Page 103 of Ravaged Devotion

Didn’t really make sense to. If they needed to get back in quickly, having to use the key would be more of a detriment than anything.

They were close to their destination when Rue recalled who else was in there. He slowed, Penn exclaiming loudly when he bumped into him, the noise drawing Ryker’s attention.

The Black Hart frowned at him, then seemed to realize what Rue just had.

Ishleen’s body wasn’t the only one they’d left behind.

“I…” He didn’t want to see Lenore. Didn’t want to know whether or not the monster had eaten her too after getting its fill of Ishleen.

“Stand outside with your back to the entranceway,” Ryker ordered. “Stay where I can see you. I’ll be quick.”

“What are you two going to do?” Penn glanced between them, then toward the room they were walking to. “What’s in there?”

“Keep with him,” Ryker said. “The two of you on watch is better than—”

Just as Ryker reached the open doorway, a cry came, followed quickly by Hollis.

The man shot forward, brandishing a knife.

It was aimed straight for Ryker’s chest, and because he’d been caught off guard, the Black Hart only had enough time to move out of the way so the blade cut through his arm instead.

Ryker lifted the muzzle of the blaster in his right hand and fired a single shot directly beneath Hollis’s chin.

Hollis’s head snapped back, body standing in place for half a second, before tumbling to the ground.

“Holy shit!” Penn jumped behind Rue. “What the hell?!”

Rue elbowed Penn to get him to release his shoulders and rushed to Ryker. The knife had gone straight through the fleshy side of his left arm. Blood was already spilling down, plopping off his fingers to pool on the ground.

Without thinking, he went to Hollis’s body and tore off a strip of material from his t-shirt, which he then used to staunch the bleeding. He made it as tight as he could, grimacing when Ryker grunted in pain.

“Check the back of his neck,” Ryker instructed once they’d done everything they could for his arm. He was able to still flex his fingers despite the injury, and when he caught Rue watching instead of moving to follow the command, he smiled reassuringly. “It looks worse than it is. He didn’t even get half an inch of the blade in before I moved. Don’t worry.”

Rue wanted to argue, but there was no point. He turned to Hollis again and knelt down, tilting his head to the side so he could see his neck. At first, there didn’t appear to be anything there, but when he leaned in closer, he caught sight of the edges of what looked like a small strip of clear tape.

“Don’t touch it,” Ryker stopped him when he reached to peel it off. “I don’t know how the effects work. Best not to come into contact with it at all.”

“What is it?” Penn leaned over, trying to get a look. “Is there something stuck to the back of his neck? Why?”

“It’s a drug,” Ryker said.

“We’re pretty sure that’s what’s making everyone go crazy,” Rue added, getting back to his feet. “Let’s go find Ell—”

They all heard the sound of the creature at the same time, turning to see it barreling toward them. It must have been sleeping in one of the open rooms that they hadn’t passed, and the commotion with Hollis woke it up.

Ryker grabbed Rue’s hand and ran across the hall, shoving him through the door to a bathroom. He didn’t pull the door closed, but he left him, moving to take position across from the oncoming monster. The blaster was lifted and he fired four shots, one after the other, with a level of precision that honestly would have been impressive if Rue wasn’t so terrified.

One shot to each eye, one between them, and one to the throat.

The creature skidded to a halt, sliding partially across the wooden floor to come to a stop ten or so feet away.

It was surprisingly easy to kill when there wasn’t fog to help hide it. But then, that might also be because Ryker appeared more confident on where it needed to be shot, now that they had a theory on what it was.

“Careful,” Rue warned when Ryker headed toward it, gun still lifted.

As if in answer, the Black Hart slipped the switchblade from his pocket, not taking his eyes off the creature, even when Rue moved to join him next to it.

“What the hell is that?” Penn stared at it in horror. “Frenzy bears don’t have antlers. Or…” He retreated toward the bathroom, as though it were safer there since it was the place Ryker had chosen to put Rue. “Or spark!”