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She managed to get one hand against the roach’s chest, but it was strong. It pushed her back easily, making her boots slide over the wooden floor. Sammy was being pushed back with her, his little body limp and rolling along behind her.
Andra took a quick look over her shoulder and saw that they were speeding toward one of those gaping holes in the floor. Sammy was going to fall first if she didn’t do something.
Unfortunately, nothing came to mind.
A roar of outrage billowed up from somewhere in the room, but she couldn’t figure out where it had come from, or what it meant. It was all she could do to stand upright and try to slow the thing down.
From the corner of her eye, she saw a metallic gleam flash past her; the roach thing’s head flew off and its body started to fall forward.
Every beat of her heart made her arm throb, but she ignored it and put the last of her strength into shoving the roach thing to one side. It toppled over and hit the floor in a dry rattle.
“You okay?” asked Paul. His sword was coated in slime and the roach’s head was rolling around near his feet.
She did a quick survey of the warehouse and saw only corpses. All of the monsters were dead, thanks to these men. She never would have survived tonight without them.
Andra nodded. “My arm’s broken, but I’ll live. ”
Now, if she could just stay upright and not crumple at his feet, that would be great. Very professional.
She focused on Paul in an effort to not think about the pain. His hair had the look of being perpetually mussed. He was several inches taller than Andra, which was no small feat, as she was five-ten barefooted. She could tell, even under his clothes, that he was muscular, but not so bulky that it hindered his movements. She’d seen his grace firsthand and had to admire anyone who could move that fast, that smoothly, while still looking like he was using no more effort than he did to walk down the street.
But more than any of that, it was his face that held her interest. He wasn’t model beautiful like Logan. She wasn’t even sure she’d call him handsome, but there was something in his face that intrigued her—drew her in. Weary lines framed his mouth as if he’d been through hell, but his stance was strong and steady. He might have suffered, but he hadn’t been defeated.
Andra had nothing but respect for a man like that, which was foolish, because she knew nothing about him. The notion that she could read him by looking at his face was just plain stupid. Then again, stupid was the theme for the night.
Whoever he was, he’d saved her life tonight, and for that she was grateful.
“Thank you,” she told him.
Paul reached toward her as if he were going to touch her face. “It’s my pleasure. ”
“Don’t,” shouted Logan. “Not here. It’s too dangerous. You know what happened to Drake once he touched Helen. ”
Paul’s hand closed into a fist and he let it fall back to his side.
Maybe it had been her imagination, but the closer his hand got to her, the less her arm hurt. Now that he was backing away, the pain flared up again and she locked her knees to stay upright.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” he asked her.
“It’s not great,” she admitted.
“I can help you,” offered Logan. “Mend your arm and take the pain away. ”
“Touch her blood and you’re a dead man,” said Paul, his voice rough with menace.
Andra glanced at her arm, panicked that she might be bleeding. The monsters seemed to be able to smell her blood and it sometimes drew them to her. “What blood?”
“That’s not what he meant,” said Logan. “He’s simply being a bit possessive. ”
“Drake warned us all about what you did to Helen. You’re not going to do that to her. ”
Andra had no idea what they were talking about, but right now, she really didn’t give a damn. She wanted to get Sammy out of here and get her arm set so that maybe it would stop making her sick with every throbbing heartbeat. “I really appreciate the fact that all of you were here tonight, and I hate to ask for more help, but there’s no way I can drive. Can one of you guys drive my truck to the hospital and drop us off?”
“A hospital won’t help the boy,” said Logan. “But I can. ”
Andra didn’t trust him. No one that pretty was human. As far as she knew, he was one of them.
She stepped in front of Sammy and gave Logan a level stare. “Stay away from him. He’s my responsibility and you’re not touching him. ”
“She’s got good instincts. I’ll give her that,” said the angry-looking man.
Logan’s voice dropped to a warning tone. “Stay out of this, Madoc. It doesn’t concern you. ”
“It doesn’t concern you anymore, either,” said Paul. “Your job was to help me find her. Now you have. ”
“We have a bargain,” said Logan.
“And I will uphold my end. ”
“I know. But what if she isn’t the one? You haven’t touched her yet. ”
Andra was hurting too much to keep up with their conversation. She knew she was at the center of it, but she had no idea why. And frankly, she couldn’t bring herself to care right now. “Can we please get Sammy to the hospital?”
Logan looked like he was going to say something, but Paul spoke over whatever it was. “Absolutely. ” He knelt in front of the boy, but was still looking at her. “What’s your name?”
“Andra. ”
“Andra what?” demanded the man they’d called Madoc. He had blunt features that looked like they’d crack if he tried to smile.
