Page 191 of After the Burn

Shit.

The surprise had bought us minutes, not a victory.

A man sprinted toward Adrian while another cut across the yard toward Lucas and me. The third stayed closer to Caesar, rifle raised as he searched the darkness for whoever was firing from outside the fence.

Adrian shifted behind the fuel truck. “Two coming!”

“I see them.” Lucas stepped away from me, hatchet loose in his hand.

The first man reached us, his weapon whistling through the air with a menacing sound. I understood immediately that he wasn’t enhanced. He was way too slow.

I ducked beneath his axe, drove my knife into his side, and ripped it free as I moved past him. Lucas caught the back of his shirt and finished him with the hatchet before he could turn.

The second man hit Lucas from the side. Lucas staggered but stayed upright.

I lunged.

The guard blocked my knife arm and shoved me backward hard enough that my boots skidded across the gravel.

Lucas buried his shoulder into the man’s stomach, and they went down together. I stepped in and kicked the guard’s knife away before he could reach it.

“A little help?” Lucas grunted.

“You look like you have it under control.” I grinned, enjoying myself way more than was normal in this situation.

“Taryn.”

I smiled and drove my blade into the man’s throat.

Lucas rolled away as the man went still. “Teamwork,” he said, breathing hard.

“Again?”

He laughed, caught the back of my neck, and kissed me hard on the mouth.

“We’re being shot at, idiot.”

“I missed you.” He shrugged.

That ridiculous warmth hit my chest again, but before I could answer, Adrian yelled. “Move!”

Lucas grabbed my arm, and we dove behind the truck. Gunfire ripped through the spot where we’d been standing.

Metal pinged above my head, and I pressed my back against the tire. “These dicks are beginning to piss me off.”

Lucas checked his gun. “Lucky for us, they aren’t pussies. We’d have no chance then.”

I gave him an unamused look as a shadow dropped beside us.

Beck.

Blood covered the front of his shirt, but most of it didn’t appear to be his.

“Caesar has at least five men trying to push around the north side.”

“How many are enhanced?” Lucas leaned out around the tire and fired off a shot.

“Two that I know of.”