Page 24 of Summer Holiday Lifeline

Inspecting the cuts, he decided the horrible sting made them feel worse than they were. Grunting and squeezing his eyes shut against a wave of dizziness, he gripped the door frame to pull himself back to his feet, leaving a smear of blood behind on the painted wood.

The sight amped up his queasiness, and he wavered.

“Shit.” He watched a splash of red drop to the hardwood of the hall floor, and another wave of nausea overcame him. He had to sit, so he slumped to the floor, watching more drops seep into his jeans.

His head spun.

“This is not good.”

When the faintness overcame him, he was very glad to have the floor under his ass already.

From a distance, he knew the house was freaking out. Lights flashed and doors opened and slammed with loud cracks of wood on wood.

Sweat broke along his forehead and down his back. He should get up. He didn’t.

The house began to bang the heavy front door open and closed.

CHAPTER SIX

“The hell?” Myles jolted at a sharp crack of sound echoing down the street. He reared to his feet, almost knocking over his dining table when it came again.

Kreed appeared in the kitchen pass-through, and Lucky’s head came around from where he’d been clearing a table.

“Uncle Myles?” Jet’s face went pale.

“Take your sister upstairs,” Myles ordered as the sound came again.

From the kitchen, there was a crash, then Tris’s voice, too high and thin, calling Ozzy’s name. When he glanced over, Kreed was vanishing from the opening, saying something to Ozzy, and then there was another bang.

“Go, Jet.” He didn’t have time for Ozzy.

Jet nodded and picked Shelly up. “C’mon, Shells. We got some yummy snacks and a movie for dessert, yeah?” He stopped at the bottom of the steps, turning. “Where are you going?”

There was another bang, clearly coming from outside, and Myles peered out the window. “Go upstairs,” Myles said again.

“Come with us.”

“Jet, do as you’re told!”

“Uncle Myles!”

“Go!” Myles shoved Jet up the first two steps. “I’ll go see what’s going on.”

“No!” Jet grabbed onto his wrist and clung. “You have to stay with us.”

“You go with your sister. Stay up there until I come back.”

“What if⁠—”

Myles freed his arm and took Jet’s face between his hands. “Go. Nothing is going to happen. I promise.”

Jet glowered, yanked free, and pushed him away. “You can’t promise that.” But he spun and ran up the stairs, going faster than Myles would have anticipated, considering Shelly’s weight in his arms.

When he turned back to the dining room, the other diners were already being herded into the kitchen, Lucky looking pale but holding the door for them. “Go,” he whispered.

From outside came another bang, drawing Myles’s attention back to the window.

“Be careful!” Lucky called as Myles hurried out the front door.