“You fuckers,”the voice shouts in my mind.“I’ll fucking destroy you, then go after the ones you care about most!”
“Go fuck yourself,”I reply in my thoughts, just as I notice I’m able to move Finnegan’s hands.
“Goddamn you!”Syphor shouts.
Bright-white lights explode through the space, and at first I figure it might be him ejecting me again, but then I realize the Alpha Alpha Mus are turning on their phone lights.
Through Finnegan’s eyes, I see him turn to Alexei as he reaches for Seth’s gag. Yes, yes! Once Seth’s free, we’ll finally have the upper hand.
“Get out!”
Everything goes black again, and it’s like getting rear-ended. There’s a jerk, and as I reopen my eyes, I can hardly focus. Did it work? Did Alexei get to Seth?
But as I refocus, I discover Alexei hovering in the air, his arms stretched out, the knife in his hand. I scan the room, trying to make sense of what’s happening. I’m still tied to the tool rack, and across the room, Preston has his hand in the air, clearly the one keeping Alexei floating midair.
Finnegan—Syphor—is clutching the edge of the bar, hunched over. I imagine Syphor’s having to recover from my intrusion into his mind. He chuckles. “I know that’s you who did that,” he tells Cody. “That was a clever attempt, wasn’t it? Guess you’re still a little too strong.” He shoots Alexei a glare.
“Alexei, are you hurt?” I ask.
He turns to me. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
“You won’t be fine,” Syphor says, approaching.
“Really? What are you gonna do about it?” Alexei asks.
Syphor’s expression twists up.
Oh, fuck, Alexei, don’t get yourself killed.
I imagine, like Cody, he figures if he buys some time, Cody might be able to get me back into Finnegan’s body, but it’s a risky move, one I don’t want him to take.
“Alexei,” Syphor says. “You’re a fool to speak to me like this. You have no gift. You have nothing I need. The others, I can use, but you’re lucky I let you live as long as I did.”
He can use us?
That must be it. He’s planning to take Cody’s body and then control us like he’s controlling the Alpha Alpha Mus. For our powers.
Syphor glares at Alexei in a way that makes me think something terrible is about to happen.
“Hey, you fucking monster,” I shout. “Why don’t you get these zip ties off me and take me on one-on-one.” I know that’s not gonna happen, but I want to get his attention off Alexei until maybe Cody can get me in him again.
Syphor snickers. “Oh, Matteo, you think I don’t know what you’re doing? When you jumped into me, you weren’t the only one who got a glimpse. You think I didn’t see Alexei? The nights you shared? These feelings you have? You think I don’t know you don’t want anything to happen to him? What could you possibly see in this weak thing? He has no gift. He has no power. He is useless. He isnothing.”
Rage sears through me. How dare he fucking say that about Alexei? He’s not nothing. He’s fucking everything.
I struggle in my bindings once again.“Come on, Cody. Get me back in. Where are you?”
Syphor spins toward Cody. “Preston, kill Alexei.”
“Fucking coward,” Alexei shouts as he continues struggling before choking up like Seth did when we were in Malcom’s room.
“You piece of shit,” I shout at Syphor.
“And someone shut that one up.”
I continue shouting out obscenities before Spencer approaches and stoops down, hooking his arm around my head and clamping his hand over my mouth. I struggle in his hold, watching as Alexei grabs at his throat like he’s trying to pull a person’s hands from around it. On the other side of the room, Preston keeps his hand in the air, his grip tightening as he obeys Syphor’s request.
No, not Alexei. It can’t end like this. I won’t let it end like this!
