I had forgotten about the almond-sized thorn lodged in my shoulder until someone grabbed my arm right over it. The pain blinds me as I gasp out loud.
The sound makes Angel jerk back, dropping my arm like I burned him. His hands hover over me, searching for somewhere safe to land, his eyes tracing every cut and bruise on me.
I take a shaky breath and glance past Angel’s shoulder to where I thought I saw Visha. But no matter how long I stare, there’s nothing. No shadow, no movement. No trace she was ever there.
She wasn’t here. I imagined it. Just a hallucination.
“Why didn’t you duck? You could’ve been seriously hurt, Nevaeh,” Angel says, cupping my face with one hand while the other trails over me frantically.
He looks genuinely concerned, but most of these cuts and bruises arehisfault. And if he doesn’t give me some space to shake off my anger, I might say something I can’t take back.
I step out of his reach and turn away, focusing on the Deviants I burned to ash, but Angel won’t let it go.
“Nevaeh, answer me. Hazel gave the signal, so why didn’t you—”
I can feel the frustration simmering under his calm tone, and I commend him for still keeping it together. But the questions, the assumptions are too much, and I finally snap.
“WHAT SIGNAL?!”
I didn’t mean to yell—I really didn’t. But all the anger, fear, and confusion I’ve bottled up come pouring out. My voice wobbles when I try to speak again, and thank Fates because the last thing I want is to hate myself more for raising my voice at him.
“How was I supposed to know the signal?” I demand, breath shaky. “You saidnothingabout a fucking signal before we gothere. All of you were screaming numbers at me and throwing hand signals I didn’t understand because guess what? I didn’t fucking know them! And thenshewas there and I… I just—” I break off, swallowing thickly. “Fuck this. I’m done. I want to go back home.”
I try to mask the hurt, but it’s impossible when I look into Angel’s eyes. Fear… and something dangerously close to judgment shines in them. The latter cuts deeper. He should know better than anyone else that I wouldn’t risk myself when I have August to think about and a brand new lease on life.
“You can think I’m reckless and impulsive all you want, but this—” I motion to where I had to put out the flames on my shoulder “—this was not my fault. I didn’t screw up tonight.Youdid.”
I turn on my heel and limp away without sparing Angel, Hazel, or Seiji a backward glance.
Let them be disappointed. Let them think I couldn’t keep up with their polished, perfectly rehearsed teamwork. I don’t care. I need to get out of here before something convinces me I didn’t imagine my worst nightmare watching me from the dark.
Click.
My Divine claws at my insides, high on alert. My head snaps toward the faint sound, and I scan the trees, chasing the sound. A glint flashes high in the branches. Another movement catches my eye, and that’s when I see it. A weapon.Gun. Was that the click I heard?
Is that a human?
I follow the sniper’s aim to where Angel, Seiji, and Hazel are engrossed in a heated discussion, too distracted to notice the weapon pointed at them. Hazel starts pacing, and my heart plummets when so does the aim. She’s the target.
There’s another click, and I don’t think. I sprint toward the siren, ignoring the sharp pain in my ankle. I grab the dagger strapped to Hazel’s waist, whirl, and launch it at the sniper in the trees with all my might.
A shot fires just after the dagger leaves my hand. For a split second, I’m worried I missed my mark, but then the heavy thud of a body hitting the ground makes me sigh in relief.
The sniper crashes down from the branches, Hazel’s dagger decorating his forehead, right between his eyes, breaking everyone out of their shock.
Guess I didn’t miss after all.
The man’s dark, glassy eyes seem to stare right through me—or maybebehindme—before he starts withering. I watch with my jaw wide open as his flesh, bones, and muscles melt into a puddle right before my eyes.
What the actual fuck?
“Get me a med kit. Now!” Angel’s growl draws my attention from the blood puddle to Hazel running back into the club.
I flinch when Angel’s hand presses down on my shoulder, and that’s when I finally notice the blood soaking my dress.
A gunshot wound.Perfect. Justwhat I needed tonight.
I don’t even remember being hit. I know a shot was fired, but I thought I stumbled back from the force of my throw… maybe it was the bullet.
