“Looks like she’s sleeping.”
“Good.” I turned as the humans gatheredcloser to us. In the light of the moon, I could see the haggardnessof their features and the dusky circles under their eyes. No matterhow I wanted to push on, they were nearing a breaking point.
Tact, Corsonhad said. It may not be the wisest choice to stay here with thesmoke still rising into the air around us, but the humans didn’tlook capable of moving on right now.
“We’ll rest until daybreak. Then we’releaving.” Some of them nodded at my words, but most of them glancednervously around the clearing. “The canaghs won’t dare to come backhere tonight,” I assured them.
Their shoulders slumped, their relief wasnearly palpable as more of them nodded their agreement. Walkingaway, I returned to the truck and peered inside at River’sslumbering form.Safe, alive.Thatwas all that mattered, I told myself, but I ached to hold her rightnow, something I knew she wouldn’t let me do again for a while.
I glanced at the moon hanging above the treesas it made its descent.What if I go afterthem?
I would be able to bring them back if I foundthem, but I would be leaving River alone here, vulnerable to anattack. I didn’t dare risk sending any of the others and havingthem not return. We couldn’t hand over more lives for those who hadbeen taken. I’d make her understand that tomorrow, after she’d hada chance to get some sleep.
The truck shifted beneath my weight when Iclimbed into it and settled with my back to the cab. I didn’t lookat Erin and Hawk’s bags tucked into the supplies. They may havebeen humans, but they had been loyal to River and the mission. Theydeserved better than they were getting.
I rested my head against the truck as Corsonand Bale climbed into the back with me. I watched as they settledin to sleep. Closing my eyes, I tilted my head back, but therewould be no sleep for me, not tonight.
My eyes cracked open as the sun broke overthe horizon two hours later. I hadn’t fallen asleep, but I’d dozedoff for a few minutes before the sun came up. Rising to my feet, Ijumped out of the back of the pickup and walked over to thepassenger side door. My hand froze on the handle when I saw theempty bench seat inside.
Impossible!
Blood roared in my ears. I grasped the handleso fiercely it broke off beneath my hand. Wrapping my fingersaround the edge of the door, I clawed it open with a loud wrenchingof metal that woke Corson and Bale. They blinked dazedly at me whenI tore the door from the truck and threw it aside.
I froze, my mouth going dry and my bodyvibrating with the impulse to rip the vehicle to pieces with mybare hands. My eyes latched onto the hole in the passenger sidefloor. She hadburnedher way outof the truck. The control of her power it had taken, thepatience…
But that couldn’t be possible. I would havesmelled the metal and plastic burning away; I’d smellednothing.
Then I realized her demon ability hadn’t donethis. No, this was the devious angel side of her through andthrough. The use of that power was the only explanation for thelack of smoke and odor.
Bale and Corson hovered at my shoulders. Theymust have seen the hole in the floor at the same time as they bothreleased an explosive breath and stepped away from me.
A piece of paper on the dashboard grabbed myattention. I snatched it and looked down at the scrawled words…
The mission is taking adetour.
***
River
Once I managed to escape the truckundetected, I fled for the woods line, determined to get as farfrom the camp as possible before Kobal realized I was gone. I’donly have an hour at most to gain ground on him, and I didn’t knowif that would be enough. He’d be coming for me, and he woulddestroy anything in his path to get to me.
What I hadn’t expected was to find Vargashiding in the woods, waiting for me. “What are you doing here?” Idemanded.
“I’ve learned you don’t take orders well. Iknew it was only a matter of time before you figured some way toget out of that truck and go after them.”
“I’m not going back.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“You were okay with leaving them behindbefore.”
His mouth quirked in a smile. “I know we muststay focused on the mission, but as Kobal pointed out,youare the mission, and we have tokeep you protected.” Oh, wouldn’t Kobal love to hear his wordsthrown back at him in such a way. “I’m going to keep you safe.Besides, they’re my friends too. However, if we survive this, couldyou please keep Kobal from killing me?”
I grinned at him. “I will, but we have togo.”
He nodded his agreement and followed me intothe woods. I ran so fast I barely saw the branches and underbrushsnatching and tearing at me as I plummeted down the side of anembankment. Beside me, Vargas cursed and almost lost his balancewhen we slid through the wet leaves coating the side of the hill.His breath sounded loudly beside me, but neither of us slowed. Wehad no time to lose.
After a quarter of a mile, I realized howlucky I was he’d anticipated my actions and joined me. I’d plannedon running in the direction those creatures had fled in the hopesof somehow stumbling across them, or maybe having my visions orAngela help guide the way.
