Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(101)

He swerved the truck, ruining their line of sight. Even if there were four of them in the truck, all directing the attack, they wouldn’t be able to keep it up for long, especially over a distance.

Gunfire pattered into the asphalt, sending shards flying.

“Hell.” He swerved again, speeding up while also grabbing Cara’s head and shoving her down. She bent at the waist and he kept pushing until her knees were on the floor. “Stay down.”

She fought against his hold, drawing a green gun from the side compartment. “I can shoot.”

He swerved again, making it too difficult for the demons to continue the mind attack. The pain in his temples receded. “I know, but for now, stay there.” If the woman thought she was going to get up and engage in a firefight, she was f*cking crazy.

Even now, the scent of her fear filled the SUV, and the animal inside him stretched to life. His fangs lengthened, and his heart rate slowed as his body prepared for battle. There was no more dangerous creature on the earth than a vampire defending his mate, so he allowed his primal instincts to take over.

Smoke billowed from the right, forcing him to take a sharp left turn and barrel over a narrow bridge.

The truck followed in his wake, a shooter half out the passenger-side window. The next round of bullets impacted the rear of the vehicle.

If they hit the tires, he was screwed.

Trees flew by outside, and soon, smoldering grass lined both sides of the road. The fire had swept through but seemed contained. Hopefully.

Talen punched in Dage’s number.

“What?” Dage drawled.

“We have demons on our asses. Get our location, and send backup. STAT.” Talen swerved again.

Dage instantly tapped in keys. “Shifters nearby to the north. They’re sending help. Are you sure it’s demons?”

“Yes,” Talen snapped.

“I’ve brought you up on satellite. Shit,” Dage said.

Talen nodded. “I know.” The demons had certainly chosen their attack spot carefully. They were in one of the few places in the Pacific Northwest where the minerals in the rocks messed with the ability to transport, which Dage had. He couldn’t transport there and get Cara out. “The second I’m far enough north, I’ll tag you,” Talen barked.

“I’ll be ready to get there,” Dage said. “For now, stay low, and wait for backup.”

Cara kept silent on the floor, her blue eyes wide.

While Talen wanted to comfort her, he needed her alert and ready to flee just in case. “If I tell you to run, you do it.”

She shook her head. “If you’re staying to fight, so am I. It’s not like I’ve spent the last two decades on my butt, Talen.”

No. He’d made sure she trained to fight regularly, whenever she had the strength. But she was still an immortal human without any extra strength or speed. Against a cadre of demons, she’d have to be skilled as well as incredibly lucky. “I understand. Do as I tell you to do.” As the strategic leader for the entire Realm, his orders were obeyed, damn it.

She sniffed and held the gun on the seat, her entire body bunched to strike. “Can we outrun them?”

Only if the demons stopped shooting. Even as the thought crossed his mind, more bullets sprayed, and the back of the SUV lifted in the air. “Shit.” Talen jerked the wheel to the left, trying to keep from tumbling over the bank. “They hit a tire.”

The SUV rocked. Talen swerved, and his side of the vehicle crashed into a series of rocks fronting a forest. “Out. Move now.” In one smooth motion, he grabbed the cooler, grasped Cara, kicked open her door, and leaped from the vehicle.

Her feet had barely touched the ground when he had her around the hood and running into the smoke-filled forest, shielding her with his body in case the demons kept shooting. “Go, and I’ll catch up.” He pivoted and dropped to one knee, simultaneously whipping the gun out from his waist. The red truck screeched to a stop on the dirt road, and he plugged the windshield full of holes.

A scream echoed.

His fangs dropped, and he turned to run after his woman. He’d hit at least two targets, because he could smell their blood. But bullets would only slow them down and definitely not stop them.

The ground smoldered, and flames still licked along dead grass. He opened his senses and immediately found his mate moving quickly to the west, her sweet scent overlaid with fear. Every instinct he owned told him to turn around and take the demons out, but her safety came first.

He’d find seclusion and then go hunting.

The smoke impacted his vision, and up ahead, Cara coughed quietly.

He reached her in long strides and quickly ripped a piece off his shirt.

She frowned and leaned against the trunk of a pine tree, her eyes watering, her nose quivering.

There was no immediate heat around them, so hopefully the fires were just smoldering. Leaning forward, he gently tied the material around her head, masking her nose and mouth. “This should help filter a little bit.” Making sure it was tight, he leaned back. “You all right?”

She nodded, her eyes red. “Fine. Just don’t like smoke.”

There was his blue-eyed fighter. Fierce and stubborn, she’d battle furiously to live. He nodded toward a barely discernible trail through several cottonwoods. “Let’s head that way.” Hopefully the smoke would mask their scents until they reached backup, which should be coming from that direction.