Turning my back to him, I take in the Deviants burned to ash and make sure I didn’t hallucinate anything else. Anxo doesn’t stop pestering me throughout, “Nevaeh, answer me. Why didn’t—” I commend him for not raising his voice even in frustration, but his worried rambling finally makes me snap.
“WHAT SIGNAL?” I didn’t mean to scream—I really didn’t, but this anger and fear in the past hour took over. My voice shakes when I try to raise it again, and it’s a good thing because I don’t want to hate myself more by raising my voice at Anxo when he actively tries not to do that with me around. “How was I supposed to know the signal, huh? You saidnothingabout a fucking signal.Never. I didn’t understand half of what happened here.”
I try to hide how tonight has hurt in more ways, but it’s hard when his eyes reflect his fear; his fear that I’m too reckless, that I don’t care to keep my limbs intact.
“I didn’t understand a-any of your signals or the stupid numbers or… or gestures… I…fuck this shit.” Visha stole my control, and she wasn’t even here. I’m fucking tired of not being in control. “I know everything thinks I’m a fuckup butthis,” I gesture to where I put out of the fire on my shoulder, “—was not my fault. I didn’t fuck up tonight,youdid.”
Shaking my head, I turn on my feet, limping as fast as possible to escape without sparing Anxo a glance. I know he’s disappointed and probably thinks I did a piss-poor job of keeping up with them and their perfect training. But I’m tired and I want to leave this shithole before something convinces me I didn’t imagine my worst nightmare eyeing me tonight.
*Click*
My Divine claws at my walls urgently, snapping my head at the faint sound. I skim through the tall trees behind the club and chase the sound when a tiny movement at the top of a tree catches my eye. A shadow hiding high on a tree. When a shiny weapon peeks out, I quickly realize the click I heard was the gun being pulled off safety.Human weapon.
I follow the aim toHazel, who is engrossed in a heated discussion with Anxo to notice the weapon pointed at her. Ignoring the sharp pain radiating from my ankle, I surge toward the siren and yank the dagger strapped to her waist. Putting every remaining ounce of my strength behind my throw, I aim at the shadow above us.
It’s silent until a bang echoes a second after the dagger leaves my hand. I’m worried I missed my mark when the sound of a heavy thud makes me sigh in relief. Breaking out of their shock, Anxo and Hazel shift their attention to where the sniper fell with a stab wound decorating the center of his forehead.
And here I thought I missed my mark.
The man’s dark eyes stare at me—or behind me, to be more accurate, before his body withers and melts into liquid before my eyes.Fucking liquid.
If that’s a common occurrence, I’ve been away from the supernatural world for far too long.
“Find me a medical kit.Now!” Anxo’s voice brings my attention back from the man—who isn’t a man anymore—to see Hazel run into the building just as Seiji bursts through the doors.A pressure against my shoulder makes me whimper. Blood seeping out of a wound I didn’t know I had.
Great. One more wound is exactly what I need today. When did I get shot, though? I know a shot was fired, but I didn’t even feel it. I stumbled back because of the power behind my throw—or maybe it was the bullet.
I’m guessing the sniper was aiming for Hazel’s heart since the bullet was embedded in my left shoulder right below my collarbone from our height difference.
Seiji stands behind me so I can lean my weight on him, and Angel takes my hand between his, eyes shining with unspoken apologies. I don’t have it in me to let go, so I squeeze his hand as much as I can, with my shoulder throbbing in pain.
Hazel returns quickly and opens the box filled with all kinds of medical stuff. I hastily grab the scalpel and cut a line over the bullet wound before dropping it back into the box, asking a flabbergasted Hazel for a pair of tweezers. Holding my bottom lip between my teeth to keep myself from whimpering, I dig the tweezers through the cut and clamp on the bullet before pulling it out, all within less than ten seconds.
It must seem strange, but I’ve been treating my own injuries since I was nine. Our bodies heal fast, and it hurts like a bitch when wounds can’t close because something is blocking the path. It’s impossible to make out the bullet in the dark and over all the blood around it, so there was no way Hazel could pull it out here, and I refuse to repeat this torture when we get back to the hotel.
Getting it over with quickly, I pull out two thorns from my left thigh and one from my other shoulder. Now I feel stupid for being a bloody mess when they all look more or less the same, except for a few scratches.
The tremble in my fingers becomes more apparent with every second, and everything about tonight slowly catches up to me.Seeing Dickvid, facing the Deviants, ultimately failing as a team member, andmaybeseeing Visha again.
“Let me,” with a tone so gentle I would think I’m hallucinating again, Hazel takes over, cleaning the blood and sticking temporary bandages.
I turn to my left at the sound of someone heaving and find Seiji on his knees, throwing up his lunch. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that in front of him.Sorry princess.
I didn’t even realize that Anxo took Seiji’s place and was supporting my entire weight as I leaned against his chest. Softly kissing my head, he whispers words of encouragement while Hazel works as fast as she can so I can finally sit down.
Once she’s done, I move away from Angel even when everything in me screams to hold on and quietly limp to a nearby wall. Sitting on the ground, I wipe the blood from my hands on my dress, but it’s no use since the dress is soaked in red, too. Just like the old days.
Shifting to get more comfortable on uncomfortable ground, I still when arms around my hips pull me against a firm chest. My body is so familiar with his touch, his scent, and even his breathing patterns that there’s no way to mistake who it is.
Angel shifts me until my back is flush against his chest, and my head rests over his heart. The steady rhythm helps me relax, and I finally lose the tension in my shoulders. It’s surprising how a single touch from him can make me feel safe enough to stop being on guard at all times.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Anxo places one of his angelic kisses on the side of my head before burying his head in the crook of my neck, making me melt into him. “It was awfully ignorant of me to forget what we know comes from years of training. You mesh with us so effortlessly that for a moment I forgot you’re still new to everything.”
A small smile graces my lips when he mentions how he thinks I fit ineffortlessly.
“I’m sorry for overwhelming you like that. It was my oversight, and I hate how much you got hurt because of it.” I want to interrupt and tell him it’s not all on him, but he doesn’t give me a chance. “Maybe we can have a few training sessions together so that you can learn our methods and we can get to know yours. What do you think, sweetheart?” I’m nodding my head before he is even finished.
“… also, I would appreciate it if you could avoid getting shot next time. You almost gave me a heart attack, and I’m too young to die.” I want to laugh, but I can sense he is genuinely worried, so I don’t make a joke and brush it off like I usually do.
