“Tsk, tsk, Barbra.”
Selene. Her voice is ice, sharp and cold. Unrecognizable.
The men spin to face her. We move in behind.
Max appears too, unnoticed.
“You!” Barbra shrieks.
“What the fuck is she doing?” Keir mutters.
A guy looks around at the bodies, then shouts in Russian, “Chert voz’mi, pristreli yeye!”
“NO!” Kaz bellows, charging.
I glance at Keir, confused then follow.
A gun fires.
Time stops, as if the world halts on its axis. Everyone is still standing, then it happens as if in slow motion. We are all frozen in place, shock and horror shackling our bodies.
Selene trembles, knees folding like she’s being lowered by the angels themselves. She hits the ground soft, as if the world is trying to protect her.
“Get up!” Kaz’s voice is pain filled.
“Get up moon!” His voice cracks on her nickname.
“GET UP! You don’t get to fucking leave me!” He roars.
She doesn’t move. That’s what does it, unleashing our demons.
Kaz reaches the first man and snaps his neck.
I lunge at another, fists flying. Rage consumes me. I beat him to death and continue till blood soaks my skin from his mangled face.
“Dario.” A hand lands on my shoulder. Keir.
I’m panting, blinking trying to clear the black out haze of rage.
“We have to go Dario. Barbra and Petrov got away.”
“Selene?” I croak.
He shakes his head. “She was alive—barely. Max took her to the hospital.”
I get up feeling nothing but emptiness. Kaz is kneeling where she fell. He stands slowly, nods. I don’t miss the tear tracks on his face.
“Let’s track those fuckers down.”
Chapter 19
Selene
Months Later
The world comes back in pieces.
First, sound—a steady, rhythmic beeping that echoes inside my skull. Then, cold. My skin feels too sensitive. My throat is raw, dry like sandpaper. I try to swallow, but there’s something lodged deep—panic flares in my chest.
