“Vaughn!” Sophie jumps over the debris, looking frantic. “You’re hurt.”
“Way to state the obvious. Are you all right?”
“Yes. Can you move?” She tries to get me onto my feet before waiting for my answer.
“Aargh! Watch it.”
“I’m sorry, but we need to go. Our accident blew our cover.”
“Let me pull this piece of glass out first.”
“Wait!” Sophie yells, but too late. I’ve already yanked the shard.
Now I see why she asked me to wait. I’m bleeding more profusely now. “Ugh, that doesn’t look good.”
“There you are, bloodsuckers,” a mean-looking biker says from the opening in the shop window.
We’re so screwed.
Sophie pivots on the spot, facing the dragon shifter, while I stay prone on the ground. “Don’t come any closer.”
“Or what, sugar? What can a little thing like you do against us?”
She raises her hand, palm facing forward, and recites another spell. A blue light sphere forms in front of her hand. It’s like electricity trapped in a ball. She throws the blue energy sphere forward, and it hits the dragon shifter square on his chest, sending him flying back.
“Whoa. I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Me neither.” She kneels next to me. “But I’m out of juice now. We have to go.”
I get up with her help, and then she throws my arm around her shoulder, taking some of my weight. If I wasn’t already feeling woozy, I might enjoy this moment more.
Even with the added burden that’s me, Sophie is able to walk fast. Luckily, there’s a door in the back of the store, and the dragon shifters haven’t stormed the back alley yet. I really can’t see how we’ll get out of this mess alive when a figure clad in black appears in the alley out of thin air.
Sophie stops suddenly, her body getting tense in the blink of an eye. “Don’t come any closer and you won’t get hurt.”
The man cocks his head. “It seems to me you’re in no condition to hurt anyone.”
“Who are you?” I ask, already seeing double.
“Who I am isn’t important. Let’s just say, you have friends in high places.” He raises his arm, holding a green crystal in his hand that glows bright. Before I can say or do anything, Sophie and I are yanked backward, and it feels like we’re falling into a dark void.
The horrible sensation only lasts a few seconds before we fall onto mossy ground. I smell turned earth and pine, which is an improvement from the ripe stench of the alley. The stranger is gone, and I don’t sense anyone else in the vicinity. Sophie and I are alone in the middle of a forest, but where exactly is the big question.
“Bloody hell. Who was that man?” Sophie asks as she sits up.
“No clue.” I try to do the same, but the world around me starts to spin, and I end up on my back again.
“Shit. You don’t look well. We need to stop the bleeding.”
“I’ll be okay. I just need to close my eyes for a second. I’m so tired.”
Her face hovers above mine. Her beautiful lavender eyes are round with worry. I raise my hand to touch her cheek, but even that costs me a lot. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Vaughn. You can’t go to sleep. I think you’re going into early hibernation.”
My eyes are almost half shut. Maybe she’s right. I lack the energy even to talk.
“Hell,” she says right before she presses her bloodied wrist against my lips.
