Three across, they hurried down the hallway, silence so humid it stifled their own footsteps, their own ragged breaths. Rebeka kept waiting for the grasping tendrils at her ankles and wrists, but it was no vision, only fear, raw and seeping. Narrowed eyes watching from the darkness. A hunger so sharp it shredded her apart. And those horrible arms, those living beasts of shadow and seething spilling out of a tear in the world—

Another screech of metal flooded the hall from the direction of the archives, and then, one by one, the overhead lights popped on, ticking toward them like a military march.

Liammmmmm, the wind whispered.

“Fucking hell,” Daniel muttered.

“Hurry.” Liam tugged them forward. “We’re almost there.” But in his free hand, Rebeka saw the darkness gathering inside his palm.

They all but ran down the rest of the hall until, at long last, they reached the garage bay. Smoke filled their nostrils as they ducked into its confines. The sky beyond the bay doors was red-tinged like a sunset aflame. Strange—it had almost been night a moment ago. Their truck was so close—Daniel’s hand slipped from Rebeka’s as she rushed toward it, ready to fling herself into the cab—

But then a guard rounded the corner, looming over her, his chin squashed down and his eyes bloodshot and cold.

Rebeka opened her mouth to scream. The guard opened his mouth, too—the mouth with the diagonal scar across it.

The mouth of the man Daniel had killed in the back of the truck.

Black smoke poured from the guard’s lips, his nostrils, from the gaping wound of his throat, and a scream built up in that smoke. Rebeka wasn’t waiting to find out what would happen next. She did the only thing she could think to do, and punched him square in the jaw.

A tuft of darkness gushed out of his face, like flour from a holey sack.

“What the hell—” Daniel started behind her, but then a surge of electricity raced up the dead guard-thing’s limbs and crackled as his body was enveloped in static darkness that collapsed in on itself.

Liam stood behind her with an outstretched hand. “They’re eating them from the inside.”

“Excuse me?” Rebeka screeched.

“I told you—they like the taste of human fear.” Liam twisted his hands, exertion flushing his face deep scarlet. “Quick, we’ve gotta bolt before it lets the others know where we are—”

Footsteps scraped and dragged behind him from the far side of the garage: more of them coming.

Liam, they called out, the name edged with laughter. You’re far too late. The book can’t help you now—

Rebeka shuffled back as the shapes came into view. Closer now.

“Go!” Liam screamed.

“But what about the truck—”

“JUST GO!” Liam shouted. “NOW!”