“Quiet.” I snarled at the pathetic, quivering men. “Take off your coats, shirts, and badges. Set them on the floor and kneel.” Both of them were around my father’s age, lines creasing their face and grey tainting their hair. I tried to feel some speck of humanity as I stared down at them, but ther
There was no time for questions or arguments. In half an hour Lyra would be sending in the Pyro’s, who would destroy every scrap of work Phineas had accomplished here. The air to the left shimmered, and out popped the girls. Both had their hair bound in tight braids, and were wearing the same dark,
Lilac’s P.O.V. Nox was here. He was actually here, and so was Jada and Hakeem. Shayla was as well, which was weird, but it didn’t matter because Nox had come for me. I wasn’t going to die here. These people weren’t going to turn me into their weapon. Fuck, I hoped I wasn’t dreaming. The horrendo
“Where is he?” I barely recognized the sound of my own voice. When had it become so low and guttural? The dead man’s grin widened. “You just missed him, I’m afraid. He left this morning with no less than two hundred men to that cabin you told him about. It’s funny how fate works, isn’t it?” Gone.
We jogged down the hall, pausing at an intersection long enough for Nox to glance down at the small map he carried. How he’d gotten it, I had no clue. A single set of bloody footprints were left in our wake. I could feel globs of it drying to my face, neck, and torso. There were patches on Nox from
Lilac’s P.O.V. Hot air fanned across my lips, escaping my lungs in small slivers that never felt like quite enough. Every cell in my body cried out for more, but each desperate plea was met with unending silence. Silence and that growing feeling of the walls closing in, of the oxygen around us thin
Across the room was door that was halfway ajar. Inside I could make out part of a shower stall and vanity. The twinkling chandeliers, Persian carpets, and velvet sofa were unlike anything I’d ever seen in Nox’s house, which meant we had to be somewhere else. “Where are we?” I asked, then remembered
Lilac’s P.O.V. Shayla winced, and Nox shifted on his feet. He sat beside me on the bed and nodded once at Shayla who let out a deep breath. I tried not to pull away as he grabbed my hands, but my patience was wearing thin. My nerves were already fried, and it wouldn’t take much to send me off the d
Kalix froze. In fact, I was pretty sure we all froze. “My wife is pregnant?” “Yes.” Natasha nodded. “With my baby?” “No, the mailman’s.” She snorted, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Who else would it be?” “I’m going to be a father?” A giggle bubbled past her lips. “That’s typically what happe
I recognized the look on Kalix’s face whenever his sister and Shayla were in the same room. The mixture of awe, terror, and bliss was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. We had everything we could’ve ever wanted and would do anything to keep it that away. “Where’s Natasha and Hakeem?” Shayla aske
Nox’s P.O.V. Six Years Later “You no good cheater!” I heard my mate belt from across the backyard. Her father’s boisterous laugh followed, drawing my eyes. The two of them stood in the stand pit off to the side of the pool and were currently hitting a volleyball back and forth. Jada and Brinley w
I threaded my arm through his and patted his hand. “Well, now you can focus on other things.” A gleam of nervousness filled his eyes. “So, is everything ready for tonight?” Shayla often mentioned how flustered she’d get by Kalix’s smooth charm, but she was the only one who failed to see how nervou
Mom beamed, tears blossoming in her eyes as she threw her arms around our shoulders. We clung to her side chuckling when Jada raced forward to blot her make-up with a microfiber cloth. “I’m sorry, I’m just so happy. I never thought I’d get to see this moment. Goddess, I’m so grateful. I’ve got both
Lilac’s P.O.V. Three Years Later “This itches.” I grunted, picking at the lace clinging to my rear. “Mark my words, I’m going to have a rash on my ass by the end of the night.” “No scratching!” Shayla smacked my hand away, a playful grin curling at her lips. Since disappearing on a little trip w
“Your aura has never been brighter.” She murmured quietly in my ear, a bright smile warming her face. A few minutes later, Diego called our names and invited us onto the stage. I laced my arm through Nox’s and followed his lead. No less than six cameras were stationed on us, each one set at a diff
The tension faded from her shoulders as she nodded. “Thank you for being there for me. I never meant to put you in a spot. Anyway, you came here for a reason, right? Don’t let my tears chase you off.” “You sure?” I paused, “It’s not exactly a light topic.” “None of our conversations this past wee
Lilac’s P.O.V. One Week Later “How have you been?” Natasha turned from where she sat on the balcony and smiled softly. Pain lingered behind the action. I should know considering I’d made that same expression a time or two. She motioned me forward, gesturing to the chair beside her. I sat down fo