Archangel's Enigma (Guild Hunter)(38)

He fell gurgling to the ground.

It was the first time she’d ever truly hurt someone and part of her flinched, bile rising in her throat. That part bore the name of the girl she’d been, the one who’d run from a home where brutality was an everyday affair and kindness considered a laughable weakness. The rest of her understood this wasn’t violence for violence’s sake. It was about survival. Not just her own but Suyin’s and Naasir’s. There would be no mercy should they be caught; these same guards would mete out base torture if so ordered.

Naasir’s eyes gleamed at her through the pounding rain. “Stop playing. We have to leave.”

She went to scowl, realized he was the one who was playing—with her. So she wouldn’t think about the blood she’d just spilled. Wanting to kiss him, she instead helped Suyin through the inner wall gate as the rain washed the scarlet stain from her sword.

That was when their luck ran out.

Three sentries came around the corner almost at once and the men were looking right at their small group. Naasir was on them a split second later but it was three against one. Leaving Suyin leaning against the wall, Andromeda swung into the fight. The sentries could not be allowed to send up an alarm.

Her target was trained, but he wasn’t expecting her skill. She cut his throat, left him trying to clamp his hand over the bleeding orifice. By the time she turned toward Naasir, he’d already taken care of the other two. Seeing her sentry, he reached out and hit the man on the side of his head, slamming him into unconsciousness. “He could’ve seen our direction from here, betrayed us to others.”

“Sorry. I was worried about you.”

He tilted his head to the side, rain rolling down his skin. Then he smiled and went to pick a shaky Suyin up in his arms. Sticking to his side, Andromeda watched their backs as they ran to a small servant’s gate in the outer wall. This time, no one spotted them and they were soon outside, but hardly free.

The area directly around the stronghold was grass currently being flattened by the wind and the rain, offering no hiding places. It seemed an interminable distance to the cover of the trees when winged sentries flew constantly across the sky. “How do we do this?” she asked Naasir.

“Go low and let the wind bend the grass over you.” He put Suyin on the ground, then gently rubbed dirt over the bandages on her back to make them less white. “On your bellies. Be the cat creeping up on its prey.”

“My wings?”

“Hold them as tight as you can. No big movements. Go!”

The ground was wet and muddy, but Andromeda did exactly what Naasir had ordered, the three of them spread out enough that from above, each one would be nothing other than another muddy patch of grass. It was hard and relentless and they had to go motionless more than once when an angel flew too close overhead. Breath coming harsh and low, Suyin did her best, but she lost consciousness halfway through.

Andromeda helped put her on Naasir’s back and he took the hurt angel the rest of the way.

By the time they reached the trees, Andromeda’s muscles were quivering and the front of her body coated in mud. Using the rain dripping from her hair to wipe off her face, she saw Naasir had already placed Suyin in a seated position against a tree.

“I can’t believe that worked.” Turning into the rain in the hope it would wash off more of the mud, Andromeda looked out over the distance they’d covered.

“The rain helped. Otherwise, we’d have had to hide and wait for another chance.” Picking up Suyin after that short break, he led Andromeda through the trees that didn’t do much to hold back the rain. “Jason probably drove out most of the reborn, but their scent is still thick, so one or more may remain.”

Sword held at the ready as the rain continued to thunder down, Andromeda kept her eyes on alert for the shambling half corpses that were the reborn. When Naasir hissed and said, “Left,” she pivoted, sword already coming up.

A severed head rolled to the ground seconds later. The reborn’s body gushed blood as it fell, but Andromeda stepped out of the way of the spray just quickly enough. “Thank you for the warning.” Again, the rain washed her blade clean.

As it had her father’s when he methodically cut a vampire to pieces once.

Naasir’s gaze searched her face, as if he could sense how disturbed she was at her unhesitating ruthlessness. “It’s us or them. You aren’t torturing or harming the reborn without cause—you are fighting for your survival. That is the right of any creature.”

Andromeda jerked her head in a nod. “Yes.” The reborn may have been innocent prior to their transformation, but they were an abomination now. As for the guards, they would’ve killed Naasir given the slightest chance.

Her jaw firmed, hand tightening on the hilt of the sword. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Instead of laughing at what must seem a ridiculous statement when it came to a man so dangerous and capable of looking after himself, Naasir’s lips curved in a satisfied smile. “I knew you liked me.”

Surprised into a soft laugh, Andromeda reached out to check Suyin’s pulse. It was even shallower than she’d expected. “She could fall into anshara.” Normally, the semiconscious healing sleep was a helpful thing, but it could be a serious handicap if Naasir had to carry Suyin the entire way.

“Angels would be much more efficient if they could drink blood,” Naasir said conversationally.