Cooper stiffened, his spine going straight as a rod. “Quinn? Now, why would you call out to?—”
Something shifted in his expression. A muscle clicked in his jaw. His calculating eyes sharpened and flared brightly.
“She’s here, isn’t she?” he hissed, more to himself than anyone else. “That’swhat happened to Lilah. I bet that little Bitch Fitch of yours is behind this, huh?”
Byrd’s breath shook, but her voice didn’t. “Fuck you, asswipe. Go suck a sick dick.”
Gods, I loved her so fucking much.
Cooper’s smile spread slowly and cruelly. “You know what? I think it’s time formeto have some fun. I hope you enjoy, Quinny.”
He fired the gun again.
Byrd’s other leg jerked as the bullet ripped through it followed by another magical leech. She wailed, the sound breaking into a choked cry. Once more, the agony tore through my chest and leg like it was my own. It was more than enough to bring me to my knees.
“Stop!” I yelled.
But, my shouts fell on deaf ears. Even if he could hear me, I doubted he would have listened.
The third shot. Straight into her stomach under the harpoon’s wound.
Blackness was starting to infringe on my vision around the edges. But, for Byrd? Her back arched, blood bubbling from her lips. The pain was so all-encompassing. She wanted to let go. She wanted to give into the darkness teasing her with some relief, even if it was temporary. Her head lolled, her vision dimming. I was about to call to her to stay with me when I felt a tug in my own body.
It was the ritual.
I was running out of time.
“Hey, Byrdie? Byrdie, it’s okay,” I whispered to her, moving in front of her. “It’s okay,mi tesoro.My seven minutes are up now. You can just let go, baby girl. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to find you, I promise. Remember what I said.”
Through the tears making rivers down her beautiful full cheeks, Byrd still tried to smile. “This is the worst game of Seven Minutes in Heaven ever.”
The laugh that broke out of me was sharp and wet.
“So, you had seven minutes, huh?” Cooper’s growl through his teeth cut through our moment like a hot knife. He was pacing now, frantic like an animal caged and backed into a corner. His eyes scanned the air as if trying to pinpoint wherever I was. “It doesn’t matter, you know! You’ll never outsmart or find us. You hear that, Quinn-Quinn? You could have all the time and magic in the world. But,Iwill win. Ialwaysget what I want. You will lose. ”
Then, he fired the gun again.
And again.
Byrd didn’t even scream this time. Her body just slumped back, limp in the restraints. The blood magic drank from her wounds, greedy and relentless. Her eyes were half-lidded as she looked at me. She was so tired.
My sweet Byrd.
“Five shots,” Cooper sneered. “How pathetic. I thought a dragon would last longer.”
“I love you, Sweetness,” I whispered. Cooper turned his back and strode toward Lilah, her lashes fluttering. When her eyes opened, I saw orbs of blazing red blood, just as my girl’s soft, sweet brown eyes closed.
Anchor
QUINN
My eyes flew open as the world slammed into me like a freight train.
There was no rise from the darkness, no warning or easing. No gentle re-entry. No colorful, magical light swirling around me. No warm wind to welcome me back. Instead, I came back hard and fast like I had beenthrowninto my body from a height I couldn’t measure. My lungs were locked. My stomach lurched. The world was a dizzying, unfocused blur. My vision was all light flares and shadows for a moment. The pentagram on the floor had gone cold and rough under my back, but the heat in the room was suffocating, stifling hot, and pulsing like a second heartbeat. There was no time to breathe, no time to think.
There were only screams.
High-pitched.
