“Just a minute,” I said, scanning the mouth of the alley for any sign of movement. “We need a plan.”
Asher’s laugh was bitter. “Thought you always had one.”
I turned to glare at him, but the anger died when I saw the sheen of sweat on his forehead.
The pain etched into the corners of his mouth.
The bastard was hurting, and I’d dragged him through hell just to keep him alive.
My chest tightened in a way I didn’t want to examine.
“We can’t stay here long,” I said, more to myself than him. “They’re swarming the place.”
“Yeah,” he muttered. “I noticed.”
His eyes met mine, dark and guarded.
There was something else there, though. Something raw and vulnerable he probably didn’t even realize he was showing me.
I hated that it twisted something deep inside me, made me want to protect him in a way that went beyond survival instinct.
Damn it.
“Look,” I said, my voice low, “I can get us out of here, but you need to trust me. Can you do that?”
He stared at me, the silence stretching. Then, finally, he nodded. “I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”
I smirked. “Not really.”
I took another quick glance at the alley’s entrance, then further down the narrow passage.
It led out onto another street, quieter and less exposed. It was a risk, but it was our best shot.
“Come on,” I said, slipping my arm around his waist again. “We’re almost out of this mess.”
He didn’t resist this time, letting me bear more of his weight.
His body was warm against mine, each shaky breath a reminder of just how fragile humans were.
A reminder I couldn’t afford to forget.
We moved slowly, the world narrowing to the next step.
Every sound was amplified. The distant murmur of voices, the soft scrape of our feet against the pavement, the dull throb of my own pulse in my ears.
We reached the end of the alley, and I peered around the corner.
The street was mostly empty, save for a parked car and an old man sweeping the sidewalk in front of a shop.
No sign of hunters. Not yet.
“We’re clear,” I whispered. “Let’s go.”
As we stepped out, Asher’s leg buckled. I caught him before he hit the ground, my grip tightening around his waist.
“Shit,” he hissed, his face contorted in pain.
“We’re almost there,” I said, trying to sound reassuring even though my gut was a knot of anxiety. “Just hold on.”
