Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [93]
That was obviously the right thing to say to Connor, for he pulled his cell phone out of his sporran and made a call.
“Brynley,” Marielle said. “This isn’t your fight. You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” Brynley gave her a sad smile. “You deserve all the help you can get.”
Connor dropped the phone back into his sporran. “Phineas is coming. He’ll take you to Romatech to join up with the others.”
Brynley nodded. “Thank you.”
“Hello?” a voice shouted from inside the cabin. Phineas peeked out the front door. “There you are.” He stepped out onto the porch. Like Connor, he had a sword strapped to his back. Around his hips, he wore a belt with a gun holster and several sheaths containing knives.
He looked Brynley over and smiled. “So is it true that you’ll need to take off your clothes before shifting?”
She jabbed him in the chest so hard, he stumbled back a step.
He rubbed his chest. “What the hell was that?”
Brynley glared at him. “That’s the stake that a Malcontent puts through your heart while you’re watching me strip, you moron.”
Connor chuckled. “She has a good point.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Phineas muttered. “Like I want to watch a perfectly good woman turn into a dog.”
Brynley whipped back a hand to slap him, but Phineas caught her wrist. “I’m faster than you, wolfie-girl.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I have a nasty bite.”
“So do I.” He pulled her into his arms and waved at Connor. “See you later, dude.” He vanished, taking Brynley with him.
“That was . . . interesting,” Marielle said.
“Aye.” Connor gathered her in his arms. “We’re alone now.”
She embraced him, resting her head on his chest. She felt him rubbing his chin against her hair.
“Marielle, I’ve asked Emma to keep an eye on you. Ye’ll be stationed outside the warehouse to catch anyone who escapes. Some of the newly turned vampires may try to run away. They willna have learned how to teleport yet.”
“I want to be with you.”
He shook his head. “We’ll be fighting hand-to-hand inside the warehouse. Yer blasting power wouldna be helpful there. Ye would be hitting our side as much as the Malcontents.”
She swallowed hard. “I hate to be separated from you.”
“ ’Tis for the best. Yer job is to find the Malcontents. After that, let us do our job.”
She nodded.
He kissed her on the mouth, a long, fierce kiss that left her knees weak and her thoughts reeling. Was this a farewell kiss in case something happened to him?
Please, God! Please protect him!
He released her and removed his phone from his sporran. “Try again. Can ye sense them now?”
She closed her eyes and reached out. Deaths rolled past her. Death caused by illness. Death caused by accidents.
She stiffened. Memphis, Tennessee. Screams of sheer terror. Thirty people dying all at once. In a warehouse. “I have it.”
He quickly made the call. “Angus, we’re going. Give us ten seconds.” He dropped the phone in his sporran and grabbed her.
She felt a cold stab on her brow as he rushed inside her mind and pounced on the destination. Everything went black.
They landed on a dark street, dimly lit by a street lamp on each end. All the street lamps closer by had been broken. On the right, the street was lined with abandoned stores, the glass fronts smashed and partially boarded up. On the left, a giant warehouse loomed, the same one they’d seen on the news report. There was no one in sight, but screams filled the air.
Dozens of Vamps materialized around them, using Connor’s tracking device as their beacon. Some came alone; others brought shifters or mortals with them. Marielle recognized Shanna’s father as he arrived with Roman. Sean Whelan pushed away and drew his weapons—a huge pistol and a long, sharp dagger. The Vamps unsheathed their swords.
Robby led a group silently around to the back of the warehouse.
Emma dashed up to Marielle. “This way,” she whispered. “We have to guard the shifters.”
Marielle gave Connor one last look as she was led away. May God bless you and keep you.
He nodded as if he