“What good are you to me dead?” he sneered. When I stiffened at the words, he inhaled sharply, gathering himself. “I just want to talk, but that’s difficult given my… injuries. I don’t suppose you can help me out so we can have a proper conversation?” His voice had steadied to a saccharine lull. Too sweet. False.
Did this feigned chivalry work on other goddesses? Maybe it’d be easier to buy if he wasn’t holding his own detached horn with his eye skewered on the tip. He was only attempting civility so I’d heal his fatal wounds. Otherwise, why play nice when you’d already brought an army?
“Please,” he repeated, holding his horn towards me in a trembling open claw. “Only I can call them off him. And I can’t do that if I die from blood loss.”
I’d met his type in New York. Bankers. Lawyers. They were usually friendly, then were the first people to lose their cool on you when you didn’t give them what they wanted.
“Why should I believe you would call them off?”
“I’m only here to talk. I don’t see why we can’t help each other.” His single eye scanned my doubtful expression. “Look, Theo attacked us before we could even get to you, then disappeared without a word. We didn’t intend for it to go this way.” He was beginning to lean to one side, correcting himself only to shift unnaturally again.
My eyes flickered outside. I couldn’t see Theo anymore, and the commotion was settling. That was terrifying; no fight meant one side had lost. Considering I could see intruders standing outside chatting casually, I had to assume things weren’t looking good for us. I needed to do something, anything, to save my love.
“Let me heal Theo first,” I demanded.
“And let him kill more of my team?” He gripped his ripped-out horn and drew it back to his stomach, folding over himself in pain. His body swayed, struggling to stay standing.
“If you just want to talk, he has no reason to kill.” The steeliness in my voice surprised me.
He sighed and rolled his head over his shoulder to look back at one of the hybrids. Trying to communicate something with his eyes? Well...Eye.
When he faltered again, the other Hybrid caught his elbow, steadying him. The blood loss had to be tremendous, his face was unnaturally pale. It wouldn’t be long before he collapsed.
With another resigned exhale, the lavender-haired Thornian clicked his talons together and the strange Quadmos pair stepped around him—towards me.
Without thinking, I pressed the tip of the knife below my own jaw. “Come closer and I’ll make this whole trip a waste of time.”
I was acting on instinct, but I fucking meant it. If he thought I wouldn’t end my own life to save Theo’s, he waswrong.This man hadn’t just hunted down a goddess—he’d hunted a determined bitch.
His talons opened into a new position, making a rough scraping noise. The Hybrid pair stopped in their tracks, like trained dogs in response to a clicker.
“Spare me the dramatics,” he snapped, spit spewing from between his fangs. He was starting to keel over, a knee dipping toward the floor.
I took in a deep breath and pressed the tip of the blade into my flesh, feeling the warm rush of blood dribble down my collarbone. “Fucking. Try. Me.”
It was stand-off of will. The only element acting in my favor right now was that I didn't fear death. He, however, seemed tovery muchwant the both of us to stay alive. This asshole better do what I say, or that wouldn’t happen.
There was a low growl before he hissed, “Bring the Quadmos.”
Mr. C.E.O. supported himself on the cabin wall as the scaled Hybrid stepped back outside.
My eyes flickered between the dying Thornian and the doorway.Please don’t be too late. I gripped the knife handle tighter, subconsciously pressing it deeper into my jugular. I wouldn’t let up until I knew Theo was healed. My life was our only means of negotiation.
The scaled back of the Arielna-Quadmos was already hunching through the door. There were the rough wooden sounds of dragging and thudding, as Theo’s body was pulled up the steps.
My breath caught in my throat and fresh tears began to well. His eyes were closed, he wasn’t moving, and he was more red and purple than flesh. The tattoos on his body were broken into unrecognizable chunks of ink from being shot, stabbed,clawed, and bitten.Tattoos.Not his feral marks. Why was he no longer feral? Could his broken body no longer support that size?
But surely… if he was dead… he’d be in his natural state? Black stripes included. Right? He was weak. Not dead. This wasn't over.
I held my breath as he was dragged to me, his large body discarded at my feet. My eyes were wide as I stared down at my mate, hand trembling with the tip of the blade still piercing my throat.
“Tieren, ensure—” the mangled Thornian had to catch his breath to finish the sentence “—he stays down.”
The Hybrid who had lugged Theo to me grunted, sliding the large gun strapped across his body into his hands and pointing directly at my love’s skull.
“No!” I screamed, falling to my knees and pressing my chest to Theo’s head as if my breasts could protect him from bullets. I wanted to lift him to me, cradle him in my arms, but he was too heavy, and I had to keep this knife at my throat. “We had a deal!”
“It’s a precaution,” the Thornian snarled. “Tik-tok, demigoddess. He doesn’t have much pulse left to save.”
