The Rise of Fortune and Fury (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #5) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,84
snore. He’s either been drugged or he’s under some type of spell, but clearly this is why they feel comfortable leaving him here on the floor and unguarded.
I rise and move back to the doorway, murmuring to Boral. “He’s out cold. I can’t lift him so you’re going to have to carry him out of here.”
Boral leans back a bit to look past me to Blain. He grimaces in distaste, but nods his head in agreement. Tucking his gun in the back waistband of his belted pants, he enters the office and I exit to keep watch. At this point, it’s so quiet I’m fairly sure we’re all alone in here, but I know better than to let my guard down. The door to the breakroom is closed, and there could be daemons in there.
With a quick glance, I see Boral reach down. With his super fae strength, he lifts Blain easily as if he were no more than a feather pillow he was tossing over his shoulder. He has him in a fireman’s carry and grips onto his legs with one hand while reaching back and getting his gun to hold in the other.
“Let’s go,” Boral murmurs as he moves into the hallway. Turning left, he heads toward the double doors leading to the loading room.
I give him my back, keeping my eyes toward the gallery. I start walking backward, past the bathroom. I’m almost to the double doors that I heard Boral move through, because I’m sure I heard Blain’s head thunk against the metal, when movement catches my eye.
At first, it’s just a shadow moving at the edge of the hallway that borders the gallery, and I realize it’s someone moving our way.
“Someone’s coming,” I hiss at Boral, but the doors have already swung shut again and I’m betting he didn’t hear me.
I decide to pivot fast and bolt, but, before I can, four daemons appear in the hallway entrance from the showroom.
Not one or two as Echo claimed, but four.
No wait… two more join them.
There are now six, and they are all staring at me in shock. Each one bears thick dark auras, and their countenances are especially grotesque. One looks to the office, sees the open door, and hisses in fury.
“Shit,” I mutter as I pull my whip free as they charge.
I swing the thong back along the floor, preparing to level a strike at the lead daemon when he gets in range, but, to my surprise, they all pull guns out of holsters I hadn’t noticed until now.
Daemons don’t have magic, but they are not without protection and the ability to guard. Bullets explode, the sound reverberating in the hallway, but I manage to throw my shield up in time.
The bullets hit the magical force field and clatter uselessly to the floor. I don’t even wait around to take in their reaction. I drop the field, send a blast of air at them that has all six blowing backward like tumbleweeds. They all sort of get clogged up in a tangle of arms and legs.
It’s the perfect time to bolt and I do, bursting through the double doors. The dock door is open, and I see Boral running with Blain toward the G550.
Zora is out of the vehicle with the back door open so when Boral reaches her, he can throw the rescued package in the back.
I hurtle through the opened door, hit the dock with one foot, and go flying through the air toward the pavement about four feet below.
I hit hard, twisting my ankle, and roll three times before coming to my feet. Pain shoots up my leg as I take my first step and realize it’s not going to be a flat-out run for the Mercedes. Instead, I hobble as fast as I can, but I know it’s not fast enough as two bullets ping off the pavement within inches of me.
“No,” Zora screams, and I watch in horror as she rushes toward me to help.
“Go,” I yell, waving with my arm toward the SUV, but she ignores me.
More bullets, one whizzing by my ear, and I throw a hasty blast of magic backward toward the dock hoping to hit something. I have no clue if all six daemons are there or only one is shooting, but I dare not even take the time to look.
For a blessed few seconds, there’s no gunfire, so I assume my magic hit the mark. Zora reaches me just as I see Boral shove Blain