Weekend Reading. Last Chance Sales!

3/29/2024

Kai, Ori, Forge, and Madison scattered. They formed a circle around the battling werewolves. As soon as Lucas and Kruger got close to Kai, he took a running start and slammed into them, knocking them away from the ladder. Kruger surprised Kai by barreling past him, shoving Kai and Forge away with one swipe of his arms.

Ori darted between Kruger and Lucas. Kruger swiped at Lucas, but instead of slashing Lucas’s throat and chest, his claws dug into Ori’s abdomen. The pain telegraphed from Ori to Kai made him stumble and drop to his knees.

Alarms sounded and lights flashed. The facility shuddered but this time there was the distinct sound of water sluicing in below their feet. Metal, glass and who knew what else crunched and popped.

The lower level was collapsing in on itself.

Forge scooped Kai off the ground. They ran to Lucas and Ori.

Lucas reverted to human and dropped down beside Ori. He covered one of Ori’s wounds, trying to press down. “He’s bleeding. I have to stop the bleeding.”

Ori rolled to one side, gasping.

“He’ll live.” Forge grabbed Lucas’s arm and yanked him away from the ladder.

Kai got one arm under Ori and hauled him up. “The maintenance shaft is over there.”

Madison lunged at Kruger. He leapt into the air and landed a solid kick to Kruger’s face. Kruger tumbled down the ladder. It was impressive, considering Madison was human. He ran to them, and Kai pushed him ahead of he and Ori. Kai had a second’s pang of guilt, not going after Kruger, but hearing how the lower level was collapsing there wasn’t much chance of helping him.

Lucas stumbled and fell. His arms and chest were covered with wounds, and he dripped blood. Forge pulled him up and Lucas dropped one arm over his shoulder. “On my back,” Forge ordered.

Carrying Lucas, Forge took Ori’s other arm, helping Kai carry him.

The floor buckled and the walls around them began to crunch.

“That sound can’t be good,” Kai groaned.

They were almost to the shaft when the door to the lab slammed shut and a barrier dropped down.

“We can still use the ladder.” Kai swung Ori and Madison around, stumbling to the ladder leading to the first level. He shoved Ori up and turned to help Madison.

“Go, go!” Forge yelled.

They were barely on the first level when Kruger burst through the opening from the lower level, howling what Kai recognized as a challenge. How the hell he was able to follow them, Kai had no idea.

Lucas shoved away from Forge and twisted around, shifting back to pure werewolf at the same time. Before Lucas reached Kruger, Madison got behind him and leapt onto his back, shouting between gritted teeth. He pulled a hunting knife from a sheath on his belt and plunged it into Kruger’s neck. Kruger howled, stumbled backward and twisted, trying to dislodge Madison.

Madison threw his weight back. His movement was enough to unbalance Kruger. They tumbled backward down the ladder. For a few seconds there were two distinct voices screaming then nothing other than the sound of water coming in and the second and third levels detaching and collapsing.

There wasn’t much time to process what just happened. The entire facility was shaking. All around them the structure snapped and popped.
Forge shoved away from the floor and got close enough to Lucas to catch him when he reverted to his human form and collapsed.

“The shafts will all seal. Move!” Margo rushed to them, helping them up.
Sophia and Porter appeared. Even with vampire hearing Kai couldn’t hear their words over the cacophony surrounding them.