The Fallen Star (Fallen Star Series, Book 1)

“How did they find us here?” I was standing in the dining room, watching Alex dig frantically around in a secret cabinet that had been hidden behind a massive china cabinet. I hadn’t realized just how strong Alex was until he slid the enormous thing out of the way like it was made of air. “And what the heck are you looking for in there?”

  I was still pissed off about his refusal to accept that his father was responsible for my mom being trapped down in The Underworld, but my fear that the Death Walkers were heading here was overriding my anger. After we felt the air freeze over, Alex had checked out the window, and sure enough, a flock of Death Walkers’ eyes lit up the night like a swarm of fireflies.

  “This is what I’m looking for.” Alex held up the Sword of Immortality. “And this.” He held up another sword, a much smaller one with a less jagged blade. He shoved the handle of it at me. “Here, take it.”

  “Why?” I backed away. “It wouldn’t do me any good.”

  “You’ve stabbed one before.”

  “Yeah, but that was a freak accident.”

  He nudged the small sword toward me. “Take it.”

  I sighed and took it. “What are we going to do now?”

  “We’re going to make a run for it,” he said, and rushed out of the room.

  I chased after him. “How though? They're practically here already.”

  Heading for the garage, he shot me a look over his shoulder that told me to quit being difficult. “So what? You would rather stay and wait for them to get here?”

  “No,” I said dumbly. “That’s not what I meant. It’s just that how are we supposed to get out of here?”

  He opened the door. “In the Jeep.”

  “Will we be able to outrun them?”

  He shrugged as he headed for the Jeep. “Hurry up and get inside.”

  I ran over and jumped in, my nerves bubbling so badly that my hands were trembling. I was so afraid that just on the other side of the garage door the Death Walkers would be waiting for us, all yellow-eyed and hungry to kill. I quickly buckled my seatbelt and started chewing on my nails as the Jeep’s engine roared to life.

  With one hand gripping tightly on the steering wheel and the other grasping onto the shifter, Alex sucked in a deep breath. “Ready?”

  “No.” My voice shook.

  “Okay, hold on.” He pushed the garage door opener that was clipped to the visor, and the door slowly inched open. It seemed like it took forever for it to rise up all the way.

  Alex threw the shifter into reverse and started to back out. He only made it a few feet, though, before he hit the brakes.

  “What’s wrong?” I followed his gaze to the back window, and I had my answer. Tons and tons of glowing yellow eyes bursting through the darkness.

  A moment later, someone emerged from around the corner of the garage. When the light hit the person’s face, it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. It was a man with black hair, dark eyes, and a scar on his left cheek.

  We were so screwed.

  Chapter 34