Out of the Night Read Online Free PDF Page B

cage's entrance, where she hesitated only a moment before continuing on in.
    The statue was fascinating. The masonry work was so detailed and fine that it gave the piece a lifelike appearance. Intrigued, Lanie pressed a finger against it and found the rough surface cool to the touch.
    "It's amazing," she breathed when Mac came to stand by her side.
    "Yeah. Can we go?"
    Her gaze traveled to the statue's face, mesmerized by the craftsmanship that was so exquisite she could practically see the eyes glowing red in the darkness and drops of moisture running down the long, deadly fangs.
    Then the eyes blinked.

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Chapter 3

     
    Lanie felt herself pushed roughly to the ground and looked up to see a nightmare come to life. Though he struggled, Mac could not escape the creature that held him so effortlessly in its front claws. With his arms pinned to his sides, the gun he held was useless.
    Horrified, she watched the creature draw him close and lower its mouth to his neck. She saw the fangs pierce the skin, but it was the sound of blood being sucked from Mac's body that catapulted her into action.
    Lying on the ground where it had fallen was the search lamp. Crawling over, she grabbed it and, standing so that she faced the creature, pulled the trigger. The sudden brightness of the beam pierced the night and the creature reared back, in that moment releasing its hold on Mac.
    Lanie held the beam steady with one hand and wrapped her other arm around Mac as he fell against her. She wasn't sure if he was alive or dead as she struggled to support his weight.
    As the creature tried to shield itself from the light, Lanie frantically cast her eyes about for something else to use as a weapon. The sudden explosion and reverberation of Mac's gun startled her as he discharged his weapon into the creature's belly.
    "Again," she shouted, seeing the creature stumble back. Mac fired a second time, but the shot went wild. He grew too heavy to hold and slid to the ground.
    His ashen face was in stark contrast to the blood covering his neck and clothes. His eyes were closed, and his gun rested in a grip gone slack. Fear and anger raged within her and she grabbed the gun, turning it on the creature. A Texas girl, she knew a hell of a lot more about guns than she'd led Mac to believe.
    Firing one-handed would be difficult, but not impossible, and there was no way she was letting go of the light. She pulled the trigger. At this range, the creature was a hard target to miss, and she didn't stop until the clicking of an empty weapon finally registered.
    The creature lay on the ground, unmoving. She knew she should check to make sure it was dead, but Mac was at her feet, bleeding to death—if he wasn't already dead.
    Ears ringing from the sound of the gun, she cast the beam of the lamp over the creature one last time to make sure it wasn't moving. She didn't want to put down the lamp, but she couldn't pull Mac out of the cage one-handed. She wasn't sure she could pull him out at all. Tucking the gun into the back of her pants, she found the trigger-lock on the lamp and laid it outside the cage on the ground, shining in.
    Hurrying back inside, she grabbed Mac by the ankles. He was almost too heavy for her to drag, but there was no way she was leaving him there. As soon as she had his body out of the cage, she slammed the door shut and activated the lock.
    There was no time to relax. With effort, she ripped off the sleeve of her shirt and wrapped the material around Mac's neck, hoping to staunch the flow of blood until she could get him inside. Next, she lifted Mac's wrist and felt for a pulse. Thankfully, she found one. It was weak, but at least he was alive, though he wouldn't be for long if she didn't do something. He'd lost so much blood, it would take a miracle to save him.
    Lanie had no idea where the nearest medical facility was and knew that even if she called for medical assistance, they couldn't get there any sooner than the team already on its