Ismini whirls around and aims the weapon at another group of ceFtuts. She blows them away just as Evesse runs past me. I watch long enough to see that the female is brandishing two more guns and uses them to blow four ceFtuts off Zeniel. Her aura flares as she pulls the trigger, waves of red, black, and yellow swirling around her.
What is this?
One of the creatures heads for Ismini’s back. I let out a cry that promises death as I flash straight at it. Only one thought screams through my mind.
There’s no way I’m going to let any of them sink their disgusting teeth into my female.
No. Fucking. Way.
CHAPTER 19
DYLETRI
I materialize behind Ismini and wrap my arm around her waist. I slam her into my chest, not stopping to wonder if my armor is hurting her.
Doubtful considering the little superwoman display she just put on.
Holding her tight, I yank her gun out of her hand and, in the next split second, blow another five of those fuckers away.
Nice . . .
I grin manically even as Ismini squeals and tries to get the gun back.
“Dyletri? What are you doing?”
“I should ask you the same question.” I stare down at her as I take aim and blow another ceFtut away.
She twists her body away, rubbing against areas of me that are dangerous for her right now. I tighten my grip on her and bare my teeth in a growl. “Stop struggling.”
She freezes, her gorgeous eyes going wide at the sound of my voice. It’s taken on two distinct tones again. Her scent spikes.
I flatten my palm against her lower back. She’s so small my thumb hooks around her left side as the tips of my fingers brush her right. My mind fills with visions, all of them ending with me taking full advantage of her petite size.
I bring her closer, smirking at how she gasps. My incisors tingle as my blood heats. I can have her. Right fucking here—up against the fence I almost tore apart, actually.
Ismini glances behind me and gasps.
She raises her arm, and another huge ass gun appears in her hand a second before she shoots it. The blast flies over my shoulder, clearly hitting another ceFtut, but all I’m focused on is the way she materialized that thing out of thin air.
Like some fucking goddess.
She’s glowing and fighting like one, too.
Okie dokie. Right.
“Come here.” I let go of Ismini’s waist and grab her arm.
“What . . . wait . . . the others?”
“Are fine!” In fact, the rest of the gods and goddesses are now armed with those guns. Evesse is materializing them and flinging them out like candy at children.
“Dyletri, what the fuck are you doing?” Ismini yells, pulling back.
She manages to make me stumble a few steps with her newfound strength, and we both freeze. She stops in surprise.
Me? I’m just plain apoplectic at this point.
She’s going to give me some answers. Who did this to her?
I already suspect who.
My jaw twitches, and my face tightens as I pull on her arm hard. I stomp my way past the Gnetica and across the street, not stopping until I have her alone in an alleyway.
Ismini tries yanking her arm out of my grasp. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
I grit my teeth and push her against the side of a building. My fists press into the brick behind her, and I lean down, looking her in the eye.
She doesn’t even flinch. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
She’s never spoken to me like that before.
I tilt my head but hold her stare. “You’re fucking glowing.”
Ismini glares up at me like some tiny hellion ready to attack, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Even in the dark, I’m able to see the way her eyes flash and her skin flushes.
I meant to interrogate her. Find out what the fuck is going on and where the hell her powers came from.
But she makes my fucking mouth water, and I need a taste.
I touch her cheek with the tips of my fingers. Ismini’s wide gray eyes flicker to my hand before settling on my lips.
All questions go straight to hell and I along with them.
Taking her jaw in hand, I pull her to me and take her lips with my own. Power erupts along with her taste.
I’m out of control, plundering her with my tongue and tracing every inch I can get at.
I press her further into the wall behind her. Her arms come around me, and her fingers rake through my hair. She pulls me toward her with enough force to actually cause me pain.
And I fucking love it.
Our tongues swirl, the motion sparking memories of what I did to her back in my room. I let my fingers drift down, seconds away from ripping off every inch of our clothes and taking her right here.
Until Cy’s voice echoes into the alley.
“Yo! Dy! I don’t need to look in there to see what you’re doing, and that’s good and all. I’m happy for you, bro, but one of these fuckers has disappeared!”
I swear under my heaving breath. “That asshole has amazing timing.”
Ismini nods, unable to speak.
I smirk at how breathless she is. “Where’d you get the guns from, baby?”
She blinks up at me, looking unsteady. “Nylicia.”
Knew it.
I nuzzle her cheek, rubbing my thumb over her hip bone. “And the powers?”
Her breath falters. “N-Nylicia.”
Knew that one, too.
“Dy!”
“I’m fucking coming!” I yell.
“Oh, Bejesus, he’s still going at it!”
Fucking Cyake, man.
I exhale and force myself to take a step away from her. “And the powers are supposed to last how long?”
Her voice is shaky. “Until she decides.”
“Good. Either way, stay behind me. Got it?” I don’t bother telling her why. We both know I don’t want anything happening to her.
I scrutinize her for a moment, throat tight. “Make sure you keep that gun handy.”
“She called it a teret. Said they’re more like molecular destabilizers than guns.”
Fuck. Great. “On that note, perhaps you should give it back to me.”
“No way.”
