Tainted, Book One: Possessed

35. Do Your Worst, Angel

Kerry

I frowned when I saw that piece of Hell-rot headed straight for us.

Gemma took a deep breath, then her voice became steely in a way I'd never heard before.

"Do we run or do we fight?"

"Can't outrun her."

I swiveled my head around and looked at our combat zone. There were too many hiding places and not enough high ground.

I didn't like this. I wasn't a leader, none of them were seasoned fighters, and Gemma and Chessie weren't fighters at all.

"Gigi, John, teleport Gemma and Chessie outta here," I ordered.

"I won't leave Jax." Gigi shook her head.

"Nor I you." Gemma frowned at me.

I scowled back.

"Um, I want to leave." Chessie was dead white. "Sorry, I'm not abandoning you, but this is suicide for me. I have zero defenses."

"I can't leave Tara." John shook his head.

"It takes you two seconds to blip there and back again!" Tara whacked him on the shoulder. "Get Chessie to safety, then come back. I'll live four or five seconds without you."

"You'd better," he rumbled.

He released her hand, grabbed Chessie's elbow, and flashed out.

"Tell us what to do, Kerry." Gemma squared up her shoulders.

Suddenly, all of our phones squawked in a weird tone I hadn't heard before.

"Emergency signal." Jax reached into his pocket and pulled his out. "The wards have been tripped. Something really bad is going down somewhere."

"Uh, I think we're at the epicenter of it." Gigi's eyes were fixed on the sky. "Why didn't it go off earlier, when she entered the Sanctuary? Why now?"

I glanced around and, sure enough, eyes glittered everywhere.

Dropping Gemma's hand, I reached across my waist like I was drawing a sword. My favorite weapon appeared in my hand as the others stared at me.

"Dude! You can materialize weapons and you summon a sword?" Jax's eyes bugged out. "We're in an aerial assault! You don't think a rocket launcher would have been better?!"

"It's called a katana, and it's not for her." I jerked my head toward the playground. "It's for them. Pretty sure they're what set off the wards."

Little green figures crept out from their hiding places, swinging from the monkey bars and jumping off the sliding board.

Gigi screamed and Tara took a few stumbling steps back. Jax dropped an f-bomb, which made me smirk. Usually it was only me who had to watch his language.

Gemma stood like a statue next to me. Glancing down at her, I saw she was a little pale, but her eyes were determined and her hands were clenched into fists.

My brave, brave angel.

John reappeared and his eyes found Tara first before he looked at me.

"Got a plan?" he asked.

"You ever handle a sword?" I held out the katana to him, and he took it.

"No, but I'll figure it out real quick."

Well, I may not be a leader, but I'm gonna give it my best shot.

"I'll take the harpy. Try to keep the gremlins off me. You can kill them like any animal, but don't let them bite you. Their venom is poison."