“We don’t have to,” she snaps and tosses a scathing glare over her shoulder. “It’s this one.” Yanking her lock picks from her bag, she goes to work on locker number three-two-four, but her movements are punctuated by anger and grief.
“Give me those.” The closer we get to dusk, the less patience I can muster. If Regina follows the established schedule, she will not take another woman tonight. Or tomorrow. But she will be searching. She may even choose a victim and compel them to return the next night. And the night after that. A test of sorts.
Zoe curses as I snatch the lock picks away, but I sidestep her and have the door open in under ten seconds.
“There. Take what you need so we can get out of here.”
“There’s that stick again.” Zoe shoves me aside and reaches for a black bag. “Be careful when you sit down, Sin. Pretty sure this one’s big enough to rip you a new asshole.”
My fury rises as I growl, and she stares at me, her lips parted slightly. “Your eyes are almost completely red. Are you okay?”
“Fuck. I need to feed. Soon.”
Zoe takes two quick steps back, the satchel clutched to her chest like it could somehow protect her if I decided to make her my next meal.
“I promised you I would not take from you, and I do not care how hungry I am, I keep my promises,” I retort. “But when I am in this state, I am—as you have aptly stated—an asshole.”
“Oh.” She relaxes slightly, nods, and turns, pointing to the stairwell in the corner that leads to the street. “Then let’s get out of here so you can find a meal. But drop me at home first. I’m not sure I’m ready to watch you feed.”
My response is lost to an explosion that rocks the asphalt under our feet. Bits of stone rain down around us, and a dull roar is the only thing I can hear as I shout Zoe’s name. She’s on her stomach a few feet away, one of the columns of lockers lying across her legs.
No! I spring for her and toss the metal monstrosity aside. She flips over—thank fuck—but pain tightens small lines around her eyes. Her lips move, but my hearing has not returned to normal yet, and her words are unintelligible. Her actions, however, are not. She gestures behind me, and when I look over my shoulder, all of my anger and fear finds a target.
Through the dust, I make out two men stalking towards us from the far end of the structure. One has a large, tubular weapon positioned on his shoulder. The other carries what looks suspiciously like an AK-47. And behind them? No. No, no, no. Regina.
Grabbing Zoe’s hand, I pull her up and start to run for the stairs, but a fiery projectile whistles past us—only a foot away from my head. I barely have time to wrap my arms around my partner, spin, and use my body as a shield before the ordinance hits. Something slams into my back to the right of my spine, knocking the breath from my lungs.
For a precious second, the world stands still, and then every fiber of my being is consumed by agony. Zoe writhes under me, yelling right in my ear. “Sin! Get up! We have to move!”
With a groan, I roll off her, and she pushes to her knees as she draws her weapon.
“Call for backup!”
“There is...no backup that can...get here in time. Regina…” The only thing saving us now? Our damaged hearing and roar of the burning cars all around us. Otherwise, the Fae would have already compelled us into obedience. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I search for a way out. A diversion. Somewhere we can survive another blast.
After firing another two shots at the men, she glances back at me. “Oh, God. Sin. There’s...a piece of rebar stickingout of your back!“
“Do you think I had not noticed?” I snap. My strength is fading quickly. Too quickly. “Help me up. We must get closer to the stairs.”
Zoe takes my arm and drapes it over her shoulders. We stumble towards the twisted metal and pile of rubble, ducking behind a mangled car. “We’re sitting ducks here!” She fires another shot, then drops into a crouch.
“I can get us out,” I manage, my voice cracking on every other word. “But only if I...” Fuck. I promised her I would not feed from her. But if I do not, we will both die. Or worse. I have no choice. Better to beg for forgiveness than to watch her descend into madness at Thorn's hand.
Zoe arches a brow. “Holy shit, asshole. Are youaskingif you can feed from me when there’s a guy with a fucking rocket launcher reloading a hundred feet away?”
Zoe shoves the pistol into its holster, then tangles her hands in my hair and slams her lips against mine.
Fuck me. She tastes like watermelon and fresh rain. The heady mix of her fear and arousal flows through me, and I cup the back of her neck, guiding her into my lap. I want her. All of her. From her soft moans, she feels thee same.
I could spend years kissing her. Decades. Lifetimes. But as soon as the telltale prickle starts along my shoulder blades, I pull hard on the tether between us, soaking up as much of her energy as I can in this final moment, then break off the kiss.
“You...will not like what comes next, my little pearl. Hold on.”
A furrow deepens between Zoe’s brows, despite the high that comes from such a deep feeding. “Sin?”
I stand in one fluid motion, ignoring the piece of rusted metal still embedded in my back, and strip off my jacket. Bullets pelt my chest, but they bounce off harmlessly—save for leaving burned holes in my shirt.
The corner of the garage glows from the power flowing through me, and with a roar, I break the chains I have kept locked since Lucifer released me from Hell. My wings burst forth with a greatwhoosh, I scoop Zoe into my arms, and take off at a run.
