The walls of the alley disappeared from view, and my weight shifted. Before I could get a decent look at my surroundings, the shoulder beneath me vanished. I attempted to brace myself for the fall that I knew was coming, trying to relax in the hope my connection with the ground wouldn’t hurt as much as I knew it would. My back hit first and a sharp burst of pain wound from my neck to my ass.
My faulty knee protested as I tried to stand. I rolled onto my stomach and struggled into an upright position, using my hands as leverage. Then I lifted my head. Several men stared down at me from their seats, their expressions unreadable. I was on an enormous bus of some kind.
A spike of adrenaline overcame my fatigue.
Stay in a big-ass vehicle full of scary-ass men from the future?
Thanks for the offer, but I have to fucking pass.
I hurried to situate my body properly, making sure my left leg would be the one I relied on when I fled. I lunged for the front of the bus, charging toward the open door.
A fist lashed out, coming toward my face. I deflected the blow and pivoted in the opposite direction. When I came to a stop, I discovered men had risen from their seats.
Watching them all, I pulled out my knife and flicked it open smoothly. As I peered down at the blade, and then gazed up at the men, I wanted to slap myself. It was laughable, really. All I had was a lame-ass balisong to protect me from massive guys armed with Uzis.
Something hard and cold nudged the base of my skull, and I heard the very distinct double-click of a gun being cocked. My breath left my lungs, and I went stock-still.
“Drop the knife.” The order came from Carter, and it wasn’t friendly or open to discussion.
Shit.
The men looked ready to roast me alive, and the rosary wouldn’t do squat against any of them. Although I had a certain amount of power against vampires, I was defenseless against humans. I opened my right hand, letting the hilt of the knife slide through my fingers. The weapon landed with a dull thud on the floor.
“Good. Now, take a seat.”
A firm hand gave me the initial “get a move on” shove.
I kept a smartass response to myself, but it wasn’t easy. My temper had a mind of its own. Carter put a hand on my shoulder and guided me to an empty seat on the right. I slid into the small area and sat. Carter walked past me, toward the front of the bus. He lowered his sidearm and uncocked the hammer. I cringed when I heard guns being fired in rapid succession in the alley, followed by gurgles and shrieks in the distance.
“Quinn has the second team.” Carter spoke in a hushed tone to the driver. “Take us back.”
The bus started with a grinding roar. The engine sputtered at the start but soon quieted as the wheels started rolling. I jolted forward in the seat and stared out the window, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Humans might be on the verge of extinction, but some of them obviously weren’t down with being vampire Happy Meals.
Carter whipped around, and I felt his eyes burning a hole in my face.
Past my breaking point, I returned his stare, thinning my lips and crossing my arms like a surly teen. He looked away as he strode back down the aisle. I returned my attention to the windows, gazing into the darkness. His footsteps stopped a short distance from my seat, scuffled, and started back in my direction. The all too familiar sound of pieces of metal sliding together chimed in my ears, and I turned in time to see Carter shove my knife into his pocket.
“These aren’t so easy to come by. You can consider it a down payment for saving your ass,” he said calmly and propped himself into the seat across from me. Leaning forward, he braced his elbows on his parted knees.
I drew in a breath and looked away. Rolling my eyes, I muttered, “Don’t be so quick. You didn’t save shit.”