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Cooper raised his shotgun. “You ain’t got any choice.”
The shadow moved fast, from out of the trees. It launched itself at Cooper, taking him down hard. Cooper screamed. Beau raised his crossbow but, in the dark, limbs flailing, it was impossible to get a clean shot. Just as fast, another shadow sped from the forest toward Tom Jenner. He raised the UV gun and let off a flare of light. The figure screamed and crumpled to the ground.
“Dad!” Aaron cried, darting forward.
Tucker grabbed his arm. “NO. Run, Aaron! Get out of here. NOW.”
The boy hesitated for a second and then took off between the trees.
Tom started after him. Tucker grabbed a fallen branch and swung it at the man, knocking him to the ground. Before Tucker could swing again, Josh grabbed him from behind, ramming the handle of the wooden axe across his throat, choking him.
“You fucking Judas,” he hissed in Tucker’s ear, spittle smelling of liquor.
Tucker grabbed at the axe, but Josh was strong. They staggered back and forth. Tucker felt his breath constricting. With one final effort he bucked forward and threw Josh over his head, releasing the chokehold. Josh landed heavily. Tucker grabbed the axe and smashed the handle into his skull, knocking him out.
He turned just in time to see Beau raise his crossbow and fire an arrow into the back of the figure on top of Cooper. The vampyr, older and gray-haired, collapsed to the side. Cooper sat up groggily. At the edge of the road, Aaron’s father still writhed in the snow. Tucker knew he was probably beyond help—the UV gun had burned away most of his face—but he started to move toward him.
And then a voice said: “Stay where you are, Tucker. And don’t make me ask you twice.”
Tucker looked around, the axe still in his hand. Beau stood in the middle of the road, crossbow slung over his back, pointing Tucker’s own gun at him.
Tucker shook his head. “You’ve killed one of them. Isn’t that enough?”
Beau stared at him. “That creature murdered a kid, Tucker. One of our own.”
“He’s just a kid, too.”
“No. He’s one of them. Devils. And they need to be sent back to hell.”
Cooper struggled to his feet. He picked up his shotgun.
“I’m not letting you go after Aaron,” Tucker said, holding up the axe.
“You ain’t got no choice,” Cooper growled.
“Don’t get in the way, Tucker,” Beau pleaded, voice softening. “Let us finish this.”
Cooper raised the shotgun. “It’s them or us. You need to choose a side.”
“Then I choose the side of the law.”
Tucker flung the axe at Cooper. Cooper ducked. Beau fired. Once, twice. The axe landed harmlessly in the snow. Heat exploded in Tucker’s chest. The force knocked him backward, and he hit the ground like a sack of cement. He lay there, chest burning, breath wheezing. Fuck. So, this was what it felt like to be shot.
A shadow fell over him. Beau’s voice croaked: “I’m sorry. I really am.”
Boots walked past. Tucker heard the sound of the axe whooshing through the air. A cry, a thud, and silence. He blacked out. When he opened his eyes again, he was alone. And cold. He couldn’t move. It occurred to him that the bullet may have severed his spinal cord. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t getting up from this. Blood would be flooding his internal organs. He could already feel it in his throat, making every breath a labor. His hearing was muffled, and it seemed like he was staring down a tunnel. He was fading. Body shutting down.
A face drew into his blurred vision. A girl. Blonde hair. Familiar. In his semi-conscious state, mind deteriorating, for one delirious moment he thought she might be an angel. And then she spoke:
“You stupid fucker.”
Athelinda.
“I tried,” he wanted to say. “I tried to save him.” The words wouldn’t come. But in his head, he heard her voice:
“You screwed up.”
“I’m sorry.”
