A single blood tear fell from the corner of Lu’s eye. With massive effort, she shifted her gaze to me.
I yelled, utterly helpless, as Lu was invaded, possessed.
A flash of claw leaped into my peripheral vision. I thought it was more Hush come to feast.
But it was not the Hush. It was a wolf, ghostly bright and angry as hell.
Valentine snarled and jumpedintoLu.
A flash of oily blue light shot out of the top of Lu’s head, screaming as it flew.
Lu collapsed onto the floor, and I lunged for her, stumbling as the bindings broke with electric snaps that burned my flesh.
I caught myself with my arms on either side of Lu. If this was it, if she were gone, I would kill every Hush I could reach, before I followed her to Death’s doorway.
But I knew—
—my tattered soul in her—
—her heart beat—
—her tattered soul in me—
—her soft exhale—
—she was alive.
I pulled her into my arms and stood on legs that barely held.
Val was nowhere to be seen, but Danube snarled and pushed at my leg before leaping ahead of me down a path we had not taken yet.
I stumbled after him, my mind blank with rage, because rage was better than panic.
The nightmare closed around me and time slipped. It was everything I could do to put one foot in front of the other.
I thought I’d lost Danube, but the wolf growled and nudged my hip, leading me as best he could.
And then there was light…
“What in the hell happened? Brogan. Here. Bring her here.”
…and there were hands…
“I got her, I got her. Easy, easy. Brogan, you need to listen to me.” A woman’s voice. I knew her.
“Open your eyes, Brogan. You’re safe.”
…and then there was the world again.
I opened my eyes. I stood next to Ricky’s truck, Lu still in my arms, held close to my chest. I was sweating, freezing.
The wind licked across my skin, and I shuddered beneath the green of it.
“You’re bleeding,” Ricky said, her gaze on Lu, fingers pressed to her throat where I knew her pulse beat weakly.
“I’m fine.” My voice cracked, and I swallowed, making my throat sting. My head was foggy, thoughts sluggish.
But all that mattered was Lu’s heart, beating.
