Zach ducked into the stairs. All human attention was focused on the fight. These guys could axe murder the four of them, and no one would likely notice.
The Were from below had reached the stairs. Kade grabbed the rail and vaulted it. There was the crunch of impacting flesh, followed by a roar that could never have come from a human throat.
Cara and Jessie didn’t even break stride. Zach hit the landing in time to see Kade throw the Were into the wall and drive both fists into his opponent’s stomach. It wasn’t until he pulled them back that Zach saw he’d grown his claws.
They dripped blood.
The Were slumped as blood poured from his belly.
Jessie hesitated, but Cara pulled her past the crumpled body and into the street.
“He’ll bleed to death,” Jessie protested.
“Trust me, he’s only out for this fight. He’ll be fine.” Kade pelted after them. He yanked his phone free and began yelling into it. Zach caught snatches of it. He was calling his Sabres. Telling them where they were.
They emerged at the southeast corner of the parkade.
“Damn. Not that way.” Jessie pointed to a hulking humanoid form that jogged toward them from the avenue running east.
They spun the other direction. Three more approached from the north.
“Or that one. What the frigging hell do we do now?”
There were only a few people around. Not nearly enough. They needed more.
Cara pivoted in a swirl of crystalline tinkles, heading west along the four lanes of traffic which formed the south border of the parkade. She steered them toward the next intersection, where Memorial Blvd’s seven lanes were always busy.
They’d only gone a hundred feet when a group of four appeared from Memorial, and advanced on them.
Jessie grabbed Cara’s arm as they halted. “Dammit.”
When Cara paused, Zach took them over the thigh-high vehicle barricade, and back into the parkade on the ground level.
They ran between the parked cars, earning startled glances from the few humans standing near their vehicles.
The pursuing Weres jumped the barricade and followed. They could have closed the gap easily, but the curious humans held them in check.
The same thought must have occurred to Jessie. “At what point do they stop caring and wolf out?”
“They won’t,” Cara assured her. “Not as long as there are people around.”
Zach searched for pursuing Dires as they ran. Were they still on the parkade’s second level? A white van pulled into view ahead. It skidded their way. Cara immediately ducked between more parked cars, but the weaving slowed them down. Their hunters gained ground.
Jessie shot Zach a look, her eyes wide and worried. “This isn’t working.”
The Dires spread out, intending to surround their prey. The white van blocked them from the exit to the street. When Cara paused again, Kade blasted by her. The Sabre Were headed straight for the parkade connection to the old Bay store.
“Zach,” he panted. “Are they on the ground level of the store?”
Zach cast his mental presence in that direction. Third level, a few. Some on the second, but most had exited into the parkade. Those were now descending the parkade stairs. A couple were on the ramp.
“Not yet,” he said as the glass access doors loomed. They were bolted shut.
Kade didn’t even break stride. He lowered his head, extended his arms, and hit the doors with everything he had.
Which, as it turned out, was quite a bit. With a horrible screech of rending metal and shattering glass, the doors gave way. Kade’s arms streamed blood, but he turned to lift Cara through the shattered remnants. Zach grabbed Jessie. The resulting surge of her power caused him to trip on the door sill.
“Hey, I’m good.” She shook herself free from his grip.
