Blood Lands (Savage Lands #5)(96)
Tad, with his frail, curved frame, barreled into the guard holding him, causing him to stumble to the ground out of pure shock, while Tad slammed his head back into one behind him, cracking his nose and wiggling out of their grip.
Warwick reacted first, already sprinting for them. He leaped quickly onto a guard not ready for him, snapping his neck, the body not even dropping to the ground before Warwick stole his rifle, knocking the next in the head while swiveling around and shooting another.
Damn, that man turned me on.
Running, I dropped to my side, sliding into a guard. I rammed my heel into his knee, snapping it the wrong way. The guard screamed, falling to the ground in agony. Swiping up his weapon, I leaped up, bashing it against his head, then twisting and firing at several more coming at me. Cutting down anything moving for me, I wiggled my way toward Tad, slipping up behind a guard who was trying to shove him in the car.
Bang!
The bullet went through his head, the weight taking both of them to the ground.
“Tad!” My nails tore at the heavy weight over him, pushing the dead body off him. I heaved a sigh of relief when he blinked up at me, his face smeared with blood. My fingers yanked at the cloth around his mouth.
“Excellent timing, my girl.”
“Go! Go!” I heard a soldier yell, cutting their losses at the back. The large gate creaked open, and behind me, I could hear masses of people climbing the steps to the factory floor, the inmates about to flood the area.
Istvan’s car lurched forward, the nectar about to disappear from my grasp.
“Help me up!” Tad groaned as I got him to his feet, his mouth already moving, a low chant closing his eyes.
“Simon!” I yelled as someone in the passenger seat leaned back, grabbed the door, slamming it closed. The door locked. “No!” I yanked at the handle as the armored truck tore away.
“Simon!” Warwick bellowed, heartache and terror weaving through his gruff cry, his feet tearing off after the vehicle, jumping onto the back, riding with the caravan like a stowaway.
I felt my chest splinter as the truck drove through the exit. The magic around the gate was spelled to keep us prisoners inside. It recognized Warwick as a fugitive, zapping an electrical current through his body. Warwick jerked and convulsed as voltage went through him, pitching him back onto the cement with a thump.
“Warwick!” I ran for him. The commotion from the inmates streaming in, attacking the guards left to fight, was muted in the background. Dropping to my knees, my hands touched his face, sliding down to his unmoving chest.
No heartbeat.
No breath.
No life.
Chapter 26
“Warwick!” I slammed my hands down onto his chest, feeling heat simmer inside me, a flame catching on fire. “Don’t you dare leave me. Whatever it takes.”
Letting myself dive into him, I shoved against the goblin metal trying to contain me, sweat dripping down my forehead as it battled and pushed back, feeling the murmur of my powers whispering in my ears, bubbling up from the depth, telling me something I couldn’t quite make out.
Thunder purred around me, a crack of lightning, wind brushing my cheek in a kiss.
“I forbid you to die, asshole.” Slipping under his skin, I pushed even deeper, wrapping around his heart while I pumped on his chest.
Warwick seized forward, gasping in breath, his eyes moving around until they landed on mine. His nose flared, taking another deep inhale, swallowing. His hand cupped my face, pulling my forehead to his, his voice raking through the gravel and dirt.
“Sotet démonom.”
A gasp of relief huffed from my lips against his, my lids closing briefly. “Don’t ever fucking do something so stupid again.”
“What’s the fun in that?” He tried for humor, but his features were streaked with worry as he sat up. “Simon.”
“We’ll get him.” I stood, yanking him with me.
Magic hissed and sparked at the gate as if it was lashing out, twisting me to it. I could feel the energy in the spell fighting and lashing back. My neck craned around to see Tad walking up to the gate. Magic emitted from him like thousands of glowing webs. Eyes closed, muttering, his body weaved, barely staying up. His forehead creased with pain and determination as if he were in a battle himself. Just because he put them in place didn’t mean they were easy to pull down. He probably had to use immense energy to do both. And I was understanding more and more that magic had a life of its own, a true give and take.
Warwick and I rushed around him, making sure he stayed protected as he worked, shooting at any soldier who got close.
The fight in the factory grew louder. Gunshots and screams rang out as more and more inmates funneled into the room, though the HDF guards were fully loaded with weapons and fae-like strength, keeping the odds still in their favor.
Soon, the feral-fae would follow the commotion.
The room spun with chaos, spiking fear and adrenaline throughout the space. You could taste it on your tongue like a bitter pill and smell a pungent odor. It was a living, breathing entity. Anxiety banged my heart against my ribs, as with every second, Istvan got farther away from us.
Tad wobbled, his face straining as he struggled to get each word out, sweat beading down his face, his concentration entirely on his counter spell.
Letting out a cry, he spit out words. A loud crack popped the air, blowing back at us, the force slamming Warwick and me to the ground. Tad took the brunt, and a strangled bellow came from him as magic swept over him. Then it dissipated, leaving only threads of electricity humming in the air. His body crumpled to the ground.