A wave of pain rushed over her and she had to grit her teeth to stay upright. Already, she could feel the skin below her shoulder starting to swell. “Madison,” she grated out. “And just so we’re clear, don’t even bother asking for my phone number. I don’t date guys who carry swords. ”
Truth was, she didn’t date, period. She never had time, not with the recent increase in the disappearances of children across the Midwest. She was lucky if she found time to sleep and eat. More children disappeared every month and she needed to be available to find them.
Not that her efforts had done Sammy any good. Poor little guy was lost now—locked inside the terror that he’d seen tonight. At least she could tell his parents which facilities would care for him best. She’d researched them all.
“Logan,” said Paul. “Fix her arm. ”
“Are you a doctor?” asked Andra.
“Not exactly,” said Logan.
“Then you’re not touching me. All I need is a lift out of here and we’ll be on our way. ”
“I can mend the bone,” said Logan. “It’s a simple enough task so soon after a break. ”
As bizarre as that news was, as leery as she was of taking any more help from these not-quite-human strangers, Andra was tempted to accept their offer. Being in a cast for six weeks didn’t sound like a lot of fun to her at all. Taking that much time off work wasn’t going to be good for all the missing children, either. “How?”
“I’d simply reach inside you with my mind and put the pieces back together. ”
Andra was stunned silent for a moment. He sounded serious, a fact that creeped her out even more. “Right. I think I’m ready for that ride now. ”
“I wouldn’t let him touch you if it wasn’t safe,” said Paul.
She breathed in too deeply and another sharp pain stabbed through her arm. “I don’t know who or what all of you are, but I’m not sure I want to know more. As far as I’m concerned, this planet is already messed up enough as it is. ”
“She’s not ready to accept us yet, Paul,” said Logan. “Give her some time. Once the pain is too much, she’ll give in. ”
Not likely, but then again, they didn’t know her very well, so she could forgive his ignorance.
“If you change your mind,” said Paul, “let me know. ”
“I won’t. Just load Sammy into my truck, please. ”
Paul looked down at the boy with such compassion it made her chest ache. Clearly, he didn’t know it was too late. She had been too late. She’d failed. Again. That failure raked through her, hurting worse than any broken bone ever could.
Maybe it was time to hang up her shotgun. Stop using her ability to find lost children for good this time. She tried to be stoic, but at times like this, it was hard. She wanted so badly to save them all.
“Hey, little guy,” Paul said in a deep, soothing voice. One wide, battle-scarred hand ran over the boy’s limbs as if checking for injury. On the man’s left hand was a strange ring—a simple band that pulsed with color, swirling in an iridescent mix of baby rainbows. Andra had a hard time not staring at it.
“I’m Paul, and I just want you to know that you’re safe now. Nothing is going to hurt you. Not while I’m around. ”
And even as cynical as Andra was—even knowing the things she knew about just how many monsters roamed the night—she believed Paul was telling the truth. That alone was more incredible than the fact that real monsters existed.
Logan pulled in a deep breath through his nose. “We need to hurry with the child. He’s pulling away fast. ” He turned and looked at Madoc. “You should do it. ”
“No fucking way, leech. I don’t mess with kids’ minds. They’re too easy to scramble. ”
“Scramble?” asked Andra, shifting her body between Madoc and Sammy. “That doesn’t sound so good. ”
“It’s not,” said Paul; then he turned his attention to Logan. “If Madoc isn’t up to it, I’ll take care of the boy. ”
“You’re too weak,” said Logan. “I took too much blood from you earlier. Madoc needs to do this. ”
Madoc shook his head. “I don’t have that kind of finesse and you know it. You want me to kill something, I’m your man, but I don’t go patching people up. That’s your job. ”
Logan pinned Madoc with a bright stare. “Are you offering to supply the power I need to heal the boy’s mind?”
Madoc’s face twisted in a snarl and he bared his teeth. “You’re not touching my blood. Ever. ”
Andra looked between the two men, trying to sort out what was going on. If she’d been able to drive she might have tried to slip out of here with Sammy while they argued. But she couldn’t even lift the boy, much less drive, and if she tried, chances were she’d be more likely to kill Sammy than to get him home to his parents. “You can really help Sammy?” she asked Logan. “If all you need is blood, I’ll give you some of mine. ”
“No!” shouted both Paul and Madoc at the same time.
Logan fixed her with a stare that made her feel trapped. Deer-in-the-headlights, doom-speeding-her-way trapped. “As tempting as that offer is, I fear these men would cut me down if I so much as plucked a hair from your head. Maybe another time. ”
She wasn’t about to let a couple of brawny guys stand in the way of Sammy’s future. Not while there was still a shotgun lying a few feet away. She took a tentative step toward it. She wasn’t sure how she was going to finish reloading with only one good arm, but she’d manage somehow. “I want you to help Sammy,” she told Logan. “Whatever it takes. ” If there was hope for him, maybe there was hope for Nika.