Part 17 (1/2)

Whatever it was, it pa.s.sed, the chill evaporating and warmth returning.

'I'm fine. Let's get them.'

He nodded, his expression determined as he moved forward. She stayed right at his side as they approached the demons.

'Aim for a wide burst. Stall them, then keep hitting them with the light. It'll take a little more than normal to bring these down.'

'Got it.'

The demons were close enough now that the smell was even worse than before, stealing her breath. 'Oh, G.o.d, that stench is awful!' She gagged.

'Yeah. You'll get used to it.'

'Not without a gas mask or clothespin on my nose. G.o.d almighty.'

'Pick one and start hitting it. I'll get the other two.'

'I'll take the one on the right.' Without hesitating, she aimed and fired, the blue blast of light stunning the demon. It froze as if in suspended animation. Gina used the momentary pause to move to the right of the demon, then readjusted her settings to widen the UV array.

It didn't take the stun too long, advancing on her again. She clicked to fire, but her gun jammed.

s.h.i.+t. She backed up, keeping one eye on the approaching demon while simultaneously trying to jimmy the mechanism on her rifle. Derek was too busy firing at two demons to be of any help to her, and no way was she going to distract him. She'd just have to figure this out on her own.

Thank G.o.d these things weren't fast, but she didn't like the way it was moving in on her. Taking a quick glance behind her, she realized she'd soon be out of room. There was a cliff behind her with a sharp drop-off, a wall of mountain to her right, and Derek and his two demons to her left.

And the G.o.dd.a.m.n gun still wouldn't fire.

The demon crept closer, its arms outstretched. She could really smell the thing now, her stomach rolling at the putrid stench.

She was out of options.

'Derek,' she whispered.

He can't hear you if you don't open your mouth and yell, idiot.

She didn't want to bother him, but d.a.m.n, the demon was drawing closer.

A blinding flash to her left drew her attention momentarily. One demon down, but the other was advancing on Derek. His gaze shot to her.

'What?'

'Trigger mechanism is stuck.'

's.h.i.+t.' He looked at her, the mountain, the cliff, and at both the demons advancing on them. 's.h.i.+t,' he said again.

Her thoughts exactly.

'What do we do?'

He fired on his demon again, the wide array slowing it, but not doing its intended job. The demon walked right through the UV light.

'That's not good,' he said. 'We need stronger UV light.'

h.e.l.l of a time to figure that out. She felt off balance, teetering on the edge of the cliff. The mountain to their right was sheer, with no footholds. Nothing to climb.

And sure as h.e.l.l they weren't getting out straight ahead. The demons drew closer.

'We need to get out of here, Derek. Now!'

'I know! Give me a minute, G.o.ddammit. I'm thinking.'

They didn't have a minute left.

Derek turned and peered over the cliff, then looked at her, determination fixed on his face.

When she caught his thought process, her eyes widened. 'Are you serious?'

'I hear water rus.h.i.+ng. It'll be fine.'

'No.'

'Now, Gina.'

'Oh, h.e.l.l no!'

'No time to argue.'

Before she knew what was happening, he'd swept his arm around her and plunged them both over the cliff.

She left her stomach on the precipice, her high-pitched scream ringing in her ears as they plummeted over the edge into the abyss.

Chapter Fourteen.

I nstinct told Derek the water was deep, the fall not high enough to hurt them. He didn't know why his gut told him that, or why he believed it, but he did. nstinct told Derek the water was deep, the fall not high enough to hurt them. He didn't know why his gut told him that, or why he believed it, but he did.

They landed feet first in the water, which was deep enough they didn't even touch bottom. Derek fought to the surface, clinging to Gina the entire time. She sputtered as her head shot up out of the water, muttering a string of curses.

'Are you deliberately trying to kill us both?'

'I told you we'd be fine.'

'You're certifiably insane,' she shouted over the sound of the waterfall.

He grinned, just d.a.m.n happy to be alive right now.

They swam to sh.o.r.e and dragged themselves and their gear out of the water.