Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [94]
Her blood ran cold at the sound of their tremendous war cry, followed by gunshots and the clashing of swords.
“Hurry!” Emma dragged her across the street where the shifters had gathered in an alley between two abandoned stores.
“There could be Malcontent guards roaming the area,” Emma told her. “I’ll watch the other end of this alley. You watch this one. Don’t let anyone near till the shifters are ready.”
Marielle caught a glimpse of the shifters stripping, then turned her back to stand guard. She shuddered as the sound of the battle in the warehouse grew even louder. Amid the din of gunfire and swords clashing, a scream rent the air. She winced. It had sounded so human. She hoped the mortals wouldn’t die. Or the Vamps. Or Connor. Her heart constricted with a sharp pang. She couldn’t bear to lose him.
“There’s one! Get her!” a man shouted at the end of the street.
She spotted two men just before they vanished. Malcontents. Before she could shout a warning, they reappeared right in front of her. They pounced, but she sent them flying backward so hard, they crashed into the warehouse.
Her hands shook, and her heart thundered in her ears. Good heavens, that had been close!
A tremendous roar sounded behind her.
She spun around. “Ack!” Her heart lurched.
A huge Kodiak bear was standing on its hind legs, growling at her. She stumbled to the side and bumped into a broken sidewalk curb.
The bear dropped down on all fours and dashed toward the warehouse, followed closely by four large wolves, and the largest panther and tiger she’d ever seen.
The bear and panther attacked the two Malcontents she’d thrown against the warehouse, ripping their heads off. The two vampires turned to dust.
Marielle’s stomach cringed. The shifters charged into the warehouse, and soon after, more screams pierced the air.
“Good work.” Emma patted Marielle on the back.
A lone wolf trotted to the other side of the alley and sat there on its haunches.
“Brynley?” Marielle whispered.
The wolf looked at her, then bared its teeth and growled.
Startled, Marielle stepped back.
“Damn.” Emma pulled a knife and threw it spinning through the air right past Marielle.
Marielle whirled around just in time to see the knife thud into a Malcontent’s heart and turn him to dust. The knife clattered onto the sidewalk.
“That was close,” Emma muttered. “Thanks, Brynley.”
Marielle pressed a hand against her pounding heart. Her stomach felt twisted and queasy.
“Are you all right, dear?” Emma asked. “I could teleport you to Romatech in a flash.”
She shook her head. “I’m not leaving Connor.”
“Oh.” Emma’s eyes took on a speculative look as she leaned over to retrieve her knife. She straightened with a jerk. “Here they come.”
A swarm of newly turned, frantic vampires burst out the front door, screaming and hissing.
Marielle hit them with an air blast that sent them crashing into one another and the warehouse.
Emma dashed toward them, a stake in each hand. She turned four of them to dust before the vampires could even scramble to their feet. Brynley leaped on them, ripping and tearing into their bodies till they turned to dust.
More vampires escaped. Marielle couldn’t blast them without hitting Emma and Brynley. She recognized Shanna’s father exiting the warehouse, shouting and slashing away at the vampires.
A Malcontent broke loose from the crowd and ran down the street. Marielle knocked him down with a blast of air.
“I’ll kill you!” Sean Whelan raced after him.
The vampire jumped to his feet. Sean fired, but his pistol only made a clicking noise. He tossed the gun down and charged at the vampire with his dagger.
The vampire grabbed Sean’s arm, and the two locked in a struggle, falling onto the ground and rolling about.
“Oh God, no,” Marielle breathed as she moved closer.
The vampire overpowered Sean, knocked him flat onto the street, wrenched the dagger from his hand, and plunged it into his torso.
Marielle gasped. No! She couldn’t let Shanna’s father die.
The vampire’s fangs shot out,