The Extraordinary Heroes of Uspre: An Urban FantasySci-Fi Odyssey by Dorene McLaughlin

Author:Dorene McLaughlin [McLaughlin, Dorene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-11-25T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

The dawning within Donavan happened quickly. Instantly. One moment he hid behind a wooden beam, controlling his breathing, deep in combat simulation mode—the next, his heart was pounding, his feet moving, a snag of a missing second in his conscious: Brian’s time stop.

Laney.

More powerful than the sudden danger that awakened his body was the need to find Laney. To protect her. At first, he fought the impulse drawing him out of hiding, but Jacob streaked past, and in a moment RJ rumbled into the street with them. They sensed it, too. Feet moved toward camp, the same intense alert driving them without knowing why or where.

Laney.

Donavan had kept her within his peripheral during training, but now he had no idea where she’d gone, a good indication that Brian had swept her up in his protective time shield. Somehow that didn’t matter. His body still screamed for her, needed her with him.

Laney, Laney, Laney….

There she was, standing at the end of the street with Brian. Harley and Tag rounded another corner the same second Laney turned her head Donavan’s way. She called his name with a desperation that constricted his own throat. Yet his sprint slowed to a jog when, just as it had enveloped him, the alarm within subsided. Danger passed, a fight no longer imminent, an enemy gone or unfounded. Somehow he knew this, but one look at his comrades confirmed its truth.

The men unloaded the weapons from Brian’s and Laney’s shoulders to arm themselves, though it seemed obvious they were no longer needed. To everyone except Laney, that is. She shrugged off the rifles to the nearest hands, ridding herself of the clunky metal. In a wild charge, she flung herself into Donovan’s arms.

The force nearly knocked him off his feet, and his teeth set against the shock. He embraced her in return then moved away to bring his limbs back into control. She noticed; her expression of concern and need turned to disappointment. Her shoulders slumped as she moved to his side, but she said nothing.

“What was that?” Jacob looked at each of them for any explanation.

“It’s gone,” Brian said.

“How is that?” Tag asked. “How did something get that close to us and get away? Harley?”

All eyes went to their human early-alert system.

Harley shook his head. “Nothin. I got no sign till like a second before the rest of you. It come in fast and then gone....” He continued to shake his head and scowl, looking no one in the eye.

A raw suspicion needled at Donavan, and not for the first time. He worked his jaw, surveying Jacob’s face for signs of similar misgivings but found the closed look unreadable.

“Tell them.” The words came from Donavan before he realized he would say them.

All eyes came his way, and he nodded in Harley’s direction. “Level with us, Harley.”

“What garbage you talkin ‘bout?” Harley’s chin jerked back at Donavan.

“Tell them. Tell them that you can’t feel a thing.” Their eyes locked and everyone got quiet. “Tell them you haven’t felt a thing since we’ve been here.

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