Cold horror stabbed through me as Seth’s body crumpled, solidifying only after death.
His gray eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling.
“No,” I breathed. “No, Seth?—”
Rage poured through me as hot tears slipped down my cheeks.
Seth had given his life for mine.
I grabbed the human who had killed him, my hand crushing his jaw, and my venom surged so fast, his throat caved in before he even realized he’d been touched.
I didn’t stop. I slammed my knee into his ribs.
He dropped into a fetal position, gurgling, and I kicked his face again and again until he stopped moving entirely.
When I turned, I confirmed I was the last supernatural standing, and all the humans who had broken in were dead.
My breaths came in ragged gasps as I scanned the floor for the device. A small black hexagon device was spewing gas over by the window.
I stormed over and ripped the gas device from the floor, hurling it out the broken window with every ounce of strength I had.
Fresh air hit the ballroom in a violent rush the moment the device was gone.
Supernaturals groaned as if on cue.
The once-beautiful toxic decorations were jarring now. The dripping illusions cast a sickly light over the unconscious, dead, or groaning bodies.
I ran back to my mates just as Jesper shakily rose to his feet. “We need to move. Who—” He sucked in a breath. “Who knows when more will come?”
I dragged him upright until he could stand enough to help me with the others. I attempted dosing them with purgegut venom, but it didn’t work. Perhaps because it was gas tourmalyke and not injected. I wasn’t sure.
“Everyone up! Get out now! Let’s go!”
The academy students woke slowly, stumbling and leaning heavily on each other.
Jesper, Drecken, Tobias, and I were the most mobile, though they were much less sturdy than I was.
We all pushed toward the main doors. The hallway blurred past until the large doors came into view. Throwing open the doors, we found ten more humans waiting for us at the top of the stairs.
“Careful,” my mates hissed harshly.
“I’m always careful,” I assured them as I stepped forward, standing in front of all the tourmalyke-effected supernaturals.
This would’ve been the only formal event my parents and professors didn’t attend. They needed all hands on deck to prepare to raid the human facility. Little did we know, the humans were a step ahead of us.
More humans stood between us and the way off campus. They braced behind shields, some hefting rifles, others with those same sleek black batons crackling with the same electric charge the humans inside wielded.
I stepped up to the front, the neon glow of my dress reflecting off the stone like spilled poison. The night air was cold against my flushed skin, but it didn’t cut through the heat of rage burning in my chest.
The humans shifted, their stances tightening as they blocked the stairs out of Apex Nexus. The one in front, taller than the others, lifted his chin slightly. “Primary target identified. Basilisk. Do not damage the asset.”
Asset.
My lips curved into something that wasn’t even close to a smile. “I’m getting really fucking tired of being referred to as an asset.”
Behind me, I felt the frustration and weakness of my mates through the bonds. Their magic was dampened from the tourmalyke, though the worst of it was clearing.
I launched forward.
