Amanda Carlson - Cold Blooded

I eyed the hydraulic lift. “Fine. I say we go. Once we’re out of range of the sorcerers, we can figure out another ride. If this thing is spelled like she said, it should be undetectable. We ditch it the first chance we can and find something with doors.”

Resigned, Rourke slid onto the seat. The bottom bowed dangerously close to the ground, groaning against his weight. He swore as he turned the key. The thing puttered to life reluctantly like an old motorboat as he shifted it to neutral and directed it to the middle of the platform with his feet.

I spotted a green button on the wall across the room as I walked toward him. “Gods,” I said. “Nick, punch the green button on the wall and stay down here until it’s over. There’s no reason to stick your neck out and join the fight.” I swung my leg over and straddled what was left of the seat, which was about four inches. There was more creaking as the moped took my weight, but surprisingly it held.

“I’m not planning on getting in the middle of it,” Nick answered as he headed for the activation switch. “But once this is over, I want a drink and some more explanations.”

“I know.” I smiled. “I owe you a full recap.”

“Just stay alive.”

“That’s the plan.” He punched the button and the platform jumped once, rising quickly. When the bottom of the lift met the garage floor, it clicked seamlessly into place and Rourke revved the scooter. It coughed and sputtered, threatening to die.

“I am going to wring her scrawny neck,” Rourke growled. Without a trigger from us, the garage door began to move up on its own.

I slid my arms firmly around Rourke’s waist, intertwining my fingers, pulling him tight. He was warm and smelled delicious. “Okay, let’s do this,” I whispered in his ear.

Rourke gunned the Vespa to full throttle, which was roughly human jogging speed, and we began to buzz toward the gate.

Almost at once, I heard something in the sky and glanced over my shoulder. “Something’s coming right at us,” I yelled as the ball of light began to gain speed, like it suddenly recognized us. It had come out of nowhere, but there was no question it knew we were its target now.

At the last minute, Rourke angled the scooter, swerving hard to the right. The light exploded behind us, rocking us in our seats and bouncing the moped off the pavement.

“Hold on!” Rourke yelled. “I’m going to have to take this corner hard.”

I locked my arms against his chest, turning my head in time to see another light arcing toward us in the sky. I watched as it changed course to follow us as we bounded onto the street.

“She lied!” I screamed. “This thing isn’t spelled! It’s probably Maggie’s toy scooter.” Fury radiated through me and fur erupted along my arms. “The sorcerers have my signature, they know where I am!” We would’ve had a chance to outrun them if we’d been on Rourke’s motorcycle, but on this thing we were sitting ducks.

“Not for long,” Rourke roared. We took the curb, Rourke wrenching the wheel as we went.

One jump and we cleared the boulevard.

One more and we hit the lake.

Rourke and I both leapt off the Vespa right as another explosion rocked the embankment we’d just crossed. The impact flung us far into the lake.

“Stay under—” Rourke managed before we splashed down, both of us plunging feetfirst into the water.

The force of my landing shook my equilibrium and I whirled around in the cold, discombobulated for a few beats. I steadied myself, throwing my arms out to get my bearings, and opened my eyes. It was dark as night and the water was murky, full of algae and weeds. My wolf had fed me a constant stream of adrenaline since we’d left the garage, but another shot hit my system with warm, delicious heat. My muscles coalesced under my skin and my nails sharpened. I glanced around and spotted Rourke just ahead of me. I took off after him, kicking my feet powerfully as I swam. Taking a swim was becoming a new norm for me. I just hoped there were no Naiads in Lake of the Isles.

If there were, it was going to be a long-ass swim.

Two more strokes and the water behind me exploded, pushing both of us forward in a rush. But the Orb wasn’t on mark. The water had masked me, however slightly. Rourke had been right to dump us into the lake. It was the only chance we had.

But we couldn’t stay under indefinitely.

As I swam farther, the need to take air into my lungs pressed painfully against my diaphragm. Rourke motioned me with his hand. I came up beside him. He pointed to the surface and then to himself. We needed direction.

I nodded and he shot to the surface.

He was back under in a moment. Rather than try to explain, he grabbed my arm. We took no more than ten strokes and the water became shallower. He gestured to some concrete pilings and indicated up. We both bobbed to the surface under a small bridge. I gulped air into my lungs.

“I want you to swim to the far side of the lake.” He pointed toward the east. “See those islands? Swim between them. I’m going to find us a ride. The bombs aren’t looking for me. When you get across, I’ll be waiting.” He pulled me close and kissed me roughly. His mouth was hot on mine after the cold water had chilled my lips, but it ended too quickly as he pressed me back under just as the sky above us lighted with several more Orbs.

I kicked hard, using the bridge footings to jettison me into the lake. The bombs exploded behind me. Okay, we need more speed. On a thought, I switched control to my wolf. She was ready, and my full Lycan form was almost instantaneous. It took us only a few minutes to reach the islands with her in control. We veered close to the shore of the southernmost island and I had to risk taking a quick gasp of air. Light started streaking toward us immediately. Her reaction time was much quicker than mine and we dove fast, going as deep as we could, but it was still incredibly shallow between the islands.

Water exploded directly above us.

That was too close. She swam hard, guiding us to the bottom. We touched both feet on the ground, half walking, half swimming. My lungs started to ache as more explosions peppered the lake.

Fairly quickly the depth leveled out, and as we neared the main shoreline, the bottom began to incline steeply. We were close. No matter what, we run once we clear the water. If we don’t see Rourke, we follow the road. The street ran one way around the lake. We would follow it until we saw him. He would be there.

I shot out of the lake at a dead run.

The shoreline merged into a small hill, and I covered the expanse of the grassy slope in a blur, bounding over a park bench in one leap, morphing back to my human form in an instant. I gulped in deep breaths as I sprinted toward the road, hitting the asphalt right as a car screeched around a corner. It was coming toward me fast, going the wrong way on the one-way street. Several arcs of light hit the sky from the east at the same time. This was going to be close. The car raced up to me and did a 180, tires spinning. The passenger door popped open and Rourke shouted, “Get in!”

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted several petite figures running up the street behind the car. Tally’s white hair flowed out behind her. She was in the lead and yelled, “Go! They’ve put a containment bubble over the lake. We’ll get you out.” Several spells shot up from the witch’s fingers and the Orbs around us exploded into nothingness. “Take the car due south at full speed. Don’t stop. We’ll break a hole in the barrier right as you hit.”