Free York by Susan A. Bliler Page B

surrounded by a wall.  No one gets in or out without permission.  She’s safe, my heart.”
    Sitting quietly, she processed all the information.  To his credit, York didn’t push her.  He simply held her and waited.
    “You didn’t answer me,” she peeked up.  “When are we leaving?”
    “Soon, love.  Trust me; I don’t want you here any longer than necessary.  Monroe has asked me to track the Megalya that are here.  We have to keep tabs on them, so we know where our enemies are.  If they’re going to build a hive here, I’ve got to report it.”
    “Hive?”
    They congregate in underground facilities.  We call them hives.  It’s where they take their victims, and…  He let his words die off.
    “I want to go home,” she moaned.   For the first time in her life, she missed her crappy little apartment back in Washington State.
    “Soon,” he promised pulling her into him and bending to kiss the top of her head.  “Soon.”

Chapter 14
    “I’m coming with you,” Sky argued.
    “No.  You’re not!”
    They’d spent the day together.  Mostly, York had answered the numerous questions Sky had, but after dinner when he’d informed her that he was going out, all hell had broken loose, and he couldn’t blame his Sky.  She was too afraid to stay alone, and he was equally afraid to leave her, but he was  just as fearful of bringing her with him.
    “What if I have a run -in with them?  It’s possible, Sky.  It’d be best if you stay here.”
    “NO!”  Her eyes rounded in fear as she stared at the door.  “What if they come and take me while you’re gone?”  She walked up to him and grabbed his shirt.  “Please, don’t leave me here.”
    Fuck!  How could he say no when she looked at him like that?  Worse, he could scent her fear. She was genuinely terrified of the Megalya finding her while he was out.
    “You said you’d protect me.”
    He stiffened.
    “So do it!”
    ***
    “Stay back,” York hissed quietly, planting a hand against Sky’s chest and pushing her back against the wall.  Bringing her had been a bad idea.  He’d found a hive.  Or so he thought, but he couldn’t get close to it without leaving Sky unprotected.  Something he couldn’t do with so many Megalya in the vicinity.  He cursed under his breath.  If he’d left her  at the motel, he could have shifted to bird form and flown above the area.  As it was, he was relegated to lurking in back alleys with Sky in tow. 
    Watching as a Megalya ducked into an underground parking garage, York decided he’d take Sky back to their hotel and come back while she slept.
    “Come on .” He grabbed her hand, pulling her quickly along behind him as he hurried in the opposite direction of the Megalya.
    “Did you see a hive?  Is it here?”
    He didn’t answer.  The fine hairs on the back of his neck were on end, and something just didn’t feel right.  He pulled Sky closer and moved faster. 
    “York?”
    He heard the fear in her voice, but couldn’t respond.  His inner beasts were surfacing with the warning that was coursing through him.  Turning, he ducked down an alley.  A short cut, but he slammed to a halt when a figure appeared in the darkened end of the alley before him.
    Sky slammed into his back and cursed “Shit!”  She made to go around him, but his hands locked on her hips and held her immobile.  “York?”  She peeked around him and saw the shadowy figure.  She swallowed hard when another joined it, then another, and another.
    “When the fighting starts, run to the stairwell at the end of the alley,” York ordered darkly.
    Fighting?  What fighting?  No!
    Sky gripped his arm, “ Let’s run!”
    “We can’t outrun them.”  He was peeling off his jacket.  “Do as I said and run when I tell you.”
    “B-but what about you?”
    “I’m a Walker, Sky.  I’m trained to kill.  Don’t worry about me; just get your ass back to our hotel.  Have the front desk re-dial the last number