“You can’t continue on your own,” Vargassaid. Despite his words, he swayed on his feet as he spoke.
“You’re not going to be able to continuewith me.” I clasped his arm to help steady him. “The heat isn’taffecting me as badly.”
“She’s right,” Hawk said. “We have to findsome place for everyone to shelter.”
“You can let me go,” Vargas muttered to me.“I’ll tell Erin and help her to keep an eye out for another hidingplace.”
I reluctantly released his arm, but heremained stable on his feet as he slipped through the crowd towardErin. She turned toward him when he reached her, and they spoke fora few seconds. Her full mouth pursed as her gaze traveled to mebefore she gave a brisk nod and continued onward with Vargas at herside and most of the people trailing behind.
My heart leapt into my throat when sheslipped around a corner and out of view with Vargas. I hated notbeing able to see them, but I couldn’t be everywhere at once. I hadto resist giving them the finger when I glanced over my shoulder atthe hovering lanavours. They would probably only find it amusing ifI flipped them off.
Two of the humans helped to lift the man whohad fallen as a woman stumbled and fell a few feet away from them.I realized with a sinking sensation that if we didn’t find someplace to hide them soon, they would all die.
We could try and make a stand against thelanavours; maybe I would be able to hold them off. But what ifsomething happened to me? Everyone here would be far morevulnerable then. We outnumbered the lanavours, but there was littlefight left in the humans. It would be like lambs to theslaughter.
Rounding another corner, I came to a haltwhen I discovered that they had found a new hiding spot as thelarge group was funneling into another crevice. Erin and Vargas hadstepped back to direct everyone into the small tunnel. I stoppednear the entrance of the crevice and glanced over my shoulder atwhere I’d last seen the lanavours. They were still out of sight,but every second that passed was one they neared.
My foot tapped as I glanced between wherethe lanavours would be coming from and where the others werehiding. I didn’t draw an easy breath until most of the people fadedfrom sight, and the glow of their small penlights shut off.
“Stay in here,” I said to Vargas, Hawk, andErin as they stood with me at the opening to the hiding spot. Itook the small light Erin held from her. “I’ll keep them followingme. When they go by, head back to the top. Get out of here asquickly as you can.”
“What about you?” Erin demanded.
“I’ll be fine. Just go as soon as youcan.”
“We will,” Vargas said and squeezed myhand.
“I’m coming with you,” Hawk volunteered.
“The heat—” I started.
“I’m doing better than the others.”
I studied his indigo eyes and the strainedexpression on his face. He wasn’t sweating as badly, and his eyesdidn’t hold the glazed look of impending collapse as many of theothers did. Lines etched the corners of his eyes, but I thought thestrain on his face had more to do with the fact he also realized itwas odd that he was far less affected by the heat than the otherhumans.
What did Lilitu’s bloodreallydoto him?I kept the question to myself. It was something betterdiscussed when we weren’t standing in Hell, hoping to lure awaylanavours. Besides, right now it didn’t matter; two sets of eyes inthis place were far better than one.
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Wait, you can’t go!” Sarah cried. She burstout of the entrance of the crevice and launched herself at Hawk.Catching him around the waist, she hung on for dear life. She shotme a look that clearly said she’d prefer me dead.
“Shut up!” Erin spat.
Hawk worked to untangle himself from thegirl, but she stubbornly clung to him like glue. “You have to letgo,” he hissed at her. “Before you get us all killed.”
“But you can’t leave me! We’re—”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Erin drove the buttof her gun into Sarah’s temple. Sarah’s eyes rolled up in her head,and she collapsed like a ton of bricks.
“That’s one way to do it,” Vargas saidapprovingly.
“Hope I didn’t kill her,” Erin murmured asshe stared at the crumpled body by her feet.
“She’s alive,” Hawk said when Sarah’s chestrose with her next breath. “I might have to keep you around when weget back above.”
“You might have to keep your dick in yourpants from now on,” Erin retorted as she bent to lift Sarah’sshoulders. “Vargas help me.”
I stepped forward as the two of themmaneuvered Sarah into the small crevice. Erin turned back to meonce they were settled inside. “We’ll be fine,” she assured me.“Go. And be careful.”
