Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(115)

Talen ran toward them, blood on his face, his eyes swirling with fury. Barrels were tossed out of his way along with several pieces of rebar. He reached Garrett and stopped. His gaze ran over Cara, head to toe, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. Then he turned his attention to the demon. “Looks like you lost your ride.”

The demon tightened his hold and backed away. “I have insurance.” A wave of pain emanated from him in the form of a mind attack, dark and sharp.

Cara winced, and dots danced across her eyes.

Logan held up a hand, and the demon’s head jerked back.

The pain receded from Cara’s brain, and her vision cleared. Wow. Logan had completely halted the mind attack. But not without cost. His body was one rigid line, and blood dripped from his nose, but his green eyes focused and didn’t blink once.

Cara took a deep breath. “Let me go, and I won’t let them kill you.”

“No.” The demon shuddered and backed away. “Come with me, and I won’t kill you.”

She tried to dig her tennis shoes into the wet concrete, but he easily dragged her toward the rough stairs.

Rain slashed down around them, but his hold didn’t weaken.

The three soldiers tracked them, keeping spread out, their gazes intent.

Cara allowed her body to relax. They reached the stairs. The demon moved quickly, sliding an arm beneath her chin and cutting off her air. He then pointed the gun at Talen.

Finally. Cara instantly pivoted into the demon, loosening the hold on her neck. She shoved one knee up into his groin and punched him full-on in the eye.

He howled and stepped back.

She finished with a one-two kick to the chin. His head snapped back, and he fell, rolled, and came up firing.

Garrett tackled her out of the way just as Talen dodged forward and knocked the gun from the demon’s hand. With a roar that sounded much more animalistic than vampiric, Talen lifted the demon by the armpits, swung around, and threw him down to the next floor.

Cara lifted her head and then pushed up to sit. She looked over the edge. The demon had landed on several prongs of rebar that now stuck up from his neck and various points of his body. Blood gurgled from his mouth.

Garrett helped her up. “We have to go. Now.”

Talen nodded and reached her in long strides. “Are you all right?”

She nodded and tried to shake out her hand. The demon’s head had been like rock.

“Good.” Talen ran a knuckle down her neck, anger pouring off him.

“Got the guns,” Logan said, jogging up with his hands full.

Talen nodded, taking Cara’s hand. He turned and led the way, tapping his ear communicator as they ran down the stairs. “Kayrs 45738 calling in. Backup no longer needed, but we require a cleanup crew. With a truck for a downed helicopter.” He hustled to the SUV and opened the passenger-side door. “We also need safe haven for the night . . . get me a secured location.”

Cara slid inside. “Talen, I—”

“We’ll talk later, mate.” He ran around to jump into the driver’s side and gunned the engine as the boys leaped into the backseat. “Let’s get to safety, sweetheart.”





Chapter 9


It was supposed to be a time of peace, damn it. Talen finished scrubbing off blood and cement in the dark-tiled shower, his anger nearly splitting open his head. The secured location was the penthouse of an exclusive hotel, and after Cara had showered, he’d taken some time for himself.

When he’d seen the demon with a gun at her head, he’d nearly lost his mind. A gun. At her head.

They hadn’t spoken while finding the hotel and reaching the penthouse. He finished his shower and dressed in old jeans and a black T-shirt that he’d had in his bag for Hawaii. Taking a quick inventory, he determined any injuries he’d sustained in the fight had already healed.

Unfortunately, his temper had not.

He stalked out of the bathroom to find his mate on the bed, pale and plucking at a thread on the bedspread. “Are you in pain?” he asked, trying to sense any vibrations from her.

“No.” She lifted those stunning blue eyes. “Are you?”

He shook his head. Three sharp raps came from the main door in the other room. Grabbing his gun from the bedside table, he hustled out to the main living room of the penthouse, where Garrett and Logan already waited, guns at the ready. Both boys had showered and thrown on jeans and button-down shirts.

He nodded for Garrett to open the door.

A hulking vampire stood waiting, his stance casual while wearing flak boots, a black jacket, and cargo pants no doubt stuffed with weapons.

“Max,” Talen said, gesturing him inside.

Max Petrovsky grinned and half-hugged Garrett before doing the same with Logan. “Heard you guys handled yourselves well.”

“Of course.” Garrett shut the door behind the Realm soldier.

Max had fought wars side by side with the Kayrs vampires for centuries, worked as a bodyguard, and was pretty much family. “We’re scouting the area for additional Sandovskys, and our Intel confirms they’re here. I’ll have a location for you shortly.”

“Excellent.” Talen leaned back against the wall. “It’s time for a chat.”

Max nodded. “In addition, I have six soldiers ready to escort that cooler to a lab in Vegas, if you wouldn’t mind turning it over.”