Sucker Punch (First Fangs Club #3) - Kristen Painter Page 0,55

propped him against the wall so she could check if the coast was clear.

It wasn’t. Four guards near the end of the bridge were trying to keep a growling, ferocious pack of wolves from entering the stronghold.

She was so done with this. So. Freakin’. Done. Impulse took over. She yanked one of her bracelets off and tucked it into Rico’s hand. “Iron,” she told him. He didn’t need more explanation than that. He knew what iron did to the fae.

He made a small movement that might have been a nod. His time was running out. She needed to get him help fast.

Blood covered her thigh, soaking her leggings. The pain blazed up and down her leg. She was going to need help soon herself. But first, she had to see this through. All rational thought disappeared, and she let instinct and anger take over. What she was about to do wasn’t going to help her injury, but that could wait longer than Rico could. She squared her shoulders toward the bridge and charged.

She went low, catching the first guard around the hips and whipping him up and over the railing like a rag doll. New fire erupted in her leg.

To the fading sounds of his screams, she grabbed another guard and sent him flying as well. The advantage of surprise was gone. A sword hissed past her head, almost taking off her ear, but a wolf jumped on the guard’s back and sank its teeth in the fae’s shoulder. Will and Daisy were close by, battling a trio of fae, but holding their own.

Behind her, the remaining guard started screaming. Donna looked over to see him being dragged off by more wolves. A few other wolves still stood on the bridge. Breathing hard, she faced them. “Rico needs help. This way.”

She led the small group toward their alpha’s grandson. She crouched beside him, causing fresh blood to spill from her wound. “Rico, your pack is here.”

Two of them shifted to human forms, turning into big, stocky men before her eyes. The oldest one, whose silver muzzle had turned into a gray beard, nodded at her. “We’ll take it from here, Governor.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you. Would you like us to carry you out as well?”

“No, I’m fine. Get him to safety.”

“Yes, ma’am. Be careful with that leg.”

“I will.” She leaned against the wall to catch her breath.

Both men worked together to pick Rico up in a seated position and carried him out, a flank of wolves keeping the way ahead clear.

She watched them go, taking a moment to recover from the exertion of clearing the bridge. But a moment was all she could afford. Outside, the battle still raged. She tore down one of the wall hangings, cut a strip from it with a borrowed blade, and used the piece to tie a makeshift bandage around her still-bleeding wound. A metallic taste coated her mouth. That dagger had definitely been tainted with something.

She prayed she stayed upright until this was over. She started to leave, then realized the biggest tapestry that hung behind the royal dais depicted a scene in which a vampire was splayed out on a banquet table.

Much like what she’d seen in her dream, except Rico had been the one on the table. In a fit of rage, she grabbed a lantern off the nearest table and threw it into the tapestry.

It exploded in a shower of glass and fuel, setting the fabric ablaze. Good. That should keep any remaining guards busy.

She went back out to find her team. Thankfully, the bridge was still clear. If she was going to collapse, she didn’t want to do it in the midst of the fae stronghold. Especially not while it was on fire.

The fighting seemed to be dying down. The injured were everywhere, but she thankfully saw very few bodies. Losing some of the murderous fae was one thing, but to lose those who’d come to help with Rico’s rescue was another. There also seemed to be scattered groups of fae with their arms crossed over their heads. Had they surrendered? If so, Ishalan had been right.

“Governor! Help me!”

She turned toward the voice. It belonged to Daisy. Donna started toward her, realizing a few steps in that the woman was kneeling beside her father. There was so much blood Donna couldn’t tell where it was coming from. A sick feeling filled her. “What happened?”

“He took a sword to the gut and another to his shoulder.” Daisy sobbed once, then inhaled hard.