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He glanced at Alex, and what he saw in her expression spiked the hair on his neck. In her glowing eyes, he witnessed something primal emerging. The likes of which he’d seen once before. It was the same look she’d laid on him the night she’d nearly melted his brain.

The faerie-turned-vampire wasn’t scared. Nope. Not at all. She was pissed off. Who could blame her when the bastards had ruined her day off?

“They have us surrounded. Now what?” Vivian yelled.

Alex spun to face the copters, taking two aggressive steps forward and flaring her hands at her sides. “Now, I turn their fears into reality,” she grated, tiny fangs peeking out from behind her lips.

Swirling strands of damp hair lifted from her nape. Jericho stood at her back and wrapped an arm around her, the two a united front. Jericho muttered something into Alex’s ear, words Liam couldn’t make out.

The helicopters dipped and swerved. Shit, it was working. Liam stared, dumbfounded. That was his Sunshine doing that.

Alarms sounded. The kind of alarm that typically preceded someone shouting, “Mayday, mayday, we're going down.”

Through one of the open doors, a male in black fatigues tumbled out of the helicopter, arms clasped around his helmet. On his biceps glinted a gold band.

Zion. Liam figured as much.

Blood trickled from Alex’s nose. “There’s too many of them.” Her voice wavered. “I’m not strong enough.”

“Focus on the pilots,” Jericho commanded.

Motors groaned. The massive machines rocked and pitched toward one another. The rotors crossed, then ripped apart. Metal shrieked, and the birds collided. One spun out of control, the tail shearing off.

“Get down,” Liam shouted, grabbing Vivian. Jericho hefted Alex off her feet, and they dove for cover. Chunks of debris whizzed over their heads, and metal shrieked. Machinery hissed and whined, the engines winding down.

Liam braced his body over Vivian’s and raised his head. Farther down the trail, the demons did the same, though they were slower to recover, rising sluggishly from the snowbanks. There was a reason fire demons avoided the cold.Hope you freeze your balls off, fuckers.

He glanced back at the fallen helicopters. Zion’s men spilled out of the wreckage, the vampires wounded, yet still a formidable threat.

“We need to get a move on.” Liam stood and helped Vivian out of the snow. Again. “You okay?” She nodded, her ivory skin even paler than usual.

“Alex. Alex?” Jericho rested on his elbow, cupping his Bride’s cheek. Alexandra lay on her back, eyes closed, unresponsive.

Sunshine!Liam raced to her side. “Was she hit?”

Jericho scooped his Bride into his arms, expression grim. “Just drained. She’ll be fine in a bit.”

Gunfire rang out, and a fireball whooshed over their heads. Heat painted the side of Liam’s face.

He met Jericho’s eyes. “Got any ideas?”

“There’s a cave not far from here,” Jericho suggested. “Got some supplies stored there just in case the cabin was ever compromised and Alex and I needed to flee. Entrance is narrow. We hole up inside. They’ll have to come at us one at a time.”

Sure, that would all be fine and dandy until they tossed a fireball after them. Viv was likely to freak out in the enclosed space, but it wasn’t like they had any other options. “It will have to do,” Liam agreed, masking his apprehension.

Vivian grasped his elbow, fear written all over her face. “Do you think we can outrun them?”

Looking into her eyes, he had a terrible feeling he was about to fuck things up again. He nodded, lying, “Absolutely.”

“Follow me.” Jericho hoisted Alex over his shoulder and ran as fast as the snow allowed.

Fire burnedin Vivian’s calves. She trudged through the frigid landscape. Snow crunched beneath her boots, and her labored breaths roared in her ears. There was no need to mask her fear from Liam, seeing as how her face was frozen in place. They crested the hill and broke free of a cluster of pines.

When their raggedy group paused, she braced her palms on her knees, panting, “I can’t. Feel. My legs.”

“It’s just over the next ridge.” Jericho eased Alex off his shoulder and cradled her in his arms. He stroked her cheek, smoothing hair from her face, his worry evident. Liam could fuss and grumble about his little Sunshine being mated all he wanted. Vivian had never seen a vampire more enamored with his Bride. She imagined it had to be killing Liam, knowing they’d put the couple in danger.

Voices shouted behind them. Liam twisted his head, eyeing the woods. “They’re gaining on us.”