safe.”

“He’s right,” said Paul. “His blood will only draw more of those things.”

“They’re close,” whispered Nika from where she bent down.

This time, Andra believed her.

Madoc growled like some kind of wild animal, then said, “You two go with her. I’ll draw them away.”

Nika grabbed her head and started chanting, “No, no, no, no . . .”

“Scoot over and take care of her,” offered Paul. “I’ll drive.”

Andra was glad to. She pulled Nika into her lap, making sure her eyes were covered and her IV stayed safely in place. Logan got in the passenger’s side. He really didn’t look well at all. In fact, he looked a lot like he had when Madoc had carried him into her apartment—thin and pale and shaking.

Paul drove off, leaving Madoc behind.

“Is he going to be okay?” asked Andra.

“If he gets mobile, he’ll be fine.” Something in his tone said it was wishful thinking. “Logan, did anyone in the hospital see us?”

“No,” whispered Logan on a weary wisp of air. “I shielded them.”

So that was what he was doing out there. Holy freaking cow. This was getting weirder by the moment. It was one thing to know monsters were real—she’d gotten used to that notion years ago—but magic? That was a little harder to swallow.

And made way too much sense, considering the things she’d seen over the past decade.