Pretty When She Destroys (Pretty When She Dies #3)(105)

“Yuck,” was all she said before leaning forward to give it to her brother.

“Like communion, huh?” Benchley joked, then swigged from the canister.

Samantha frowned. “So sacrilegious.”

The van swung onto the shoulder again, scooting around a thick gnarl of big rig trucks rushing along the interstate.

“Watch it, Shark Boy!”

“It’s slowing again,” Benchley responded, then thrust the canister toward Jeff. “Put the lid on. There’s some left. I don’t need it on my floor.”

Cassandra darted around Jeff, grabbed the canister, and gulped what was left. When she finished, Cian handed her the lid. Screwing it on, Cassandra returned to her seat.

Samantha reached back to touch her hand. “We’re almost there. We’ll save her.”

The dhamphir gave her a slight smile. “I know.”

Again, Cian showed a softness that was rare as he gathered Cassandra in his arms and held her close. His daughter laid her head on his chest, obviously comforted by his affection.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Alexia cried out. “A tornado just set down at the 1604 junction!”

“What?” Samantha slanted over to see the smart phone. On Twitter there was a picture someone had snapped with their phone of a massive tornado tearing apart the overpass. Trucks and cars hurtled through the air.

“That’s where the temple is!” Benchley shoved his foot harder on the accelerator, the van sliding onto the grass bordering the shoulder. The van sped past the slowing traffic.

“It’s starting.” Aimee checked the map again. “Galina’s almost to the 1604!”

“The good news is so are we and the traffic is going to slow her down, too!” Benchley swerved briefly onto the shoulder. His big arms were tense and his jaw was set.

Cold wind filled the vehicle with a loud roar. Samantha twisted around in her seat to see Cassandra and Cian were gone.

“Oh, shit.”




Cassandra clung to her father as he swooped over the traffic below them. She had never doubted that he could fly, but to see it in action was electrifying. They hadn’t even exchanged words before he’d torn them out of the van. It was a relief to have him so likeminded. They were definitely on the same page. Like father, like daughter.

“It’s a blue Mini Cooper, white roof!” Cassandra shouted into the gust.

The long lines of vehicles stretched toward the violently swirling winds of the tornado ripping apart the 1604 junction. From their vantage point, the dhamphir and vampire could see the chaos clearly. The van would have difficulty getting through unless Benchley got very creative. As the drivers of the cars spotted the massive tornado consuming everything ahead, they were futilely attempting to get off the interstate and escape. Metal crunched and tires squealed as the cars collided. The frontage, shoulder, and the swatch of land between them were cluttered with cars and people. Some people simply abandoned their vehicles and ran.

Shrouded in shadows, no one saw the two people flying low overhead seeking out one car among many. Cassandra didn’t have time to enjoy the thrill of the flight since she was so anxious to spot her mother. The cold rush of air tore at her hair and clothes as their speed increased.

When she spotted the familiar car attempting to edge around a massive snarl of vehicles, relief flooded her. “There, Dad! There!”

Cian swooped lower and then they both dropped to the ground right behind the rear bumper of the car. Cassandra darted around to the driver’s door and Cian took the passenger side. A strange glow was emanating from within the car.

“Mom!” Cassandra dragged the door open, breaking the lock in her haste.

Galina stared straight ahead, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Foot still pressed on the accelerator she urged her car forward, trying to push the big SUV in front of her out of her path.

“Mom!” Cassandra snatched the keys out of the ignition. “Mom!”

Staring straight ahead, Galina calmly unbuckled her seatbelt and shoved Cassandra violently out of her way. Cian made a grab for her, but Galina moved with preternatural swiftness to avoid him.

“She’s under its control!” Cian darted in front of Galina, raising his hands to stop her.

“Where is it?” Cassandra clutched her mother’s shoulders and twisted her about.

Galina struck her across the cheek with a closed fist. Cassandra staggered backward, shocked, hurt, and angry. “Stop it, Mom!” Her mother was still beautiful, but her sweetness was gone, replaced with a zombie-like stillness that terrified Cassandra.

The eerie illumination that Cassandra had witnessed before caught her eye again. It was emanating from Galina’s coat pocket. Cian saw it at the same time. Taking hold of the front of the coat, Cassandra ripped it open, the buttons bouncing off the asphalt as Cian yanked it off Galina’s arms.

Galina blinked her eyes, tilted her head, then a befuddled look came into her blue eyes. “Cass?”

The dhamphir had only a second to relish the return of her mother when she saw her father swarmed by people from all sides. Men, women, and children attacked him with nails, teeth, and hard punches. Surprised, Cian staggered backward, falling under the torrent of attackers.

“Dad!”

Cassandra began dragging people off of him, startled by their strength and determination. They struck out at her and she shoved them away. She didn’t want to hurt them, but she didn’t know what else to do. The mob of bodies thrashed about, then a small child broke free and ran toward the stationary tornado that continued to rip apart the area.