Page 79 of Bound By Blood
CHAPTER 61
He didn’t have totell her twice. Turning, Caro sprinted down the tunnel and back theway they’d come. Saber’s footsteps thudded against the concretebehind her; his body was so close it warmed her back.
What if thereare more of them down here?
The idea of moreof those creatures swarming over the walls and coming toward themspurred her faster—something she hadn’t believed possible until herfeet fell effortlessly against the concrete and her legs pumpedharder.
She wouldnotdie beneath the earth like some rat.
When dim lightfiltered in through a grate further down the tunnel, the dust motesdancing through the darkness beckoned her onward as shadowslengthened around him. Caro gulped when it seemed the shadows weretrying to ensnare her in their nefarious grasp and this horribleplace.
It couldn’t bereal, but she swore they caressed her with a cool hand as theyencircled her wrists. The image of her screaming while the shadowsdragged her back into the tunnel to more demons, and certain death,propelled her faster.
But no matter howfast her legs moved, it felt like she was running throughquicksand. Like she was trapped in a macabre nightmare, she sworethe exit got further away with every step.
Somehow, she madeit to the grate and the beckoning light filtering down the ladderbeneath it. She barely felt the ladder beneath her hands and feetas she practically flew up the bars toward the top.
Unwilling torelease the ladder, Caro didn’t put her hands up to push againstthe grate. Instead, she ducked her head and threw her shoulder andback into it. She didn’t care if there were thousands of humans onthe other side to see them emerge; she was getting out of here.
The metal flew up,away from her, and hit the street with a clatter. She propelledherself out of the hole and nearly into the middle of the road.Thankfully, no cars or people were nearby.
She rolled acrossthe road and stopped against a light post. Her body ached to laythere andbreathe,but they were far from out of danger.
Scrambling to herfeet, she lurched back toward the drain, searching for Saber as heburst out of it. His sudden presence caused her to stagger back astep as he stood before her, a towering mountain of man andwrath.
If the demons sawhim now,theywould be the ones to run as his eyes blazedred, his nostrils flared, and red and black blood from the demonsand Savages dripped off him. His muscles bunched with the fistingof his hands.
Then, he unflexedhis fingers, grasped her hand, and spun her in the car’s direction.As they sprinted down the street, she kept looking over hershoulder for something to emerge from the hole.
A repugnant beastthat would launch itself out of the tunnel and cover the distanceseparating them in a single leap. But no such thing happened, andthe night remained eerily hushed.
Veering far awayfrom them, she eyed every storm drain they passed, but nowhite-blue eyes or long-fingered, claw-tipped hands emerged fromthe shadows to pull the grate aside. The streets remained empty andquiet.
Either Saberkilled the only demon lurking below, or the others hadn’t risenfrom whatever bowels of Hell they hid in to come after them. Shehad no idea if that would happen, but she pictured them slitheringup from the shadows to destroy everything around them.
As they ran, theirfootsteps echoing off the brick buildings around them were the onlysounds on the street. They turned a corner and approached therevelry of the bars and restaurants near the waterfront. Oncethere, the noise of the patrons drowned out their footsteps.
Some of Caro’sdread ebbed when people and noise once again surrounded them. Sheknew it only offered a false sense of security, but she welcomedthis sign of life after the death below.
Some people turnedto gape at Saber, but they didn’t pay them much attention. Theydidn’t have time to change their memories.
Saber ran besideher as they crossed the street and entered the parking lot wherethey’d left her car. He tossed her the keys. “You drive.”
Caro didn’t argueabout him giving her permission to drivehercar. Now thather sense of smell wasn’t overwhelmed by the stench of rot, shescentedhisblood beneath the Savage’s and demon’s.
The enticing scentcaused her fangs to tingle as it sent a bolt of panic through her.She had to get him out of here and somewhere safe.
Although heirritated her beyond belief, the possibility he was badly hurt senta spiral of terror and anger through her. She hit the button tounlock the doors. Saber reached the car first and slid into thepassenger seat as she ran to the other side.
She flung open thedriver’s door and plopped behind the wheel. Saber slammed his doorclosed at the same time she did.
CHAPTER 62
Her hand trembledwhen she tried to get the key into the ignition. Taking a deepbreath, she worked to calm her racing heart and jittery body. Whenshe tried again, her hand still quivered, but she got the keyin.
Caro started thecar and resisted the impulse to slam her foot on the gas. Squealingtires and peeling out of the parking lot wasn’t a good way to gounnoticed by Savages and the police. Getting pulled over right nowwould be a giant pain in the ass.
Instead, shecarefully pulled out of the spot and maneuvered onto the crowdedstreet. She kept her attention on the crowd as people crossed theroad, strolled the sidewalks, and laughed with their friends.
