Page 139 of The Ghost and the Graveyard (Knight Games 1)
I turned toward the hunter's body. His blood had puddled over the dirt floor, and a thought came to me. "Do you think that blood is getting to Mar-"
An explosion of earth blew through the shack, stripping my skin where it made contact. I was lucky Rick was slightly in front of me. I'd been shielded from the worst of it. But I choked on the cloud of dust that followed, closing my eyes tight against the abrasive grit. It was more than the little shack could withstand; the roof collapsed and then the walls fell in. Rick tried to shelter me with his body.
Marcus stood in the rubble, eyes red and stomach bulging with the hunter's blood. Through the gap between the wall and the fallen roof, the sun's setting rays cut through the woods. Where the light touched Marcus' shoulders, his skin steamed ominously. I raised my blade between us. Rick kicked out the remaining wall and folded over next to me, his skin splitting as the beast burst from within.
I lurched forward, placing myself between Marcus and the woods. The vampire seethed and ran toward me at a full run. I tried to bring Nightshade around, but I was too slow. Marcus body-slammed me. One of his knees hit me in the gut, knocking me to the ground. My back slapped the earth. In a blur, he ran for the shelter of the woods.
Rick finished shifting and attacked, taking to the air for a better view. I caught my breath and followed on foot. The vampire pin-balled from tree to tree with super human speed, then suddenly...nothing. I halted just inside the tree line. I'd lost him.
Do you see him? I thought, testing my connection with Rick's beast.
No. He's gone.
Do you know where he's headed? I asked.
I'm guessing Carlton City. There's a free coven of vampires there.
Do you think we'd have a better chance of heading him off than catching him here?
Considering vampires are most at home in the woods, and he's fortified with human blood, I'd say yes.
I ran back out into the clearing. He landed next to me.
Come, we need the car if we're going into the city.
Why can't we fly?
I'm fairly certain a dragon over Carlton City would cause human panic. Come, I'll fly you back to the cabin, and we'll take the Tesla.
I climbed on his scaly back, tucking my knees behind his wings. With three running steps, he took to the air. I gripped his shoulder blades as he climbed above the trees, soaring toward his cottage at breakneck speed. When he dove for the yard, my stomach dropped. I thought I'd be sick. He landed roughly, beginning to shift before we even stopped moving. I yelped as I slipped off his back, but he twisted his folding body and caught me in his arms before I hit the grass.
His eyes were still black as he carried me into the house. Always the first and last part to change, I watched, enchanted as they bled back to gray. He set me on my feet inside the back door. In a flash, he was dressed and had pulled the Tesla around. I climbed in. Rick floored it just as the last remnants of the sun sank behind my house to the west.
I tested my seatbelt a few times once I saw the speedometer top a hundred. To take my mind off the blur beyond the windshield, I decided to start some conversation. "Do you know where the vampires are staying?"
"TiltWorld, down by the river."
"TiltWorld? The amusement park?" I turned in my seat to face him.
"It's closed for the season. There's a barn near the back of the property where they have a fun house in the summer. The windows are blacked out, and there's a basement. It's the perfect place for them to stay during the day."
"The Barn Blast. I've been there. You walk through a maze of fun mirrors and joy buzzers."
"Hmm, I'm sure they've redecorated."
"Wait, if you know where they are, why haven't you taken them out?"
"They're free, and they're not breaking any laws."
"Is harboring a fugitive enough for us to put them away for good?"
"You are the judge and jury. It's for you to decide. But in the past, you were hesitant to condemn anything that hadn't harmed or killed a human."
"What was my reasoning?" I asked.
"The last thing we want is a supernatural rebellion. We're not strong enough to take out the entire coven. Wielding your power sparingly is the best way to keep balance and control."
I shook my head. "We can't let Marcus go free."
