heard one of them, or maybe both, laugh. The high-pitched sound promised nothing but evil and her whole body trembled. For some reason, she cried out silently for Dom. If he was here, he’d know what to do.
The men climbed out of the vehicle simultaneously, and with each step, each swing of their arms, they seemed to be a perfect mirror image of the other. Their toothy smiles reminded her of hyenas eager to attack their prey.
I’m almost there, she imagined Dom saying.
Empowered by the voice in her head, she reached back, unsnapped the top of the saddlebag and fished out her handgun. She could do this. This was why she owned a handgun and spent time at target practice each week. Her instructor drilled it into her head that if you carry a gun, you needed to be prepared to shoot and kill. She had never been more ready in her life.
“Mackenzie. Do exactly as I tell you.” It was Dom, as clear as if he were next to her. It gave her strength and she brought the gun up.
“Aim at their torsos and pull the trigger. Fast. Both of them. Hear me?”
“Yes, but—” It sounded like she was talking to herself.
“Now. Do it now.” His voice boomed in her ear.
Taking a deep breath, she aimed at the guy on the left and pulled the trigger. He stumbled backward. She hit him directly in the chest. Just as she took aim at the other one and fired another round, she heard Dom’s voice screaming in her ear. It was then she saw a glint of metal.
“Duck left. Left.”
She barely shifted her weight when something slashed through her jacket sleeve and she felt a slicing pain. But how could he—? How could she be hearing—?
“Go. Go. Go.” Dom yelled in her head.
She didn’t have time to think about what happened, about the warm wetness flowing down her arm. She jammed the gun into her waistband and hit the throttle. The bike jumped ahead and she surged forward.
“Right past them. Don’t slow. Don’t look. Just go.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see one of the men getting up. What the hell? He was the one she’d shot right in the torso. He should be dead, or at least seriously wounded. When he made eye contact with her, she saw what looked like fangs hanging from his mouth.
The panic that had coated her insides was suddenly replaced by a chilling horror. Her hands numbed and her vision blurred.
“Mackenzie, listen. Steady yourself, I’m almost there. Go left at the next building. Hustle.”
Dom’s voice yanked her out of this strange reality. She cranked the handlebars, dragged a foot and leaned into the turn.
“Good. See the second building on the right? The one with the blue awning?”
“Yes.”
“Turn right when you pass it.”
She accelerated and as she leaned into the next turn, a flash of light glinted behind her. Headlights.
“Oh God, Dom, they’re following. How is that possible? I shot them.” She knew she sounded hysterical and tried to push the panic away.
“Love, I’m almost there. I’m coming for you. Just keep going. I can feel you. We’re getting close.”
Mackenzie saw the main road straight ahead and the headlights of another car approaching. It careened into the parking lot, fishtailed a couple of times, then barreled straight toward her. With a screech and another hard turn, it stopped about fifty feet in front of her.
“Ditch the bike.” Dom’s voice boomed so forcefully she couldn’t be sure if she heard it out loud or in her head.
“But—”
“Goddamn it, now.”
Headlights from the Jeep flashed on the open passenger door of Dom’s car. Squeezing the hand brakes, she jammed her weight to the side, lifted one leg and laid her beautiful bike into a slide on the pavement. The skidding, scraping and grinding echoed in her ears as she imagined layers of chrome and pearlescent white paint on the pavement.
She tensed her muscles, ready to push her body away, when from out of nowhere strong arms wrenched her off the still-moving bike and shoved her into the car.
The door slammed shut and Dom flattened himself against it, a barrier between her and the Jeep. When the vehicle stopped, Dom pulled something from his waistband and swung his arm around his head. A crack like a whip stung the air, jangling her raw nerves. His arm jerked down and a body flew from the Jeep, landing on the pavement in front of Dom’s car.