Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(103)

A jagged rock caught her eye, and she tried to angle away. It would split her open.

Just as she was about to hit, a hard body crashed into her, sending them away from the rock and into the water. Freezing cold covered her head, and she shut her eyes. Scrambling, she fought for the surface. A roaring filled her ears. Panic blew out her air.

She broke the surface, immediately going under again.

A rock scraped her arm. She kicked off another boulder, her head emerging into daylight. The current smashed her against a rock and swept her farther downstream. She gulped in oxygen, searching frantically for Talen.

He shouted a warning. Giant, turning waves propelled the massive vampire right at her. He swung the green cooler away from her head. She screamed as they impacted, and she went under again.

Hands under her armpits, he yanked her up. She spit out water, clutching his waterlogged shirt. The cooler bobbed next to them. He tucked her head into his neck, his body bouncing off dangerous rocks as the river battered them downstream.

A rushing sound echoed over even the wild river. A waterfall! It sound huge, long, and deadly.

She struggled against her mate. They needed to get to the riverbank.

He tucked her closer. “Hold still.”

Seconds later, he kicked against a looming rock, propelling them out of the middle. Grabbing an overhanging branch, he paused. The water piled up against them, gaining power.

The branch snapped in two.

She cried out. The water swirled them around and around, while bouncing Talen off rocks. He growled low each time he impacted, his body stiffening.

He grabbed another branch, and the bowed wood splintered away from the tree.

“Damn it,” he muttered.

The waterfall loomed closer, the river foaming. Oh God. They were going over.

Talen wrapped one arm around her waist, shoved off from a rock, and leaped for a sweeping branch. He connected, swinging in the air. With a harsh grunt, he swung her back and tossed her toward the bank.

She landed in shallow water, splashing mud. Her hands scraped off rough rocks. Turning, she gasped in relief as he maneuvered hand-over-hand along the branch, the cooler hanging off his arm, until he dropped next to her. She blinked water from her eyes.

Grabbing her by the scruff of the neck, he hauled them both out of the river and under a tree.

He lay on his back, eyes closed, chest heaving.

She followed suit.

They were alive. Only his strength had kept them so, and she rolled over to put her head on his thundering chest.

Pain instantly flashed into her brain.

The demons had found them.





Chapter 4


Cara gasped in air and tried to shove imaginary shields all around her mind. Talen stood and brought her up, setting her behind him. A quick glance around found fire to one side, a rushing river to the other, and demons before him.

“I guess we fight, then,” he murmured.

The demons walked out of the smoke—three of them looking a little worse for wear. All were blond with black eyes, showing their lineage as purebred demons, and they had dressed in head-to-toe black from shoes to shirts. Blood matted their chests and necks from bullet holes that were still visibly closing. Who were they? Definitely not allies with the demon nation.

Feelings bombarded her from every direction. Anger from Talen, fear and intent from the demons. She drew protective shields into herself to mute her empathic abilities.

Talen’s body visibly tensed. “Love the matching outfits, boys.”

The guy in front held a green laser gun at his side. A cut marred his left cheekbone, and he rubbed it, his eyes glittering. “You shot me.”

“Looks like the bullet barely scraped you,” Talen returned. “You’re fine, so go away before you end up with the entire Realm on your ass. This is your one chance to avoid a lifetime of pain.”

“No.” The lead demon lowered his chin, and his pupils overtook his irises. “We have backup on the way, but I don’t think we’re gonna need it.”

Talen held up a hand.

The demon’s eyes opened wider, and he tried to move forward, his body shaking.

Whoa. Cara hadn’t seen Talen do that in eons. She’d almost forgotten his ability to attack and control the nervous system of an enemy. Apparently the gift halted a demon mind attack—at least temporarily.

The other two demons darted forward, only to also hit that invisible Talen wall. The first guy stopped completely, while the other one managed to twitch his hands.

“Cara? Start running and keep going until you reach the shifters. They should be here soon,” Talen said through gritted teeth, his voice a hoarse rumble.

She couldn’t leave him there with three furious demons. Even with his talents, at some point, they’d break free. Gingerly reaching into the back of her pants, she drew out a sopping wet laser gun. It probably still worked. “How about I just shoot them?” she whispered.

“Won’t work.”

Shoot. Immortal laser guns couldn’t take a little water? Definite flaw in the design. “I’m not leaving you.” The demon twitching his hands slid one foot forward.

“Now.” His order held bite this time.

This was one of those moments. She had a gun, and he needed backup, but having her there would complicate things. She calculated the odds in her mind and finally settled her stance. “You need me just in case.” She wasn’t an idiot plunging headfirst into danger. She was a healthy immortal who wanted to protect her mate.