Silently Hunted

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Ezekiel watched as the light left the vamps eyes. Looking down instead at the half angel still unconscious on the floor. He was starting to worry over her state. As he saw chains in his peripheral vision he turned viciously on his new prey. “I would not if I were you.” At the shocked looks he received from those who had heard. He cleared his throat tried to think through the possessiveness. “Leave her to me. I know I can take her, it’s the vamp we need to make secure now. I want him alive.” The shock turned to understanding as his orders were followed with a nod.

Zeke!

Taharial! What has happened? There was an urgency he hardly ever heard her use. This was not something he knew how to deal with.

It’s Tabbris! I do not think he has long!

Not thinking he ran. Towards where his connection to his people lead him. Only to find at the top of the cellar stairs a bloody mess that had once been one of his closest friends. “Tabbris?” Going down hard on his knees, he tried to figure out what could be done. There were too many holes, too much blood. He tried on the psychic plane to catch and hold his friend to this world. What he found there almost had him flying back down the stairs. And literally taking the head off of the vamp currently drugged down there. Damn the consequences of Anya’s truth. Though he knew his friend would not want the end of the world to be on his death.

“What have we got?” Looking up to see eyes glistening with tears, the lithe strength that was Taharial looked awful. Blood seeping down her arm. He needed her with him. With Tabbris down she had become his second here. “Taharial!” he knew it was harsh, but he needed her with him.

She seemed to shake herself and met his gaze with slightly clearer eyes. Nodded and reached to the pack a fellow angel had just passed over. Pulling out all the latest gadgets for healing that he really had no idea how to use. He could field dress a wound and that is as far as he could go. But this, he was not sure anything at all would help here. The pooling blood was starting to form a sickening slow drip waterfall over the edge of steps. His leathers being stained by the blood he had knelt in.

The scanner didn’t seem to be coping with the amount of information that it was trying to process. Hearing the incessant beep as it tried to calculate and rework the injuries into a cohesive list. A list what needed to be dealt with first. He knew that it could come too late. He knew he had to apply pressure to the wounds, but he simply did not have enough hands to complete the job. It was impossible to tell which was the worst wound, for that was what he could work with. His hands, therefore, hovered ineffectually over his second’s body. The deep mahogany skin becoming taking on a grey undertone that spoke of coming death.

“Taharial, what are you doing? Try something, anything.” She had sat back on her heels. Shaking her head at him, she looked stricken. “There is nothing I can do, Zeke. If we were back in our territory, within the high tech facility you helped set up. Then he could have made it, considering his age and powers. But here, in the middle of nowhere…” her breath hitched as she placed the back of her hand over her mouth for a moment. Before she managed to compose herself once more. “Zeke, were in vamp territory, with nothing but a field kit. There is nothing I can do.” She placed one hand on Tabbris’ brow. The familial connection obvious in skin tone and their facial features. But Zeke knew they had created a working bond that had meant they were closer than most cousins.

They had worked too many operations together not to be the perfect team in a silent op. He had no idea how losing that bond was going to affect Taharial. Her skin taking on a golden shimmer as she tried to pour energy into her team member and cousin. Both knowing it was not good enough. The only way it would work was if she literally gave her life for his. And he could not allow that to happen.