“Dy!”
Fucking impatient asshole.
Two steps out of the alley, Ismini puts her hand on my shoulder.
“My place is around here.”
“I know.”
We both spin around just as the remaining ceFtut lets out a shriek.
I shove Ismini behind me, shielding her while trying to see where the sound is coming from.
Its huge steps can be heard running down the block. Xreak comes bounding past us in pursuit, pushing a wave of energy out and extending the Gnetica.
Is the ceFtut running toward the restaurant in the corner?
It probably is. That’s where Ismini and Evesse work.
I grab Ismini’s hand and take off after Xreak, determined to help him. The others begin running toward the corner, as well.
We all slide to an abrupt halt when the ceFtut crashes into view. Its giant body skids across the street, a whimper escaping it.
Someone attempted an evisceration on the creature, leaving what appears to be two arrows sticking out of its eyes.
“I SMELL HER.”
That brutal growl makes all our heads turn.
Ianthen is down on one knee, his armored arm on his bent leg. Head bowed, he pants, and his fists are clenched tight.
The creature falls on its side ten feet from him, legs kicking as it scrambles to get back up. A voice drifts down the sidewalk.
“Take that, you trespassing mutant freak! How you liking them bewitched arrows? That ass of a face is burning now, isn’t it fucker? How dare you come into my backyard? You want a piece of me, you fugly excuse for a mutt? Come at me, bitch. Come at me!”
“Holy shit,” Ismini and Evesse sa
ys at the same time.
Ianthen lets out another growl under his breath.
Fuck. Shit. He’s about to turn. I’ve known him long enough to know.
Another arrow comes out of nowhere and embeds itself in the struggling creature’s left eye. It now has two sticking out of there.
“Yeah. That’s right, motherfucker! Booyah!” And another arrow flies straight into its right eye.
The ceFtut stays on the ground, breaths heaving and legs failing. It obviously can’t see, and it’s clearly in more pain than those arrows should be able to cause on their own.
A redhead with a crossbow in her hands emerges and crosses the street. She’s wearing a tank top, pajama pants, and fluffy gray slippers.
She’s also rocking one hell of an aura. Midnight blue, bright white, and burgundy scream around her.
I recognize two things.
One, that’s Soleria, Ismini and Evesse’s close friend.
And two, that aura of hers is as abnormal as those of the other two human girls in our company.
Excuse me, ex-humans.
“No, no, no, no,” Ian mumbles under his breath, not raising his head.
“I fucking love you, Sol!” Evesse screams, oblivious to Ianthen’s display.
Soleria stops and lowers her crossbow. Her baby blue eyes are wide as she peers around. She spots Evesse first, then Ismini. As she takes a look at the rest of the group, one thing becomes very clear.
She’s standing outside the edge of the Gnetica.
And she can still see us.
“It’s not working on her,” Cy whispers under his breath.
“Pfftt. Soleria?” Evesse says. “She’s had ten expert hypnotherapists fail to get through her will. Good luck with that, guys.” She walks toward Soleria, aims the teret at the ceFtut, and blows it into nothingness, before smiling at her friend.
“Oh, man. I want one of those,” Soleria says with wide eyes. Her eyes suddenly land on Ianthen.
He finally raises his face to stare at her and the accusation in his expression is totally violent. He’s staring at her like he wants to fucking kill her.
Correction: like he wants to tear her up, fuck her senseless, and then kill her.
Face ashen, she rips her stare away from him. For a few seconds, she just stares off into space, her chest racing.
Alright. That’s it. When I get Ianthen alone, he’s going to answer some questions as well.
As far as I know, those two have never met.
Have they?
One word flashes through my mind. Nylicia. What the fuck has she done now?
Soleria snaps out of it and glares at Evesse and Ismini. “What the fuck is going on here? Where have you two been? Who are all these people? What the fruck was that thing? And why is this womanizer coming toward me right now?”
Ianthen had risen up and begun slowly making his way toward her. He pauses at her comment. “Womanizer?”
She raises her arm and aims the crossbow at Ian.
“Fuck me. How could she tell?” Nythi asks, her eyes amused at her brother’s expense.
“Womanizer?” Ian’s brow tenses.
“Yeah, the stank’s all over you, hoe,” Soleria snaps back.
“I beg your fucking pardon?” Ianthen growls mockingly.
Soleria’s expression pales further.
Ismini lets go of my hand and walks toward her two friends, leaving me here feeling too cold, too empty—and with eyes that are glued to the way her ass moves.
The hunger pounds its way past my soul.
A sliver of knowledge finally pierces through my denial.
Cold.
Hunger.
Haven’t I heard of this before?
I barely notice when Xreak approaches me and begins speaking low near my ear. “We need to get back. I managed to get the Kystm closed but we have to investigate.”
“Investigate what? Where the fruck are you going? Where the fruck have you been? Don’t you dare think you’re leaving me behind!” Soleria says, her long, dark red hair flapping wildly around her shoulders.
Ismini and Evesse laugh.
Ian swallows, seeming unable to pull his eyes away.
Cy raises a brow. “She really does like the word fruck, doesn’t she?”
