Page 92 of Bound by Vengeance
Vicky’s lungs burned, and her heartthundered as she raced through the tunnels behind Duncan with Aprilin her arms. The faint glow of a harbor light pierced the darknessbefore she emerged onto a narrow ledge situated over Boston Harbor.The briny water and the ozone scent of the rain starting to fallmasked the smell of the Savages pursuing them.
Turning, Vicky followed Nathan up the smalltrail and into the parking lot of the dockyard above. The cries ofthe Savages pursued them through the roadways between the numerousbuildings making up the seaport. Cradling April’s head against hershoulder, Vicky poured on the speed.
She wouldnotlet anything happen toany of these children.
When they rounded a large boathouse,Nathan’s truck came into view. The first time they’d come here, shetold him to park in this lot as there were no cameras. Then, she’dtaken him to the sewer entrance.
His truck was a few spaces over from Abbyand Brian’s rented Suburban. On the drive here, the vehicle hadseemed too big to her, but now Vicky welcomed the size as Brianpulled the keys from his pocket and aimed them at the SUV. Thevehicle beeped as something loped out from behind a large,shrink-wrapped boat parked at the edge of the lot.
“They’re coming!” Vicky shouted, and Aprilwhimpered.
She skidded to a halt beside the Suburban,flung open the back door and plopped April inside. “Get in theback, honey,” Vicky commanded as she turned to take another childfrom Abby. “All of you keep climbing all the way into theback.”
“That’s illegal,” April whispered, and Vickyalmost laughed at the aghast tone of her voice.
“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Vicky said toher as the door across from her opened and Duncan set his twochildren inside.
Vicky took Elmo from Brian and placed him inthe vehicle. She hated the dazed look in Elmo’s eyes, but there wasnothing to be done about that. Vicky was still stuffing childreninside like some weird-ass clown car when she heard the first gruntof an attack. Spinning, she found Nathan driving his stake into thechest of a Savage as Logan fired his crossbow to take out the nextone.
Brian opened the driver’s door, then closedit again as he ran forward to join the fight. Vicky turned back tothe children as more Savages bounded around another building andraced toward them.
“We have to get the children out of here!”she cried.
The others retreated toward the vehicles,and Brian ran around to the driver’s side again. Abby threw openthe passenger door and was reaching for Vicky when Nathan graspedVicky’s bicep and pulled her against him.
“She’s coming with me,” he stated.
Vicky couldn’t argue the command when it waswhat she wanted too.
“Ronan is still at the hotel in Falmouth,”Nathan said to Brian. “Take them to him and make sure no onefollows you. I have something to take care of, but we’ll meet youthere soon.”
“Be careful,” Abby whispered to Vicky andhopped onto the passenger seat.
“You too,” Vicky said and squeezed her hand.“Get in,” she said to Sister and Duncan. “They’ll make sure youstay safe.”
They nodded before joining the children inthe SUV, and the doors banged shut. Nathan kept hold of her as theyran with Asher toward the pickup while Logan planted his feet andaimed his gun. He fired at the vamps coming at them, knocking theones in front off their feet as the packed Suburban pulled awayfrom them.
Tires squealed when Brian put the vehicle inreverse, stomped on the gas, and aimed the ass end of the SUV atthe horde. Savages scrambled to get out of the way, but not in timeto avoid the missile Brian had turned the Suburban into. Bodiesthumped sickeningly off the bumper and ground, metal crunched, andthe tires skidded on wet pavement as Brian plowed some of theSavages over.
“Those kids are going to require someserious counseling,” Asher panted.
“Hopefully, they never remember it,” Vickysaid.
Brian shifted into drive, and the Suburbanbarreled past them before skidding onto the street. The back endfishtailed on the road, and the engine revved as the SUV shot downthe peaceful side road. Nathan opened the passenger door of histruck and helped her inside. The remaining Savages and the ones whoweren’t crushed by the SUV were regaining their feet when Asher andLogan jumped into the back of the pickup.
Nathan ran around to the other side, openedhis door, and climbed behind the wheel. Starting the truck, heshifted into first and followed the vanishing Suburban onto theroad. Glancing in the mirror, he watched as the remaining Savagesdescended on the bodies of their fallen brethren, most of whom werestill alive.
Beside him, Vicky made an anguished soundand lifted her hand to her mouth. Her eyes closed, and hershoulders hunched up as a shiver ran through her.
“You were never like that,” he said,guessing at her thoughts when she rubbed at the scar on herwrist.
“But I could have been,” she whispered.
He grasped her hand. “No, you couldn’thave.”
“What if they follow us?” Logan shouted overthe rushing wind.
“They won’t,” Vicky said. “They may bemindless, but they have to know exposing themselves will onlyresult in death. Joseph, or whoever created them, would make sureof that.”
