Page 94 of The Vampire's Redemption

Gabby did not know how long the effect of the tranquilizers would last. There was no more time to waste.

“Sorry.” She kicked one vampire in the stomach, putting all her weight behind it. He crashed into the metal table. She stabbed the other with her saber and pinned him to the rock wall. The vampire wailed and screamed and struggled but was too deranged to realize he could pull out the sword.

Gabby dashed to her tranq gun, reloaded it, and shot one vampire after another.

With her opponents down, she raced to Felix. He was bleeding, but his feral, fangs-bared grin told her he was enjoying the fight.

When Conrad turned to help them, she gave a quick shake of her head.No, you and Ahmed put the others back in the cages and chain them shut.

Got it.

She dug the additional tranquilizer darts from Felix’s pack and loaded her gun. While Felix fought, she shot at the bobcat from the side. It took eight darts before the shifter collapsed at Felix’s feet. Felix’s chest heaved from exertion, the last bit of his wounds closing.

Every time he was injured, Gabby reminded herself he was fine. Maybe one day in the future, she would stop freezing with fear. Now that they fought side by side, she empathized with his over-protectiveness, not that she’d ever allow him to leave her behind. Just as she had faith in his abilities, he had to do the same for her.

They were equals, even with their unreasonable terror for the other’s life.

“You didn’t have to fight him for so long,” she said as they dragged the bobcat, which must’ve weighed a ton, back to its cage. Her muscles protested and her lungs burned from the effort.

A devilish grin. “Where is the fun in that?”

Nikolas and Andrea had taken down the bear. Nikolas’ shirt was gone, his pants torn in places and covered with a mixture of dirt and gore. A nasty gash on his side oozed blood as the wound knitted together. His face was gaunt, as if he hadn’t fed in months.

Gabby wasn’t sure she looked any better.

It took Nikolas, Felix, and Conrad to drag the bear to its cage. Good thing they’d done it because Maria and the first wolf were struggling to their feet. The wolf shook itself, confused. Its nostrils flared before its red eyes focused on them. It lunged at them, teeth snapping, and banged against the bars. The chains they used to secure the gates clanged and rattled under the wolf’s onslaught.

Her heart shattering into pieces, Gabby shot another tranquilizer into Maria. She consoled herself with the fact it was better than Maria rushing at the cage and hurting herself from the silver.

“Any thoughts on how to get out of here?” Felix asked.

“That’s the easy part.”

They glanced over to where Andrea stood at the blocked entrance, which now had a door-shaped hole in it.

At their surprised looks, she grinned, smug. “I said you might need me.”

“You could’ve opened it earlier,” Conrad grumbled.

“I was too busy avoiding getting pummeled by a bear, if you recall.” She glared before taking the exit to the other side

“Wait,” Felix said before they followed her.

“What is it?” Gabby was keen to leave before another nasty surprise popped up.

“Give me a second.” Felix went to the overturned metal tables, then back along the cages. His nostrils flaring, eyes narrowed. He strolled around the entire cavern as though they had all the time in the world.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I recognized another scent. I wanted to make sure,” Felix explained.

Another scent? Gabby couldn’t tell anything else beneath the stench of decay, blood, and violence.

“I did too,” Nikolas concurred.

“What is it?” She looked between them, biting back her impatience.

“I don’t know.” Felix’s brows furrowed. “But I recognize the scent from Vegas.”