Under the Moon (Goddesses Rising) - By Natalie J. Damschroder Page 0,111

by the jacket, by the man’s scent on it, but glee made that impossible. She had to stop thinking negatively. I can do this. We can do this. “Let’s split up and search the building for the things we can use. No more than five minutes. Be back here before then.”

Five minutes later, they reassembled. Quinn took inventory of the bits and pieces they’d collected. It wasn’t much, but they’d make do. She went into action, telling Marley to change into some of Quinn’s clothes and pulling on some herself, though she left her torso bare under Anson’s coat for maximum contact with his energy. Then she fixed Marley’s hair so it was more like hers and placed a chair with a bent leg in a shadowy area in the center of the room.

“You’re a little shorter than I am, so sitting is better.”

Marley did so without hesitation but said, “Won’t he know it’s me? I’m powerless. He can sense that, probably from a distance now.”

“All we need is a few seconds of distraction. Here, turn to face this door.” Nick had broken into a regular door on the building’s south wall. Quinn had left it hanging open an inch and secured the other, bigger doors. Anson would be able to open them, but she was gambling that he’d go for the easier, quieter route. Even if he didn’t, the noise would alert them, and they would have time to adjust.

Nick and Sam took up positions on either side of the door, while Quinn backed into the darkest shadows along one wall and intensified them to cloak herself. She used a little more power to concentrate on sensing Anson’s approach and determining how many people he brought with him.

Then they waited.

The net she’d cast vibrated, indicating a presence. The timbre of the vibration told her it was definitely him, his personal energy matching the residue on his coat. By wearing it, Quinn had connected herself to him and taken a slight advantage.

“He’s here,” she said quietly. “Three people with him, no goddesses.” She focused, struggling to keep her power under control, not use too much at once. “He’s last. Wait for the others to come in.”

That was all she could do except watch these first few steps. The door swung inward, creaking a little. A hulking shape loomed against the bright security light outside. His head rotated back and forth before he zeroed in on Marley. She’d dropped her head so it looked like she was unconscious. There was no reason for her to be, and Anson might detect a trap, but again, they only needed seconds.

A second shadow appeared at the first one’s right shoulder. “What are you waiting for?” it whispered, not nearly as smart or as cautious as the first. “There she is.” The two moved a few steps forward, and the third entered the building. This guy, shorter and wirier than the first two, headed straight for Marley. Quinn held her breath, sensing Sam going rigid. She knew if the guy tried to harm her sister, Sam would abandon the plan and go after him. Never mind that Quinn could take these guys and would, long before they got anywhere. But they weren’t her prey.

The air seemed to shimmer a moment later as Anson stepped through the doorway.

Now! Quinn yelled only in her head, for fear of alerting Anson. She released the hook holding a net full of boxes of rusted metal scrap, which cascaded down onto the three shadows. At the same time, Sam and Nick jerked the rope they’d strung across the doorway. When Anson started forward, either to help or skirt his men, he tripped and fell flat with a yell.

Nick and Sam pounced, holding him down. One of the shadows struggled out from under the boxes and scrambled on hands and toes toward Marley, who he still seemed to think was Quinn. But Marley had leaped to her feet when the boxes came down, running halfway across the room to put a safe distance between herself and the attackers. Quinn zipped energy at the man, a short, sharp burst that knocked him out. The other two were already unconscious, as planned.

Anson was another story. Quinn knew she’d be ineffective fighting directly against him—he’d become too powerful. In the few seconds since Sam and Nick had jumped him, he’d managed to fling Sam off to the side. Nick hung on, though with the power behind Anson’s efforts to dislodge him, he’d be dead