And behind the beam of headlights—infected.
Beck’s father stepped forward from between two bikes, the weight of his cut hanging heavy on his shoulders.
He didn’t look surprised to see us.
Behind him, the Reapers drove noise toward the warehouse entrance. They were revving engines, spotlight beams sweeping.
And just beyond that light?—
Movement.
Shapes drawn by the sound.
Infected spilling toward the open door like moths to flame.
Beck’s father lifted his chin in greeting, “Hello, son. Did you lose something?”
A guy wearing the Steele Reapers cut was rolling Beck’s bike toward us.
“Thanks.” Beck grabbed his bike and straddled it.
I looped my bat into his saddlebags, then hopped on and wrapped my arms around his waist. That thing was coming with me from now on. It had brought us luck.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here.” A guy standing beside Beck’s dad mumbled, not peeling his eyes away from the warehouse. “I hate those bastards, but this shit is fucked up.”
The screaming from the warehouse intensified. The Beasts of Prey weren’t fighting us anymore. They were fighting to survive what they’d trapped themselves inside with.
Parker and Biddy ran past us. If they were smart, they’d get on a bike. Those two may be the only survivors of the Birds of Prey by the end of today.
The warehouse collapsed into screaming as gunfire and screeching metal behind us.
And for the first time since we’d been captured?—
I smiled. Evil queen indeed.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LUCAS
The students lounged all over the room, trying to keep themselves occupied.
I’d been watching Grace for a while because I’d noticed her breathing had become erratic.
She sat on the edge of the couch with her hands folded in her lap, watching the others play a card game.
Her chest was rising and falling more rapidly than normal. Not enough for anyone else to notice, but I caught it because I was hyper-aware of everything at this point. I knew Adrian was coming, but not when, and these kids needed to get out.
“I phased! You all suck.” Ethan crowed as he laid out his cards.
Lila narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you cheating?”
“Fuck no, I’m just that good.” He puffed out his chest.
“Watch your mouth.” I slapped him in the back of the head.
“Hey! You can’t hit a student.” He ran a hand through his hair, worried about looking cool to the other kids.
I raised an eyebrow, “Who are you going to tell? Coach Daniels?”
