BLOODLINE The Last Sanctuary | A Novel | By @WendyyWolfe

[35] Over The Horizon

Verbena had all the children gathered there with Haven, Keith, Donelle and Monica. Nathan, Lara, Buck and Cole were still out there. Verbena crawled to Deag and grabbed his arm.

"Where's Hollis! And Seth!" she shouted.

When she received no reaction from him, she shook him angrily. "Where are they, damn you!"

Len snatched her arm and threw a hand over her mouth, his arm around her waist and pulled her back. "Be quiet," he whispered hotly, "your going to get us all killed!"

She fought against him trying to free herself, but Len threw her on the ground and laid on top of her. "Verbie..."

She gave up and lay there sobbing.

Len got up and Deag gave him his rifle, and he left slipping around through the darkness for the trail that led up to where Nathan and Lara had been. He scrambled on his hands and knees using small brush limbs and rocks to find a way up without being seen.

As more gunfire pelted the area around them sending small rocks and debris flying Len muttered a curse, frantic now to reach the top.

When he got closer to the top Len hollered for Nathan but Nathan was already there, pulling Len up the last few feet and they ran to cover. Lara sat on point with the scope of a rifle trained on the area, beside her were Buck and Cole.

"What the hell, Buck!" Len called out.

"I took off up here with the first shot," Buck answered, "I couldn't see a damn thing from down there!" His voice was strained. "Is everyone okay down there?"

"If they stay down on the ground," Len bit back. "You got any sights on anyone?" he rasped.

Lara interrupted. "I do. We got five. They spread out around the camp. We should be able to take them if we can wait it out, but if they have more than I counted we might be screwed."

Another round of gunfire sprayed the camp area with a few reaching their position.

Lara returned fire on them in the general direction she could determine but she was answered with more of the same.

Len joined her at the ledge with his fifty calibers. A volley of bullets struck the trees surrounding them and they all hit the ground and took cover. Instantly Lara and Buck returned fire again but this time they were met fire from the west. A bullet struck the limbs above Nate and he fired back in that direction as Lara and Buck continued defensive fire.

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The moments seemed like hours to Haven who sat trembling in fear, holding her daughter to her breast. Her brain tried to process the facts, but all thoughts led to Seth. Her breath caught in hiccupping sobs and she fought back a screaming cry, holding her breath tightly in her throat and looking down at the infant that fidgeted and squirmed in her arms. The child fussed and cried out with the frustration of being so tightly pressed against Haven. Haven looked up for help and Verbena crawled over to them.

"Give her the breast Haven, and she'll settle."

Haven lifted her shirt and cradled the baby to her breast and as Verbena said she immediately calmed down after latching and Haven let out a sigh. Verbena stayed there beside them as Donelle hugged the kids, and Monica made her way over and they all huddled together in the dark.

Keith kept his pistol trained toward the dark emptiness around them. Deag grabbed a rifle and took a stance in front of the huge boulder that hid his kids and his Mother.

As gunfire exploded around them, Monica jumped in terror and Keith knew they were closing in on the camp.

Rois, Neala and Payton started to cry, and Monica grabbed her son pressing his face into her chest. Donelle embraced Monica and felt her slight body trembling with fear.