Red covered her vision. Rage ripped up her spine. Jumping up, she nailed him right in the temple with a leaping sidekick. His head bounced back, a furious cry spilling forth.
Not caring, no longer feeling fear, Katie punched him in the nose.
Blood sprayed.
She hit again. And again. No way was the moon getting him. She’d knock his ass out first.
He jumped up, mouth open in a snarl, fangs glinting.
Pivoting, she kicked him square in the chest. The impact threw him back to land on the bed, which crashed to the floor in a squeal of abused springs.
The earth rumbled a second before a deafening explosion tore through the night. The walls vibrated, rocks tumbling from the ceiling. Katie ducked her head from the pelting missiles and tried to balance herself against the wall. Oh God. A bomb? The werewolves hadn’t figured out explosives, as far as the Realm knew. That meant one thing. The Kurjans were with the damn werewolves.
Jordan took full advantage of her retreat. Quick reflexes had the underwire twisted. The lock gave with an ominous pop.
Katie backed up, her heart beating too hard, blood rushing through her ears.
Jordan stretched to his feet. Fury glittered in his eyes, deep red covered his cheekbones.
Then he smiled.
The vision erupted in Janie’s head like a firecracker. Clear, no static, the image of her father being shoved off a cliff slammed like a rock in her gut. Kalin fought above, his sole goal to kill Talen Kayrs. She had to get to them or her father wouldn’t see another sunrise.
Terror shot through her veins. Her gaze darted around the underground playroom at Garret playing pool with one of Charlie’s buddies. Like typical guys, they seemed to be the best of friends. Of course, Janie knew where Charlie had gone. Hopefully Maggie could handle Terrent Vilks. Something told Janie nobody handled the huge wolf.
She eyed the area. Several other kids played various games or watched movies.
Her mother sat with her aunt and the other women on the other side of the bar, voices low in talk.
Guards lined the hallway outside as well as along every landing.
But Janie Kayrs knew something they didn’t.
Her hand trembled around her soda can, sending fizz flying. Setting the grape drink down, she sidled toward the bathrooms set by the bar against the far wall. Well, the soda bar. A blank rock wall extended from the other end of the bathroom in an odd vestibule, and most people thought the king hadn’t gotten around to throwing a game or table inside it.
Janie stepped inside the small area and out of sight from her brother. Taking a deep breath, she swept her hand over the wall, sliding open a keypad. She punched in a six-digit code. A door slid open to Dage’s emergency elevator. Well, one of the several emergency elevators most people didn’t know about.
The king had always trusted her—she knew all the escape routes.
She hopped inside, pressing a button to shut the door. The rock smoothly slid closed. Man, nobody had even noticed.
Her breath panted out. The image of Talen dying pricked tears behind her eyes. She had to warn him.
He was so going to kill her.
The elevator actually rose to different strategic rooms within the compound. She pressed the button for the main viewing room on the top floor. Nobody would be in there, though guards would be standing at the ready in the hallway, gazes on the locked doors.
The lift jerked to a stop. A dull ache still echoed in her head from the concussion, but her thoughts remained clear. Her heart pounded so fiercely her ribs actually hurt. Sliding out of the elevator, she paused in the empty room.
Set north of the west entry, the room boasted a full communication panel, two chairs, and a one-way window facing the sea. Anybody looking from outside would just see pure rock. The vampires had technology human militaries would probably love.
Dodging for the panel, Janie opened the shades.
Werewolves, shifters, vampires, and Kurjans fought without mercy outside. Blood sprayed, people died.
She stepped back, gasping. Fear fought with nausea in her stomach. A gag escaped her. Quelling the need to vomit, she took several deep breaths. Where was her father?
Movement by the tree line caught her eye. Talen fought hand-to-hand with a Kurjan, knives flashing, a grim frown of concentration on his face. His reflexes were such that his movements became blurry. Man, he was fast. The Kurjan wasn’t one she’d seen before, either in briefings or visions.
An explosion rocked the headquarters. A baseball-sized chunk of rock dropped onto her shoulder. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Blood welled through her shirt. Shouting filled the hallway outside along with rushing boot steps.
Trying to stay calm, her ears ringing, she scanned the buttons on the control panel. One of those had to open the window, right?
No labels. Colorful buttons, dark knobs, even levers made up the panel. But not a one described its function. The men who usually manned the station didn’t need labels. And it was probably better that outsiders couldn’t figure out how to use it. But she really needed to open the window. If she tried to go outside the door, guards would stop her. Nothing else mattered besides getting to her father.
Movement outside the window caught her attention.
Kalin.
The military leader stood close, head cocked to the side, focus on her. Gasping, she stepped back. Chaos ran rampant around him. He stood tall, moon glinting off medals. Slowly, a smile lifted his bloodred lips.
He could sense her.
Unbelievable. No way could the soldier see inside the rock. Yet somehow, he had a bead on her.
Lifting her chin, drawing on courage, she stepped closer to the window. So long as Kalin concentrated on her, the vision couldn’t come true. Her father would remain safe. She could even leave the window shut this way.
A werewolf backed into Kalin. The Kurjan shoved the beast away, his gaze never wavering. Seeing him in Technicolor and not in a dream world lent a surreal sense to the night. Thick black hair fell beneath his shoulders. The red tips seemed even brighter and his skin paler under the moonlight and surrounded by darkness. So different from her—from the vampires.
Even amid the battle, amid her fear, sorrow sank deep. She’d known him as a child. They’d almost been friends.
“I will kill you,” she whispered.
His smile widened.
No way had he heard her. No way. Even with the best of hearing, a vampire couldn’t have heard her words. But maybe Kurjans had better senses? Or maybe, and the mere thought made her want to hurl, maybe Kalin had a sense of Janie.
She sucked in air. “If you can hear me, you need to leave or you’re going to die today.”
His smile widened. Damn it, he could hear her. Most Kurjans had sharp, yellow teeth. Not Kalin. Deadly and white, the man had the teeth of a killer shark. He nodded to someone out of range.
Seconds later, the world blew up. The window crashed in. She flew backward, her shoulders hitting the wall right before her head smacked hard. Pain flared and she gasped. Lights flashed full and bright behind her lids. How many concussions could one brain take in a week?
Strong, cold hands wrapped around her arms, yanking her up. Swaying, she forced her eyes to open. Hazy shadows danced across Kalin’s face.
She struggled to focus. “You smell like the ocean.” Even in dreams, the Kurjan smelled salty.
He eyed her forehead, interest lifting his lip. “You’re bleeding.”
She shoved against him. “Let go.” Dizziness swamped her. She had to get out of there.
His hold tightened. Closing his eyes, he leaned in, breath above her cut. He inhaled, nostrils flaring. “So sweet.” With a sigh, he backed away. His lids flipped open, deep green eyes flashing.
Her head pounded. Almost in a daze, she studied him. A dark purple line surrounded his green irises. In the dreams she’d never noticed it. “Let me go.”