“Hide from the storm of the century?” Nariko scoffs and crosses her arms. “No fucking way. My camera is in the truck. We have the Trackers’ keys. We can chase if we want.”
“Chase? Chase, what? A fucking ghost, Nari?” Ruka shouts at her. “We have nothing to protect us.”
“We have what we know. We don’t need the data to keep ourselves safe.”
I don’t like that she wants to run headfirst into a tornado. If I try to stop her, she’ll only chase out of spite, out of anger, and when that happens, details are missed. I won’t lose her because of emotions.
I refuse.
The electricity comes back on, yet the light still flickers. Everyone is sitting on the ground, staying away from the windows, but it isn’t enough. This bar is going to be ripped to shreds if it’s in the path of a tornado.
“Ruka, you’re coming with us,” Nariko directs. “Reina, Millie, Jess, try to get everyone to safety. We will keep you updated along the way when we find the supercell to see if it is producing a spin. Ruka, get the live feed on for our followers. Make sure you tell them that if they live here, to find shelter immediately.”
I’m so fucking proud of her. That’s my mate taking charge. She isn’t scared at all. There isn’t a hint of fear coming from her side of the bond. If anything, she’s excited. Adrenaline is pumping through her veins so much, I’m feeling the effects, too. I’m charged with energy and ready to protect my mate at all costs.
“Okay, there was a tornado spotted about five miles from here,” Ruka informs us. “Still no radar activity, but there are chasers on the ground and the vortex is gaining strength. They think it’s around an EF3 right now and only gaining power.”
“Is it headed this way?” I ask, scanning my eyes around the room to see scared people huddled in corners.
Ruka’s lips are a tight line, grim with bad news. “Yes.”
Lightning and thunder clash. Hail bursts through the window, shattering the glass. Shards fly everywhere, clinking onto the ground. A few people scream out in pain. One person has a hand to his throat, a piece of glass sticking from his throat. Others are holding their arms, shouting in pain from small pieces of glass embedded in their skin.
“Fuck,” I growl, running towards the man bleeding out. “Move. Move. Get out of my way.” I don’t mean to sound rude, but I’m the only person in this bar who can help him and save his life. I squat next to him; his fear is rolling off him in waves, the bitterness of death clinging close.
I hate the way fear tastes. I swallow it down, the acidity of it burning my throat.
“Hey, hey, you’re okay, man. Look at me.” I grab his hand, blood filling and spurting out his mouth when he tries to speak.“Don’t talk. Save your strength. You’re going to be okay. It’s a lot worse than it looks, okay? You’re going to be fine.” His eyes dilate, my influence taking him easily given his blood loss.
Naturally, my fangs lengthen at the sight of blood, but I don’t hunger for it. The only blood I crave is Nariko’s.
“This is going to hurt, but you’re going to be okay.” Too many people are watching us. I can’t feed him my blood in front of everyone, but I can heal his wound. He’ll be weak for a few weeks from the blood loss, but at least he’ll live.
His blood-slicked hand grabs onto my arm, terrified and shaking as shock takes hold. I tug the glass out, blood gushing, and I cover his neck with my hand to apply pressure. I only have a few seconds before he bleeds out. Turning my head, I press my thumb against my fang and cut to the bone, needing as much blood as possible.
Sliding that hand over the other to hold pressure, I rub my thumb across the wound. It doesn’t look suspicious. It doesn’t take long. He inhales a deep breath, no longer coughing up blood.
“First aid kit.” Nariko is at my side, ripping open gauze and preparing tape to hide the wound that will no longer be there. “Here.”
“Damn, Sugar. You were reading my mind. I fucking love you.” I rush to place the bandage on, giving him a fair amount of gauze and tape so it doesn’t come off anytime soon. “You’re all set. Just rest. You’ll be just fine.”
“Thank…you,” he chokes out, holding out his hand for me to shake.
I grasp it, emotion clogging my throat when I feel how grateful he really is. “You’re welcome.”
“Okay. We need to go.” Nariko tugs on my arm, dragging me to the front door. “Millie, Jess, and Reina are staying behind to help. They will make sure everyone gets to safety. Hey!” sheshouts at the bartender behind the counter, handing out waters. “Does this place have a basement or a storm shelter? We need everyone away from the windows.”
“We have a basement and a refrigerator where we keep all the food. It will be cold, but it will protect people. Not everyone can fit in the fridge, though.”
Nariko leans over the counter. “Do not tell anyone about that, then. They will panic, and people tend to do desperate things when panicked. Get everyone to the basement. Now. Ruka!” she yells for her brother, and he is by her side in the next second. “We’re leaving.”
“Let us come too.” Evan and his team stand up from the ground and fix their shirts. “We can help. We can take the other truck we have.”
Nariko shoves past him, her shoulder ramming into his. “Stay out of my way.”
“Can’t say you didn’t deserve that,” Ruka adds to the blow, pushing by the Trackers, and following his sister outside.
Nariko twists the doorknob, and the door smashes against the wall, the wind strong and powerful rushing by. The trees across the street bend from the force, leaves becoming loose and peppering the air.
