Relentless (Vampire Awakenings #11) - Brenda K. Davies Page 0,31

Zan replied without looking at him.

“Then how do we get the door open?”

“We find the keys.”

Metal clinked as Zan jerked a set of keys from the pocket of Bull’s jeans. Fire reflected off the metal when Zan lifted them in the air before rising and running toward the door. Dante turned to Cassidy and drew her close while Zan shoved his way through the crowd to get to the door.

“Back off!” Zan shouted as the vamps and humans shoved and pushed against him.

Dante pulled Cassidy back as flames raced across the ceiling and arced over his head. He guided her along the outskirts of the crowd looking to stampede out the door. He started to push his way into the throng, determined to make sure she got out of this place, when an ominous creaking filled the air.

The crowd at the door turned toward the noise, and some of the fighters finally stopped trying to kill each other as the creaking got louder. A feeling of impending doom descended over him as his head tipped back. Through a break in the fire and smoke, a hole was opening to the second floor.

And then, the ceiling over the bar collapsed. A rush of smoke and fire billowed out from the burning timbers that had replaced the makeshift bar. A vamp, unlucky enough to have one of those beams crash onto his back, howled as he tried to claw his way out.

“Shit,” Dante muttered as he glanced at the ceiling.

He pushed Cassidy further back as most of the vamps lost to their bloodlust became aware the building was collapsing around them. They stopped trying to kill each other and feeding on others as their heads turned toward the door.

“Hey, Zan!” the bartender yelled from the back of the crowd. “You better move a little faster!”

Dante pinned Cassidy against the wall as more vamps rushed for the door. Wood splintered and cracked as the fire devoured more of the building. The sweat sliding down his body caused his clothes to cleave to him; the smoke clogged his nostrils and mouth as the stench of the fire became overwhelming.

A few feet away from them, a woman swayed before collapsing when her legs gave out. Unwilling to leave Cassidy unprotected, he lifted his arm and kept it in front of her while he leaned to the side, gripped the human’s arm, and lifted her off the ground.

“Got it!” Zan shouted. “Get off me!” He turned and shoved back the crush of vamps and humans swarming him. “I can’t open the door if you’re pushing me!”

Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t hear him. Dante slung the woman over his shoulder and grasped Cassidy’s wrist. Pulling her forward, he had to release her as he started plucking vamps and humans out of the way to ease the crush against Zan.

From twenty feet away, the small bartender lowered her shoulder and pushed through the crowd. “Get off him!” she shouted as she knocked one vamp on his ass.

Dante tossed aside some more as Zan planted his foot against the wall, grasped the doorknob, and pushed back with all his might.

Cassidy held her breath as she waited to see if he could get the door open. They were so close to freedom, but because the crowd was so panicked, they might die in this place with an unlocked door. Her family would be devastated.

Cassidy blinked away the tears burning her eyes from the thickening smoke and the possibility of her family’s suffering. Kyle would never forgive himself. He was spiraling out of control now; if she died in a place he inadvertently led her to, he might completely lose it.

Her heart ached for her twin and herself. She wasn’t ready to die; she still had so many songs to sing and so many dreams left to live. And she’d just found Dante. Whether he was her mate or not, she didn’t know, but she liked him, and she was curious to see where her connection to him would lead.

And she couldn’t stand the idea of him dying in this awful place too.

“Get off!” Zan roared and, releasing the door, spun to shove away the patrons crushing him.

Dante grabbed two people and threw them into a group of vampires, knocking them all back. Lowering the woman, he tucked her beneath a table to keep her safe from the flames and crowd.

“Give her to me!” Cassidy shouted, but he didn’t hear her as he lowered his shoulder and charged forward to knock aside