I pulled him out of Seth and stumbled back, only to be caught by a pair of strong hands. I didn’t have to look to know it was Xander who held me.
Seth turned even as flames licked the flesh off his body. “You.” His raspy voice was monstrous and tortured as he locked eyes with me. “He’sgoing to take away what you love most until he is the only one left.”
And then with a hideous grin, or maybe his lips were just burned away, Seth collapsed into a pile of broken burning limbs.
“Xander,” I said, my voice failing me.
“We need to go, now,” he said, then yanked me out of the ballroom before I could protest.
I came to my senses and ran alongside him.
“What’s happening?” The wild look of terror and pure rage in his eyes was one I'd never seen before.
“It’s Aten,” he said.
“What?” Sun god, burning other gods. It somewhat computed in my brain but it also didn’t. “He wasn’t in there,” I protested.
“He must be close.” Xander grabbed my arms and hauled me up for a fierce kiss. “And you are getting out of here.”
“The fuck I am. I’m the only one who can kill him.” I raised Bob as if to prove my point, though even Bob was shaken into silence.
It was one thing to slice through a god, another to do so before they burst into flames. He already hated blood, and I could tell skewering a burning body was beyond him.
“Listen to me,” Xander said carefully. “It’s all of the gods against him. I went up against him alone. Together we can subdue him. But I can’t focus or help if you are around. I’ll be too worried about you. If Aten doesn’t get you, surely one of the other gods might take their shot at you. I can’t protect you against that many.”
“I can protect myself, Xander,” I practically snarled at him.
His lips tightened as he looked back in the direction of the ballroom we fled. Screams and shouts kicked up higher. “But can you protect Jamal and your mother-in-law?”
The atoms in my body stilled all at once, and I couldn’t hear anything else but his words. “What are you saying?”
Xander’s voice lowered, and it suddenly felt like I was under water. My ears were clogged, and everything was moving too slowly, including my mind. “He’s going to take what you love most away. Seth was talking about Aten. You need to get home. You need to protect your family.”
The water I was under crashed over in a breaking wave and my heart nearly exploded from my chest in violent beats. “No.” Even as I denied it, I knew it to be true.
The gods had powers and were already congregated to fight together, while my very mortal family was at home, alone and unprotected.
I gripped Xander by the back of the neck and kissed him just as hard as he’d done to me, until a coppery taste filled my mouth. I didn’t know if it was his blood or mine.
“Don’t die,” I commanded.
That devil may care grin spread on his face. “Only you are allowed to kill me, sweetheart.”
With that, we rushed off in two different directions, and I swore my heart split in two.
As I ran out of the hotel, I managed to unhook my skirts, leaving me in a bodysuit, albeit a very fancy, armored bodysuit. I’d made clear to Bianca and Timothy in no uncertain terms that I didn’t want to be bogged down in fabric if something went down.
Maybe I jinxed the whole night by adding that detail.
Driving home, I was like a bat out of hell, and god help anyone who got in my way.
The tires screeched as I pulled up to my house, my heart hammering against my ribs. The street was eerily quiet, the only sound the rapid beat of my own pulse thrumming in my ears. I didn't bother with subtlety, bursting through the front door, Bob gripped tightly in my hand, ready for a fight.
My hand trembled as I reached for the light switch, but no matter how many times I flicked it the room remained shrouded in darkness. Suddenly, my eyes adjusted to the dim light and a scene straight out of a nightmare greeted me. Mama Jean and Jamal were on the living room floor, bound and unconscious with heads lolling lifelessly. In a corner, Heinz lay silent and still.
Waves of panic crashed over me, drowning me in horrifying thoughts. Each one worse than the last.
Am I too late?
