Summer scrambled to find the rest of her discarded clothes. She rushed into the bathroom to retrieve her jeans, abandoning her bra as she fought to get her pants on. Her heart hammered as the pull of Vic’s presence became increasingly more profound. There was no time to think about what Dy had just said. Hunters. Werewolves. Nope, not ready for that.
Dyami was checking the window, his clothes already on. “I don’t see anyone yet.”
“I can feel him getting closer.” Part of her wanted to hole up in the room, load the place with her magical symbols. Another part was screaming to get the hell out of there, knowing that getting caught in that room was eventual death for Dyami. “Are your friends coming soon?”
Once dressed, she came up to Dyami’s side, peering out the small slit he’d made in the curtains. The bright midday sun stung her eyes, preventing her from seeing more than blazing dots.
“No. They won’t be here until nightfall.”
She pulled his arm, forcing him to look at her. “We don’t have that much time. What are we going to do?”
He frowned. “Make a run for it, I guess.” Car doors slamming drew his gaze back to the window. “Fuck!”
Summer’s heart felt like it had thudded to a stop. He’s here. “I can feel him.” Why can I feel him?
“Shit, shit, shit!” Dy glanced behind her. “Think you could squeeze out of the window in the bathroom?”
She followed his gaze, spotting the tiny rectangular window near the top of the bathroom wall. There was no way Dy would fit through there. It was barely big enough to accommodate her. She looked back at him, dread soaking through her. “I’m not leaving without you.”
“There may be no choice.” He checked the front window one more time. “They’re at the far end. Maybe we can slip out without being noticed, make a run for it to the back. See if we can catch a ride.”
Summer shook her head. It was a foolish plan—they would be spotted for sure, but she had no alternative. Her magic instinct wasn’t offering anything. No symbols floating to awareness. “I’ve got nothing.” And slipping out that tiny bathroom window to leave Dy on his own with Vic was unacceptable.
Dyami kissed her on the lips—tender, sweet, full of promise. She tasted the poison, knew that whatever she had done was wearing off. When he pulled away, he was smiling in a way that reeked of false hope. “We’ll get out of this. Don’t the good guys always win?”
Summer frowned. “Yeah, in fairytales.”
“Ready?” He gripped her hand and pulled her to his side, his muscles tense, his body shaking ever so slightly, like he was reining himself in again, fighting something. She guessed it was the poison and knew, by what she’d felt the night before, it was winning. “I’m going to open the door and we’re going to run to the right, got it?”
She nodded, fear clogging her throat. She knew they had little chance. How could Dy run when his body was weakening?
“One…two…” Dy whispered, his eyes locked with hers.
“They’re in this room.” Vic’s voice boomed from the other side of the door.
“Fuck.” Dy pulled Summer back, steering her toward the center of the room. “You need to go out the bathroom window.” He attempted to shift her toward the only other exit.
She gave a firm shake of her head as she dug in her heels, momentarily yanking back against his pull. “I said I’m not leaving without you, Dy.”
“Summer!” Vic thumped on the door—with his fist, with his body, she wasn’t sure. The door seemed to be shifting off its hinges with each thud. “I know you’re in there.”
The symbol she’d etched on the door pulsed, giving off the faintest of power. She’d meant to do that again, make it stronger so that it didn’t degrade, but she’d been too distracted. Vic was going to get in.
“You’re mine, Summer. Come out now!”
“You have to come with me,” she whispered as she tugged Dy’s arm.
“It’s too late for that.” He stood firm, his jaw set, eyes hard and glaring, fists clenched at his sides. Something in his stance told her that she was getting a glimpse of another side of Dy. One that was used to fighting battles. “No more running. It’s time to face these fuckers once and for all.”
“Dy!” Summer begged. “Please don’t do this!”
He glanced down at her, his eyes softening for her. “There’s no way I’m going to give you up without a fight.”
“You’re sick, Dy, the poison…”
He shook his head, frowning, “I’m fine. I can hold them off while you run, give you time to get away.” He nodded toward the bathroom. “Go, Summer, get out of here.”
“She’s got the door etched.” Vic was talking as he rattled the doorknob then pounded on the door. “Summer, let me in!”
They both looked at the door and she knew it was only a matter of time. Her protective symbol was fading fast, Vic’s thumping on the door having more of an impact. She could see him now—each time he hit, the door came open by a fraction of an inch more.
“I’m not fucking leaving without you.” She scurried around Dy, intent on getting to the door quickly, fingers leading her with purpose. “I’ve got to use that symbol again.”
Dyami grabbed her by the waist, hauling her back just as the glass from the big window beside the door shattered, sending shards everywhere. She raised her arms to ward it off, felt the slice as it cut into her exposed skin.
The first one through the window was not Vic, but another huge man with a shaved head and goatee. A wolf tattoo marked his neck, making him look all the more dangerous, even to Summer. Dyami pulled her into him, his arms caging her from the threat. She immediately traced a symbol on his forearm, giving him whatever small protection she could—knowing it was too little too late, wishing she could bolster his energy as she had before, help him fight the poison as it ravaged his body.
“Let my woman go, beast,” Vic said as he climbed through the window.
Beast? As in…
Dyami’s arms tightened around her. She felt a growl rumble through his chest.
“Never.”
There were two men inside—Vic and the one with the shaved head—another outside seemingly standing guard. Why wasn’t anyone taking notice of this? Where was the hotel employee? Were the police being called?
“You’re going to make this hard on yourself. Make this hard on Summer.” Vic pulled a gun from his back. “I won’t hurt you, love, but I do need you to move away from the beast.”
Summer shook her head. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Vic? Are you fucking insane?” She tried to break from Dy’s arms, but found that she was encased in the equivalent of steel. “The only beast in here is you!”
Vic moved closer, leveling the gun just above her head as he glanced behind him. “Where’s Talia?”
“She’s just finishing with the clerk. She’ll be here in moments,” the man outside said as he withdrew his own gun.
Who the fuck are these people?
Dy’s words echoed in her head. Hunters.
She felt like she was being hunted. A cornered animal. She shivered. What did hunters do? They killed.
“Remove yourself from my woman and I’ll make your death fast.”
“Back up, Hunter.” Dy loosened his grip and quickly maneuvered Summer so that she was behind him, trapped between his massive back and the wall. “You want her, you’re going to have to go through me!”
“Not a problem,” Vic growled.
“Don’t you dare!” Summer screamed as she tried to force her way around Dy, her small body powerless against his wall of muscle.
“Let’s show Summer just what kind of vile creature you are.” A woman stepped into the room through the window, brandishing two-pronged swords, one in each hand, folded back to rest against her forearms.
“Talia, don’t hurt Summer,” Vic said.
Talia laughed. “One wolf pelt coming up.” And in a flash, she flipped one of her weapons from her forearm and launched it.