Chapter 186

I blinked up at her. I couldn’t speak. The disbelief and the fury that welled in me took my breath away.

No.

No, I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t believe it. That woman, Estella, couldn’t have been here. It was supposed to be Candido. It’s always supposed to be Candido. I looked back, hoping to find Candido, hoping to get some idea that he’d ordered her to save me, that he had something to do with it, but he wasn’t where he’d been a moment ago. He was leading another group to fight back the vampires still trapped in the barrier.

“Haul the injured into the truck beds! When full ride out. Grab what medical supplies you can!”

I turned back as Estella’s voice called through the air. “Follow the west flank’s movements. Injured first, medical supplies. Troy and Justice, take the lead on major treatment as needed. Grace and Victory, give them cover! We need to be out of here in five minutes, tops! Hustle up!”

She turned back and looked at me. “Can you stand? Are you injured?”

I bared my teeth at her and lunged at her. How dare she interfere with us? How dare she get in the way of everything that I had been working for? How dare she try to make herself look better in Candido’s eyes? Who did she think she was commanding anyone? Candido was the Alpha king, our king, the only king that mattered, and I was going to be his Luna.

She darted out of the way. I tried to turn and grab her at the last moment, but then, she was gone again and on the other side of the clearing in a flash of light that almost blinded me. I spun around and charged after her, ignoring the battle around us. Ignoring everything but the sight of her still fighting, still getting in between me and Candido. I couldn’t let it go on. Before I even managed to get near her, someone slammed into me. A vampire hissed and sunk its fangs into my shoulder. I shrieked. It felt nothing like when Cillian had bitten me. There was no pleasure, only the horrible sense that it was draining my life away.

It was her fault. The vampire reared back and shrieked. A gleaming silver blade appeared through its chest, and it turned to ash. Again, Estella stood over me.

“Get on a truck,” she said. “You’ve lost too much—”

I lunged at her again, swiping at her with a growl. I didn’t even graze her. She darted back and vanished towards another side of the clearing.

“Get her sedated,” Estella said. “And on the first truck out before she gets herself killed.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” I said. “We’re going to stay and fight these vampires.”

The sound of gunfire died behind me.

“We’re running out of shells!” Angel yelled over. “Status on the injured?”

“We’re fine,” I snarled.

“Starlight, an update?”

“One belligerent injured. Two more getting loaded now,” Estella said. “Armageddon, status?”

I growled at him. “Don’t you address him, I—”

A force shoved me forward. I turned around and found Falcon standing over me. I tried to shove her off, but she punched me so hard I saw stars. My face throbbed, and I was dizzy as she grabbed me and dragged me across the clearing. She lifted me and threw me into a truck bed. She closed the tailgate behind me and thumped her fist on the edge of it.

“Someone get behind the wheel and head out!”

I wavered, dragging myself from the center of the bed as I heard people speaking, Starlight’s people. My face throbbed. My ears were ringing, but I wasn’t going to give up. I wasn’t going to leave Estella here alone with Candido. I wasn’t going to let her take my place.

I hauled myself over the edge of the truck bed and landed on the ground as its engine revved and it started to pull away. The pain that shot through me made my stomach lurch. Had I broken something when I fell? Was it really that high? I tried to clear my vision as tears streamed down my face. I heard Candido’s voice getting closer. My heart lifted as I tried to get to my feet.

“Candido,” I called, struggling to walk towards the sound of his voice. “Candido?”

Why wasn’t he coming? Didn’t he hear me?

I rounded the nearest jeep. Gunfire picked up again, and I saw Candido and Estella nearby. Talking quickly, looking at each other as if they were the only people they could depend on. I staggered forward, finding new strength, and launched myself at him. He turned swiftly and aimed the silver blade in his hand at me.

His eyes were fierce and furious for a moment before he lowered the blade, and his eyes widened with disbelief.

“Hedy, what the—”

“I’m not leaving you here with her!” I cried. “I—”

Estella darted around him. I saw her lift her blade just as he turned around. They each jammed their silver blades into the vampire’s chest. It screeched and vanished. I growled and lunged at Estella, trying to shove her away from him.

“He’s—”

Candido caught me by my shoulder, sending a fresh jolt of pain through me as he yanked me away from her. I shrieked.

“You’re hurting me!”

He turned, lifting his gun. “Starlight,--”

“I’ve got it, just get her out of here!”

“I’m not going!” I yelled. “I’m not leaving! I’m—”

“Angel!” Candido yelled, looking around, but I heard no response. He cursed. “Fuck. Starlight, change of plans!”

I lifted my head, knowing he would see reason. Then the barrier that had surrounded the area flickered and cracked. I could see more vampires trying to get through.

“Hedy, get into a fucking truck and go,” Candido said, releasing me and pushing me back toward one of the trucks. “Starlight, take the left and get out of here!”

“Spare me your chivalry, Armageddon,” she said, firing her gun at another bank of vampires. “And I’m not one of your vigilantes. Worry about your own people! Zeppelin and Crow, take the right. We’ll give Moon Shadow cover, then retreat on my mark to Rendezvous Point B.”

“Point B?” Candido asked.

“Get moving!” Estella said. “The barrier is coming down!”

Candido turned back and grabbed me again. He yelled at the others of Moon Shadow. I heard him talking to Vanessa, but all I could be happy about was that he was coming with me rather than staying with Estella.

He’d chosen me.

“Candido, I—”

He lifted me into the jeep, and while he didn’t throw me, he wasn’t exactly gentle either.

“Go,” he said roughly.

“But, I—”

A sharp breaking sound filled the air. Two of the other jeeps shot off back in the direction we came from. Then, the thundering feet of a bunch of vampires heading our way.

“Brace!” Estella’s voice came from behind us. “Moth!”

Someone rushed up behind us and stood on top of the truck. Clouds gathered in the sky, and lightning struck down. Candido went still. I could see the shock and awe on his face as the vampires caught fire, shrieking and trying to escape the burst of electricity.

Why would he look like that? He could do that. Why wasn’t he doing it now? He’d recovered already. He was strong enough to do it.

Candido shook himself and pushed me toward the truck.

“Get going.”

He left me before I could get a hold of him. I tried to follow him, but the rush of vampires coming in around the barrier and slipping around Moth’s attack was growing. I tried to get to him. I tried to chase after him, but soon, he was too far into the battle. I saw Estella coming to help him, jumping across the truck beds before landing with an arc of silver light beside him.

They did something, I couldn’t see what it was, but it was as if a thick wall had appeared between them and the vampires and shoved them back.

“Turn!” Estella said. Candido twisted in her direction, and she launched something into the air that sent off a bright spark before bursting into flames. The air shook with the sound of the explosion.

“Go!”

Another set of trucks sped off down the cleared pathway, firing at the vampires who followed. I clenched my jaw as I heard others getting into the jeeps and preparing to escape the clearing. Lightning kept striking, giving people cover, but there wasn’t another opening for them to drive through as more vampires seemed to appear.

“Candido!” I cried, knowing that he was going to be overrun soon.

Then, I couldn’t speak.

I didn’t know what to say or think or do as I searched for some way to get to Candido.

Then, I saw a gun nearby.