All Knight Long, Book I: One Warlock's Love Story by Shad O. Walker Read Free Book Online Page A

assistance.
    Milo didn’t answer; instead he said, “We have to get out of here.” Milo propped Zander up and helped him toward the numbered doors.
    “Where are my friends?” Zander cried again. Milo didn’t get a chance to answer. A bolt of lightning struck him square in the back, sending him and Zander tumbling to the ground. Zander smelled burnt flesh and turned to find a patrolman advancing toward him with his rifle raised. Milo’s dead and burning body had Zander partially pinned to the ground. The soldier with the rifle was only a few feet away, with his weapon aimed right on Zander’s chest.
    Zander shut his eyes tight and waited for the lightning from the rifle to burn through his body. He wondered how long he would feel the pain and regretted the fact that he hadn’t told his mother how much he loved her before he’d left home.
    The pain didn’t come. He opened his eyes and saw Tau spring out of nowhere and onto the unsuspecting soldier. Blood spewed everywhere as Tau pinned the soldier down and bit through his uniform and straight through his jugular. Tau turned toward Zander with a ferocity that made him shudder. Then he leapt across the room, gently moved and repositioned Milo’s dead body, and cradled Zander with all the care of newborn. Zander didn’t have time to object. Tau’s was carrying him toward a large hole in the wall with inhuman speed. Zander took a gulp of fresh air as soon as they were outside. Witches, warlocks, shifters, and vampires were fighting soldiers outside the club, but the odds were different out here. The soldiers didn’t have the element of surprise on their side, and the supernaturals ruled the night. Even equipped with night goggles, the soldiers were outmatched.
    There was another loud boom, and the building behind them imploded. Fire trucks and police sirens could be heard off into the distance. Soldiers and supernaturals began disappearing into the night.
    “We have to get out of here!” Tau yelled, with Zander still in his arms. Zander kicked and protested.
    “Giovanni is in there. I can’t just leave him!” Zander yelled. Tau looked conflicted. He didn’t like seeing Zander upset, but he knew that going back inside was nothing short of suicide. Zander tried to wrestle free, but he was unable to release himself from Tau’s protective hold. The sirens grew closer, and the last few walls of Arcane crashed to the ground. Zander moaned and buried his head in Tau’s chest, sobbing.
    “We have to go,” Tau whispered in his ear.
    “Hey you big pussy! Put my friend down!”
    “Giovanni!” Zander raised his head from Tau’s chest in disbelief. Tau set Zander down so that he could embrace his friend.
    “Now I know you weren’t going to leave me,” Giovanni teased.
    “I am so sorry. I didn’t know what to do. I’m so sorry.” Zander sniffled.
    “I could have used some help with the bubble. I see that I need to teach you a few force field spells,” Giovanni said, punching Zander in the chest.
    “I wish I could have done more,” Zander admitted.
    “I saw you back there helping Milo,” Giovanni said. “You do know a few tricks.”
    “May his soul rest,” Zander said, as was the customary saying when the name of any dead witch or warlock was mentioned.
    “May he rest,” Giovanni added.
    “We need to go,” Tau said again, urgently.
    “Is your leg bleeding?” Giovanni asked Zander, already starting a healing spell.
    “It’s nothing. I’ll be fine,” Zander assured him.
    “We have to leave now!” Tau growled at them.
    “We know that!” Giovanni yelled back.
    “My bike is on the other side of the building,” Tau started.
    “Your bike was crushed by the wall like all of the other bikes.” Giovanni rolled his eyes. “Besides, Zander is in no shape to be on motorcycle, and there is no way that I am leaving him alone with you. Zander’s car is just on the next street. We can take the back road to the highway.” There was no more time to