I don’t feel anything. The air in the night is gone. The rain disappears. Everything falls away as I move so fast my body never takes a single step, but I disappear in a mist of shimmering crimson colors. Then I land with my hand around his neck in the very next instant. My nails sink into his throat as I lift him ever so slowly from the ground. His shoes kick against my shins as he rises over me. The light of the moon creates a halo around his handsome features. I don’t know why my heart dips and dives and burns as I stare up at him with far too many emotions coursing through me.
“Kira!” Rival grunts, and the simple sound of my name feels tainted and scarred against his lips.
He was supposed to be her friend.
His hands wrap around mine as I squeeze harder against his windpipe. I fling him down and I’m on top of him in a matter of seconds. My nails poise over his dirty suit jacket. Before I can press into him, his leg comes up fast and hard. He tangles around me. Pain sears through my skull as I hit the ground head first.
A slick hand shoves up and around my throat so hard that I’m staring up at the steeples and spires of the church, gazing up at the stars that paint the night sky beyond. His other hand slams over my lips and when he comes back into my view, giant black wings rip out from the back of his suit. They tear through the cloth and his black dress shirt falls away as inky lines of smoky tattoos and eerie red marks of color kiss his flesh here and there.
He truly does look like a storybook monster. And it appears that I’m to be his next victim.
His slick body lowers over mine, his chest pressing into me in a familiar way.
“Don’t ever fooking insert yourself into things you don’t belong in!” Rival seethes against my neck like a lover’s promise. His hold around my throat tightens.
My lashes start to feel very heavy.
His body against mine is a strangely calming weight. My eyes close tiredly, but my heart continues to pound with reckless determination.
My hands cease clawing at his flexing forearms.
“Why aren’t you helping her!?” I hear someone scream.
“Because she doesn’t need us,” a lazy, distracted voice answers. The sound of that warm tone ignites memories within me. He’s someone I’ve known for several lifetimes over. His smile and laughter rings through my mind, lighting me up with mementos of love and lust.
A memory drifts in of my Prince tangled up in white sheets that match the color of his horns. His hands are around my waist. His body is smooth and hard against mine as he lifts my thighs and wraps me nicely around his hips. His mouth is hot against my neck, my shoulders, and my breasts.
The warmth of his body and the blaze of our kiss fades out.
“Get up, Miss Vega,” he growls lazily from somewhere in my mind.
My lashes flutter, and I look back up at the crazed vampire leaning over me. It’s a conflicting feeling, even as I know what I’m about to do.
I don’t want to hurt him, I thought he was my sister’s protector.
But I won’t hesitate, I’ll kill him for everything he did.
My hand flings out, and it’s like I knew where I left it all along. Or maybe my senses are better than I realize. Damp grass slides over my fingers before I grab the sleek object around the middle like a makeshift weapon. The red bottom of my stiletto is in my hand in an instant and fling it forward, hard. His scream accompanies his thrashing as I sink the pointed heel deep into his neck. His black leather wings spread wide, but never lift him up. Dark blood trickles out as his fangs flash out with a gravely hiss.
His teeth drag across my throat, but I hold him back.
Just a little longer!
His mouth is hot across my flesh and his teeth are sharp scratches that keep scraping closer and closer.
Until…
My hand comes down hard once more. A cutting breath leaves his lungs and blood slides down my fingers as the heel sinks deep into his chest.
Just over his heart.
His shining starlit eyes stare down on me.
“Cuishle,” he whispers oddly.
My heart stumbles as I gasp for a solid breath for the first time in what feels like an eternity. And then I shove him off. He hits the ground at my side with a heavy thud.
Gentle hands wrap around one of mine and Aston steadies me carefully as he pulls me up against his side. His hands hover around my face, but he doesn’t touch me.