Soleria turns to Cy, giving him the type of stare that sends chills through any male and hits him in the ass. “Yeah, I do. And don’t think I won’t beat the fruck out of you if you even think of taking my best friends with you and leaving me behind!”
Soleria is pulled in for a hug, Ismini and Evesse still laughing as they hold her tight. The sound of Ismini’s laughter drills through me. The sight of her smile makes something under my armor snap. If I had been human, I would be worried about my ribs.
“We can’t take another one with us . . . although, damn, maybe we should,” Cy says. He gets smacked in the back of the head in response. “Ian! Dude, not you, too! What’s with all this ‘first dibs’ bullshit?”
“Let’s just bring her. The girl is going to be . . . gone in a few days,” Sil whispers to the others. “She could use her friends. And they’re pretty kickass . . .”
“I don’t know. You see how strong that one’s will is,” Xreak says. “A mind-wipe probably won’t work on her.”
“And you think it’ll work on Eve?” Liz asks, her tone sarcastic.
“You’re right. But still . . .”
I can already see that Xreak’s going to lose that argument.
I want him to. Regardless of what problems this might cause, I want Ismini to have her only friends with her. She seems so happy talking with Evesse and Soleria.
It’s undeniable. I need her to be happy during her last days.
Her last days.
Those words make me nauseous for the first time in my existence. I have never felt it before, but there’s no mistaking the turning of my stomach. The need to heave and purge until nothing’s left.
The world’s being disfigured before my eyes, the colors pounding like they did back in my room.
I take a step back. Then another. Need to get out of here. Can’t go back to Enzyria. Ismini will be there. She’ll probably have her way and her two friends will be coming back.
I definitely can’t go back. I know, just know . . .
My denial dies a pitiful death. I want to find any excuse that will lead to a different conclusion than the one I’ve made.
There’s only one condition that features all of my symptoms, however rare.
And I’m damn sure that’s exactly what’s plaguing me.
Shit.
There’s only four days left. Four. Surely I can last that long before I do something stupid and condemn both Dimithinia’s soul and the Universe as a whole.
But you’ll be condemning Ismini to death instead. And if you’re right, you’re going to die with her.
The thought of Ismini dying almost bends my ass over and has me spewing my soul out. The thought of me dying with her? Well . . . a world without her in it suddenly makes being suicidal more than okay, doesn’t it?
Besides, it’s too damn late. The sacrifice is already arranged. The Fates are expecting a soul, and they won’t back out now. If the vortex opens and Ismini isn’t fed into it, the Fates will unleash their revenge.
If that means I’ll die, I’ll gladly do so.
I break apart my molecules and shoot straight out of the dimension. No idea where the hell I’m going to go, but no matter how much I run, I won’t be able to escape this.
More than ever, I’m truly doubting my decision all those years ago and wondering what the fuck I’m going to do.
Because the truth is . . . and it’s time I finally admit this to myself . . . my days are numbered.
CHAPTER 20
Two days later.
-Enzyria.
DYLETRI
“I only came back to grab a few things.”
“And then you’re running away again. Is that it?” Zen asks, his frame blocking the door
way to my room.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Admit you have feelings for the girl, for one.”
I laugh, the sound full of self-loathing. Shaking my head, I run my fingers through my hair. “It’s too late for that. I think the entire Universe is aware of that. It’s also too late to do anything about it, even if I wanted to.”
“We’re looking into it. Trying to see if there’s a way to reverse your promise to the Fates—”
“You know there’s not. And even if there was, what am I supposed to do? Go back on the promise I made to Dimithinia? Let her suffer? They won’t allow her to reincarnate. I’ve tried that avenue for thousands of years,” I snap.
“And you think they’ll allow Ismini? The Universe calls for balance, even in times when said balance is threatened. Ismini’s soul will take the place of Dimithinia’s, and she won’t be allowed to reincarnate. Ever.”
Zen says it so fucking calmly. Yet I hear the condemnation in his tone.
I fall onto the bed and pull at my hair. “Why are you pushing this? You know there’s nothing to be done. Damn it, why are you forcing the girl on me when you’re running from what you feel for her friend?”
Zen flinches.
“I . . . you know well that anything that upsets my tranquility threatens the wellbeing of those around me.”
I’m about to ask him what the fuck he means but then the answer comes to me.
Mavrak.
It’s that simple.
It’s that fucked up.
Zen wasn’t born as Zeniel, God of Tranquility. He was born as Mavrak, the God of Vengeance, and I remember a time, eons past, when Zen was trapped within that form.
A time when his need to punish the guilty and avenge the victimized had consumed every bit of his rationale, causing destruction and chaos.
Even those who told little, white lies had been in danger of being consumed by the demon Mavrak was.
I still remember the painful and never-ending “ceremonies” that took place over a span of centuries. Ceremonies in which the God of Vengeance was beaten into submission and locked inside his own body until his psyche finally broke.
From the shattered pieces, Zeniel emerged. The complete opposite of everything Mavrak had become after losing control to his powers. The change was so profound that Zen hadn’t remembered me when I went to get him out of the dimension where he’d been isolated.
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