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"New plan," said Logan "You till hole up in the bathroom until we can clear a path"

There were no s in her hall bathrooet in except for the door It sounded like a good idea to her Helen nodded, slung her purse strap over her neck, and picked up a fire extinguisher

As they passed by the front door, one of the ed into it The thina luh Helen yelped and scra into Tho off one of the beasts

Three furry bodies lay cru black blood A fourth monster leapt for Thomas’s throat and he sliced at it with his heavy blade He scored a thin line along its chest, but the thing kept co Drake had killed another two monsters in the kitchen and a third one scrambled over the pile of his fallen brothers in order to swipe a claw at Drake’s face

Helen’s throat closed down on a screaet hurt

Drake dodged the strike, his sword flashed, and theoff Oily blood sprayed across Helen’s oak cabinets and it was all she could do not to voain Hell, she’d never be able to walk into this house again Assuet out of it alive

The monster Drake had maimed let out a scream that sounded almost human Chills raced over her limbs and her body froze in place Which was probably for the best because at thatstep back He ducked below a furry body, shoved his sword into its belly, and stood up, hurling it over her head and down the hall with aher over

Thethe carpet with its blood andso out of its wounded abdoathered at the top of the stairs where the hall, living roo at the front door, nearly through it, andin the broken back door and front , crawling over the dead bodies

"We need an exit," said Logan in a cal on it," said Thoto cliot s are going to get ugly"

Get ugly? She didn’t knohat he was looking at, but fro black blood all over her carpet and kitchen, she’d never seen anything uglier She didn’t even want to think about solier

She felt panic start to set in now that she wasn’t ht it doith a force of will She couldn’t afford to lose it until she got Miss Mabel away safely

"Van’s in front," said Logan "We won’t "

"Thomas?" asked Drake

"I’ do you need?" asked Drake

Helen had no idea what they were talking about, but she didn’t stop them to ask questions Theopen a little more with every thud She could see a wide set of furry jaws snapping at her through the crack No as she going to distract theet to her and Miss Mabel

Thomas stepped forward toand pawing at the furry bodies "Sixty seconds," was the answer to Drake’s question

"You got them" With that, Drake and Tho quick work of the re so beautiful, so deadly, as the two of the their swords

With one hand, Drake lifted Helen’s kitchen table over the pile of dead bodies and used it to cover the hole where the back door used to be He braced his left hand against it, holding it in place while he kept his sword in his right hand, ready to strike He looked at Helen and gave her a reassuring set you to the van"

"I don’t want to leave you"

"You’re not I’ll be right behind you Now go!"

Helen felt a tug on her shirt--Miss Mabel’s fingers around the strap of her tank top again--and followed along behind Logan Thohdoheat As soon as one cah the , he sliced it open or sent it flying Sweat darkened his hair and an led her over the dead bodies and she tried not to think about the feel of the fur on her bare leg or the squish of blood under her feet Thoh the frontand Helen briefly wondered whether her neighbors atching this whole show Not that she cared As long as they all got out of this alive, she’d figure out sooing to continue to live here, anyway Not after tonight Let the neighbors think what they want