Free Mother May I (Knight Games Book 4) by Genevieve Jack

keep me from tumbling into the stone railing.
    On quick and silent feet, the goblins left the end of my drive to pursue me. I sprinted for Rick’s. A silver arrow hit the road near my feet. I was too exposed on the bridge, but unless I threw myself over the side of it, there was nowhere else to go. Halfway across, the squeal of tires and approaching headlights forced me to scramble out of the way. I slammed into the wall to keep from becoming road kill.
    Blinded by the headlights, I heard the screech of braking tires, and pebbles sprayed against my calves. The car stopped in front of me and the passenger door flew open.
    “Get in!” Rick commanded.
    Breathless, I dove into the leather seat headfirst, transforming the branch back into a wand as quickly as I could. Another barrage of silver arrows rained around us, impaling the hood of the Tesla. Rick threw the car into reverse and slammed on the accelerator, wheels spinning before jerking us backward off the bridge. A hair-raising three-point turn later, I was able to get upright, hook my hand into the passenger door, and slam it closed. A silver arrow crashed through my window, impaling the back of my headrest.
    “When did you learn to drive?” I yelled to Rick.
    “Tonight!” He floored the accelerator.
    “What? How?”
    “I Googled it!” More arrows pinged against the road behind us, but the Tesla was burning rubber out of Red Grove.
    “When did you learn how to use Google?” I asked, staring at the mob of goblins growing more distant behind us.
    “After you bought me the laptop,” he said.
    I stared at his profile, the wind filtering through the broken window behind me and blowing my hair into my face. I gathered it in my hands and stared at him in awe. Had I underestimated Rick? Memory or not, he wasn’t helpless. He blew both stop signs on the way out of town, and I glanced nervously at the dash to find the speedometer topping a hundred.
    “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think you should let me drive,” I said.
    He turned sharp gray eyes on me and flashed an unruly smile. “Not a chance.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    We arrived at the alley behind the Mill Wheel just before dawn. Gary motioned for us to pull the Tesla into one of those twenty-minute oil change places across the street. A group of vampires closed the garage door behind us. As soon as we were out of the vehicle, they covered the Tesla with a tarp
    “This way,” Gary said. He unlocked a door in the back and held it open for me.
    Against my better judgment, I squeezed past him and descended into a musty stone stairwell. Rick followed, pressing into my side and lacing his fingers into mine. I liked the handholding. Not only did it show a level of trust on his part, but there was a sense of protective instinct in the gesture. Rick was watching out for me. Hell, Rick had saved my ass tonight. My heart swelled.
    When Gary closed the door, the darkness was absolute. I lifted my hand and blew against my palm, igniting a tiny blue flame.
    “It’s too dangerous,” Gary said. He bent my fingers to close my hand, effectively extinguishing my magic. “Light carries, and magic light is detectable by other means.”
    “I can’t see in the dark,” I said.
    Rick tucked his arm under mine. “I can,” he whispered.
    I turned my face toward his voice and hugged his arm to my chest. “Okay. Gary, lead the way.”
    We descended into a passageway of darkness. Rick guided me, holding me up by the waist as I tripped on the uneven floor. “What is this place?” I asked.
    “Prohibition tunnels. They were built in 1923 to aid in the smuggling of alcohol between the Carlton City speakeasies.”
    “I’m surprised they’re still sound. Is the roof going to collapse on my head?” I asked.
    “No. They’ve been maintained. They’re used today by my kind to get around during the day. Humans who come down here these days are usually lunch.”
    “Nice,” I said flatly.
    “Not to worry; you are under