Catch Me When I Fall (37 page)

She continued anyway. “I hope you know that I’m happy for you. You deserve this, and I’ve been a terrible friend for not saying it sooner.”

I looked up at her. Samantha’s lips were tight, and her eyes glistened. Knowing her as well as I did, this act of selflessness was an effort for her. She never gave up on the things she wanted. Touching her hand, I spoke, my voice tired. “And you deserve someone who cares for you as much as I love Kayla. It’s only a matter of time before you find him.”

Samantha gave me a weak smile, then Trishna’s voice filled our heads.
We’re ready
.

artholomew and Tabbi stayed behind. Neither were equipped to fight, and Bartholomew needed to keep an eye on Kayla. The rest of us evaporated together to an empty hotel down the road from Richard’s hideout. Trishna’s coven stood in the lobby, dressed in black gear. My pulse quickened when I saw how many there were, especially when about a fourth of them wore daggers at their sides.

Bartholomew had found more Protectors.

Trishna’s coven—Protectors and Magus alike—silenced and listened for her direction.

“You’ve all heard the stories about Tamesis. Tonight we take him down. Nolan, you said you knew how to get in?”

Nolan nodded. “Down the road is an abandoned factory that used to manufacture… well, I don’t know what. But a barbed wire fence surrounds it to keep people out. Once you get inside the factory, though, it’ll be easy to find Richard. The first room is some kind of office or security area or whatever, then there’s a second set of double doors you have to go through. Knowing him, he’ll be waiting right inside those doors.”

“And you said the place is heavily guarded by Nightmares?”

Again, Nolan nodded. “They’re Tamesis’—or, Richard’s—favorite pets. They’ll be infesting the parking lot and surrounding yard. But, he doesn’t let them come inside. He doesn’t want his coven to be feasted on in their sleep.”

“Then, it’s simple,” I said. “We’ll go in first and clear a path for the rest of you. Then, while they’re distracted, you can run into the security area. We can regroup there.”

“No, we’re better if we stick together,” Trishna said.

I shook my head. “You can’t see them. We can. Richard uses these creatures to physically attack people now, not just torture them with evil thoughts. If you get too close to one, they will kill you. We can at least give you a shot at reaching that door in one piece. We’re no good against Richard and his Magus. But we can take down these Nightmares, and then we’ll be ready for any of Giovanni’s followers on the other side.”

Trishna’s eyes fell, but she nodded. It was our only shot at getting most everyone inside. “Protectors, follow Daniel. The rest of us will wait in the shadows for his signal.”

When everyone shouted their affirmation, Trishna held out her hand, signaling it was time for me to lead my team. I shoved down the queasiness in my stomach and stepped outside.

The stench of rotting flesh and sewage floored me. I covered my nose with my arm and gagged. Dead humans lined the street, and fires blazed from every collapsed building, illuminating the night sky with an ominous, orange glow. Richard’s return to Columbus had meant death for this city. It was a good thing Kayla wouldn’t be here to see this.

Soundless, we walked down the decimated street, invisible to the police that ran from building to building, looking for survivors. When we reached the gate to the factory, I held up a hand and paused. At least one hundred Nightmares paced like soldiers in front of the building. Sensing us, they turned, hissing, like someone held up a rattlesnake to a microphone.

“Oh my god,” one of the Protectors said.

“We’ll never make it,” echoed another.

I glanced at the white faces of my comrades. “Yes, we will. Sprint to the right, drawing them away from the entrance. Then circle up, facing out, and take them down. Stay together.”

My team nodded and stepped so close to each other their arms were touching. I took a deep breath, returning my attention to the Nightmares on the other side of the fence. “On three. Ready? One, two, three!”

We raced through the fence, our invisible bodies passing through the barrier. The Nightmares roared at our arrival. Every now and then, one would reach out for us, but together we hustled forward. To my right, one of my Catchers screamed, and I gripped my daggers tighter. Then finally, we reached our target and formed a circle.

I stepped out enough to give myself room to battle, and when the first Nightmare reached for me, clawing at my face, I sliced its hands off and kicked the creature away. With a cry, the monster ran at me again, black blood oozing from its arms. I waited until the beast leaned in to bite me with its fanged teeth then jammed my blade into its neck. The Nightmare fell to the side with a gurgle.

Before I could breathe, two more lunged at me, one of them missing an eye. I ducked in time to avoid my throat being slashed, but then hot pain whipped my back as a Nightmare clawed my skin. I mule-kicked the one-eyed bastard away from me, then dug my blade under the other’s ribs. With a grunt I jerked up, piercing the creature’s heart. It fell as I turned around, crouching low to the ground. The one-eyed Nightmare swiped at my face and ran into my knives. I shoved the beast away, gutting it.

Before the next Nightmare swung at me, I took a second to glance around the lot. We were down five Protectors, and though we’d taken down many Nightmares, we wouldn’t be able to hold the rest much longer. I disposed of the next Nightmare then shouted at Trishna.

Go now!

Within seconds, Trishna and her coven burst through the chain-link fence, their hands stretched out in front of them.

Protectors, go corporeal now!
Trishna yelled.

When we did, all around us, fire lit up the scenery, sometimes hitting a Nightmare, sometimes missing them. The Magus were fighting blind, but damn it, they were still fighting. The Magus ran for the entrance to the factory, one after one slipping through the door Seth held open. We Catchers sprinted after them, surrounding and protecting them from the Nightmares they couldn’t see.

One neared Nolan’s face, and I threw my dagger into the Nightmare’s skull. I stopped to pull the blade out of the creature’s head and in the same motion sliced through the neck of another that reached for me. The monster’s claws caught my arm as it fell. Swearing at the hot pain, I pressed forward, desperate to get into where Richard waited.

Nolan stood on one side of the door, shooting fire from his hands and ensuring everyone got inside. I stopped next to him, protecting him and ushering the coven inside.

This is fun, isn’t it?
Nolan said.

Your definition of fun is warped, mate.
I pointed to his right where a Nightmare was closing in. Nolan lit the beast on fire.

Aw, you called me ‘mate.’ That’s like ‘friend’ in your language, right? I’m so touched.

Don’t get used to it.

When the last person finally crossed through the opening, I elbowed Nolan toward the door, but he fought me.

What are you—
I was about to say when fire spit out of his hands. Flames lined the ground in front of the door. The Nightmares halted, hissing at us for blocking their path.

Nolan handed me a small, glass box.
Throw this. Tell me when it’s over their heads.

What is this?

Just throw it, already.

I lobbed the box as hard as I could. When it was dead center over the group of Nightmares, he hurled a ball of fire at the glass box. Sunlight exploded out, so much that satellites in space would wonder what the hell was going on, and I covered my eyes. The shrieks from the Nightmares were deafening. We turned and ran into the factory, Nolan laughing as he closed the door.

s anyone seriously injured?” Trishna asked as we all stopped to catch our breaths. When no one answered, she wiped her tanned brow with the back of her hand. “Thank the stars. We’ve already lost too many. All right, it’s our turn to protect you, Catchers. On my lead.”

Trishna slowly opened the doors to the main factory, then paused, her hands in front of her, prepared to fight off an attack. But none came. With a nod to two of her coven, Trishna entered the room. The two went right or left, and just like that we split into three teams.