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Turning, Harmony tore quickly to the entrance, her weapon clearing her holster as she used the leather strap on the metal case to anchor it to her back and leave her hands free.
"Lance. " She rolled from the entrance, feeling dirt and debris pepper around her as she found the safety of a boulder beyond.
The sons of bitches had managed to come in upwind, which explained why she hadn't smelled them, why she had only felt them. God, she should have heeded her own instincts rather than Lance's.
"Stay down. They're at twelve and three," he barked into the link she had nipped down at the side of her ear. "We have at least a half a dozen out there gunning for us. " He had moved. He was no longer at her back, but in front of her. Scuttling between boulders and fallen logs, Harmony fired at the flashes of fire in the night that indicated their positions.
There might have been more than half a dozen. She peppered the night with gunfire, knowing their best chance was to head down the mountain and get the hell out of there. Standing and fighting wasn't going to work. They were out-manned, and possibly outgunned.
She heard an enraged canine scream as her lips tightened in satisfaction and she turned to the flash of gunfire to her right. The night had erupted with violence.
"We have to head down the mountain," she snapped into the link. "This is no place to make a stand. There's more cover in town and less chance of being trapped. "
"Get out of here," Lance snapped in reply. "I'll be behind you. " She heard it in his voice then, smelled it in the air. He was lying to her. He wasn't just being evasive, which was harder to detect. He wasn't going to follow her.
"What have you done?" she cried into the link, terror racing through her blood. "You go, I'll cover your six. Don't fuck with me here, Lance. "
She heard his curse then.
"Harmony. Go. " Hard demand filled his voice. As did resignation. He wasn't going to come out of that forest alive.
Harmony felt terror race over her flesh, weakening her, nearly collapsing her lungs with her need to scream. They were surrounded, firing was automatic, and she knew the chances of escape were growing slimmer.
Eyes narrowed, she surveyed the flashes of gunfire through the goggles she wore, firing back, hitting what didn't move fast enough, only to have another replace what she hit. She should have known it was a trap. Dammit, she should have never disregarded her own instincts.
"I'm not going without you, Lance. Get a move on it. We head out now. "
"I said go. " His voice was firm, demanding at her ear. She could almost feel his strength, his warmth. She couldn't live without feeling it again.
"We don't have much time. " She heard the tears in her voice, the ragged plea she would have never voiced before. "Get your ass out of here. I'll cover—"
"I love you, Harmony. "
"No! You fucking bastard, don't you do this to me!"
Harmony felt as though she were moving in slow motion. There were too many around them; they were closing in, gaining ground despite the shots she fired and the marks she hit. If they di
dn't go, if they didn't go now, then they were going to die. Lance was picking off his own targets, but he was stationary, keeping their only line of escape open.
"Lance, we can both get out of this," she screamed into the link. "I won't go alone. "
"Go. Now. " His voice was a fierce, commanding lash. "Get your ass back to Estes Park. Dane will find you…"
"No. " She was forced to retreat, searching for a break as she rapidly reloaded and began firing again.
He was too far away from her. She would have to get to him. God, he couldn't do this. He couldn't leave her alone, not now. She couldn't be alone now.
Chills raced over her flesh as she gauged the distance between them. There were fewer assailants now. There was a slim chance that, together, they could shoot their way out of this.
It was a long shot. The path between them was less than twenty-five feet. There was little cover, but enough. Maybe just enough.
"Go on, baby. Get the hell out of here. " Lance's voice was steady, patient. "I'll keep them off your ass. "
"Get ready, I'm coming to you…"
"No!"
"Damn you. We live together or we die together. Take your choice. " ___________
