Turning away, I searched the horizon beforeshoving myself away from the truck. I walked down the road, passedthe sign River had written, and over to a small hill in the road.Peering over the top of the hill, I stared down the road, searchingthe woods for any hint of something lurking amid the trees in thedescending twilight.
The lanavours were still out there somewhere.Unlike the gargoyles, they would separate as they moved over theearth. They liked to attack in packs, but they would form smallerpacks and spread out.
Movement drew my eye to the tree line as someof the branches and leaves rustled and creaked. I didn’t breathe asI waited for whatever was down there to reveal itself. Red flashedthrough the leaves before disappearing. Taking a step forward, Iwatched as the trees parted to reveal two humans, a man and awoman, moving amid the foliage.
All of the humans were supposed to have beencleared from this area years ago, but I’d always suspected some ofthem had escaped the evacuation. Given all the things the people onthis side of the wall had to deal with, it was amazing any of themhad survived on their own. What these people had endured,witnessed, and done in order to survive in the wilds would makethem tough sons of a bitches, or complete lunatics.
Either way, I didn’t want them drawn to thesoldiers we had with us. There was no telling the kind of peoplethey would be at this point.
The couple made their way through the treeline, eventually fading from view. I remained where I was,unwilling to turn and walk away. I didn’t trust that the couplewouldn’t try to double back to get at our supplies if they knew wewere here, and I believed they did. They hadn’t survived this longwithout learning their environment and having killer instincts.
I felt Bale near my side before she spoke.“It’s been half an hour.”
“Get the humans together and tell them toprepare for an attack; we’re going down there to make sure it’ssafe before proceeding,” I replied.
“What did you see?”
“Two people, but there might be more and theycould be setting a trap.”
“Just what we need,” she muttered and turnedaway.
I remained where I was until she returnedwith the other demons who spread out alongside of me. I caught aglimpse of something shiny in the foliage, most likely a rifle orscope. Yes, they definitely knew we were here, and they werewaiting.
CHAPTER 16
Kobal
“They want the supplies,” Bale said.
“Yes,” I agreed.
Captain Tresden walked over and stood at thetop of the hill beside us. “What is it?” he inquired.
“Humans with guns. They’ve set an ambush forus in the woods,” I replied brusquely.
“I’ll talk to them,” he offered.
“They’re not going to listen. These humanshave survived out here for thirteen years. I can guarantee theycare little about what you have to say,” I told him.
His mouth pursed as his eyes narrowed. Thesmall movement of a branch about a hundred feet away and on myright caught my eye. The humans were daring enough to move incloser. I didn’t see any more glints from scopes or any movement,but the acrid scent of body odor wafted to me from the woods.
“They’re moving closer,” I said before facingTresden. “Tell the soldiers to hold their fire unless it becomesabsolutely necessary to kill these people. We’re going after thesehumans before they can get any closer.”
“I will,” he replied before walking away toprepare the soldiers.
“I’d prefer not to kill them if we don’t haveto,” I said to the demons gathered around me.
They all exchanged startled glances.“Seriously?” Verin inquired.
I glanced at the soldiers behind us as theygathered their weapons and got into a defensive position. When Iturned back to Verin, I responded to her using our native tongue.“Yes. Would you prefer to destroy them?”
“No,” Verin replied and tossed hersun-colored hair over her shoulder. “I just never thought I’d hearyou sympathize with the plight of a human.”
I turned away from her. Maybe I wouldn’t havebefore River, and most of the time, I had little sympathy forhumans in general, but these were different from the many I’dencountered over the years. These humans had managed to survive outhere in the wilds all this time.
“They’re probably more demon in nature nowthan human,” I commented.
“Most likely,” Bale agreed.
