11. Thunder
I wasn’t preparedfor a stand off when I tracked the last known location of my brother’s phone. His truck sat in the middle of the drive, surrounded by buildings on three sides. We’d been stalled out for hours, waiting for a chance to reach the cab and see if he was still in there.
The front door of the building opened and shots rang out around us. I’d been about to have Juice cover me when the drone exploded over our heads. Without Stone in my ear telling me where to go, we were like three blind mice waiting to having their fucking tails chopped off.
“I need an update,” I yelled into my phone over the sound of gunfire. “Has anyone got eyes on the back of the building?”
“Give me two minutes, and we’ll have another drone up in the air,” Stone said.
“Where the hell did you get another drone?” I tilted my head back and stared up at the sky. The inky blackness had started to fade and the rising sun would eliminate our chances of getting to Lightning’s truck.
“You’re not going to like this, but Ashley had one at the ranch,” Stone said. “They’re setting up a quarter mile behind you.”
“No. Get her out of here.” My head pounded like someone had split it down the middle with an axe. I couldn’t have Ashley anywhere nearby.
“You need eyes in the sky, and she’s our only chance,” Stone said, his voice flat and emotionless.
“Not like this. Why the hell isn’t she up at Priest’s place?”
“I don’t know, but she’s the only chance you’ve got of getting everyone out of there alive.”
The gunfire stopped. We were in over our heads. They outnumbered us in firearms and manpower. I needed to think, but I couldn’t. Not with my brother on one side of me and Ashley on the other. They were both in danger. They were also both so fucking stubborn.
Stone’s voice came through my headphone again. “Drone’s in the air. You’ve got a group of guys on bikes moving in. They’re less than three minutes out. You want to make a move before hell surrounds you, now’s your last chance.”
I glanced back at Juice. “We’re out of time. I’m going to make a run for the truck. Cover me until I get there, then get the hell out of here.”
He nodded and got into position.
As soon as he was set, I tore across the distance separating me from Lightning’s truck. I was out of breath by the time I flung the passenger side door open, but I made it without getting hit. My brother hunched over the console inside. Blood stained his left sleeve, and it looked like he’d been shot on his way in. I only hoped he hadn’t lost too much blood.
“I’m getting us out of here.” I climbed over him to get behind the wheel. The truck started on the first try, and I slid down so far that I could barely peer out the windshield. Flooring it, I sped away from the building as it exploded into a million pieces behind us.
Lightning slouched in the passenger seat. He mumbled something, but I couldn’t make out the words.
“Hang in there, brother. I’m getting you to the hospital.” My hand shook as I dialed Priest’s number. With Lightning safe, I needed to know where the hell Ashley was. He didn’t answer. I pounded my fist on the steering wheel. “Dammit!”
I could get my brother to the hospital or go after the woman I loved. There wasn’t time to do both. Lightning was on borrowed time and needed medical care. And I didn’t have a fucking clue what had happened to Ashley.
Life was cruel. I had to make a choice.
Then I saw the ambulance coming straight for me. It stopped on the side of the road, the lights flashing and siren still wailing.
“Stay with me, brother.” I jerked the wheel and pulled over.
Two paramedics rushed around to the passenger side door and started asking me questions I couldn’t answer. I told them what I could as they transferred Lightning into the back of the ambulance. Evidently, Stone had called them and told them to watch for me heading their way. With Lightning stabilized for the moment, I was free to go after Ashley. I bumped my fist against my brother’s and told him he’d better not fucking die on me.
He let out a weak laugh, which I took as a positive sign. Then I turned the truck around and tried to prepare myself for what I might find.
* * *
Ashley
My ears rangand vision blurred. The explosion had sent me flying, and I banged my head against a huge tree trunk. I tried to stand, but fell back to my knees. At least Thunder was safe. I’d seen him get into the truck and speed away right before everything blew up.
Rolling onto my back, I stared into the branches of the tall pine above me. Sparks drifted down, landing on the dry brush. It looked like a million fireflies dancing in the sky. I touched my hand to my forehead and pulled it back to find blood. The urge to get up and run battled with the need to close my eyes.
Flames licked at my feet. I tried to pull them up and curl into a ball while voices seemed to come from every direction. I needed to stay hidden. Thunder would never forgive me if I let myself get caught by the Savage Bones.
My vision started to clear, at least enough for me to realize the fireflies were pieces of the building. I’d been staying out of sight in the thick underbrush that was now catching fire.
“What the fuck are you doing out here?” Spike stepped out of the shadows to tower over me. A huge gash covered the left side of his face, and he stumbled closer. “You’re working with them, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Playing dumb wasn’t going to save me, but I hoped it would buy me a little time. At least long enough to convince my feet to work.
“Over here!” Spike yelled into the trees. A dark shape jumped up and knocked him down to the ground.
“Hades!” I’d never been so happy to see a wild animal in the woods.
Spike batted at the wolf, but it didn’t do any good. Hades growled, snarled, and backed toward me. I knew I didn’t have any reason to be afraid. Then the wolf snapped his teeth closed around the hood of my sweatshirt and started to drag me farther into the forest, away from the flames.
My head bounced over the uneven ground. Every bump felt like a huge spike being driven into my head.
“Stop. Please, Hades. I can’t take this anymore.”
Finally, we stopped moving. Fire swept through the hillside below, but he’d moved me out of harm’s way. Hades laid down next to me and burrowed his muzzle into my neck as he let out a soft whine.
I closed my eyes and gave in to the darkness.