Highland Son (Highland Sorcery: A New Dawn) by Clover Autrey Read Free Book Online

the flame, plunging them in the streaks of moonlight filtering in from the courtyard.
    Everyone sprang to action. Men pulling out the weapons they had on them, others running into the munitions storeroom. The motel office as Ethan had surmised earlier. Some of the women hurried the children into a room off to the left, hopefully a secure area without windows like a maintenance closest.
    Ethan grabbed onto Tapper. “Where’s our equipment? We can help.”
    Tapper flashed them a worried look before dashing off. The rustling of footsteps and hushed breathing was the only sound. Dez stormed over to the storeroom. Hank stood in front of the door and shook his head. No help there.
    “Morons,” Ethan muttered and ran into the stairwell, Dez on his heels.
    Alexander searched for Jewel. He didn’t see her in the quiet rush of people hurrying to their posts. She was most likely already on guard duty. He hoped she hadn’t ventured outside alone again.
    Seeing the children were all taken care of, he ran up the steps, coming out of the stairwell housing onto the flat rooftop and immediately hunched over the same as everyone else, below the four foot extension of the protective walls running around the rooftop.
    From up here the crossing concertina wire over the courtyard looked like a giant metal spiderweb.
    He shouldered in between Dez and Ethan crouched behind the side of the short wall.
    Dez pointed with his first two fingers together toward his left. Alexander barely made out a small colony of the beasts, seven or so, moving parallel to the motel. Moonlight glistened off fleshy blubber and long claws scraping across the cracked sidewalks as they ambled along the broken glass storefront of a strip mall.
    Alexander itched to get down there and have another go at his anti-rift canisters. He looked around for Sheppard to see if he had one of the aerosols on him and hitched in a breath when he found Jewel standing near the east stairwell, her face pinched with strain, fingers pressed against the brick of the stairwell house. Was she ill? Is that why she had missed the gathering after supper?
    He shifted to go to her when Dez whispered. “They’re passing right by.” His voice hinted at his incredulousness. “How do they not smell this many people living in one place?”
    “Wait,” Ethan cautioned.
    One of the beasts scrambled into the street, between the strip mall and the motel’s parking lot, long black claws scraping the cement, muscled legs bent as it swayed side-to-side while it scented the air, nostrils flaring and chuffing.
    Along the rooftop wall, rifles and crossbows creaked within sweating palms.
    The beasts would be on them in minutes. With so many Sifts in the area, it was only a matter of time before Sheppard’s group was discovered.
    Alexander was relieved that he was here to help them when they needed it.
    He drew his magic from deep within himself, feeling the warm press of it flow beneath his skin.
    Let the beasts come. He had something for them.
    “They’re leaving.” Ethan edged closer against the wall, disbelief coating his tone. Once a Sift had your scent they followed it like sharks to blood. There’s no way they could have missed it even from this distance.
    Alexander let his magic subside. As it drew back he caught the faint pulse of another’s essence thrumming in the air. Startled, he whipped around, seeking whomever was working magic.
    Everyone was still and quiet, watching the monsters move away farther down the street.
    All except…Jewel clutched the little building, housing the stairwell exit as though it was the only thing keeping her upright. A thin trickle of blood ran from her nose.
    Her eyes met his and she flinched. She dabbed at the wetness above her lip with her sleeve and then clumsily stumbled into the stairwell.
    Alexander was up and going after her before he realized he was moving. He clamored down the first set of steps, glimpsing Jewel as she exited onto the landing of the