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“Oh, look who’s talking,” the hunter taunted as she came back in. “If you’re fucking talking, Baby Byrne, it means I haven’t done a good enough job with you.”
“No, no!” I exclaimed. “Please! Please, leave him alone! He can’t take any more!”
“Oh, he can take more,” she scoffed. But she did stop. That deadly gaze turned on me, and I swore my heart stopped in my chest. Just for a moment. “You should see him. I’ve done a fucking number on him. Baby Byrne doesn’t get the fucking credit he deserves. His brothers think he’s weak. Honestly, I thought he’d be dead by now.”
I bit back a sob. I didn’t want to know. As horrible as it was, I didn’t want to know.
“Please, stop,” I begged, choking on the words. “Leave him alone. Do… whatever you want to me, just please… please, leave him alone. He doesn’t deserve this.”
“Ginny…” Nolan coughed, and something wet hit the floor. “Don’t… I can take it…”
“I think it’s you.” She pointed her knife at me, grinning. “I think he’s holding out because of you. As much as I’d like to tear into you, I won’t touch you until I see just how far I can push him. How much pain do you think he’ll endure for you?”
“Please, don’t.” But my words were ignored as she whistled loudly, striding back to Nolan. Minutes later, his screams filled the warehouse all over again while hot tears burned my cheeks.
Chapter 123
Killian
Igripped the sink for dear life, my muscles trembling violently. My breaths came out in quick pants as I struggled against the waves of fucking anger rolling through me. Deep growls fell out of me on repeat.
I could feel Lane’s magic moving through me. He promised I would for a while until the augmentation settled—whatever the fuck that meant. I was alive. That was all I fucking cared about.
I was alive and stronger than I’d ever been in my fucking life. The power weaving through me was an intense fucking rush—one I desperately wanted to lean into. One I wanted to give in to completely.
But I couldn’t.
My head cocked to the side as I studied myself. The man in the mirror was barely recognizable. My eyes were gone, replaced with swimming pits of midnight blue. The color surged through my veins, dancing down my neck and under my clothes. My tattoos pulsed with the dim blue glow. Curved claws scraped against the marble and left divots wherever they touched.
The row of fangs in my mouth sat uncomfortably over another. My gums ached, and blood pooled in the back of my mouth. I opened and closed my mouth—or tried to. Nothing fit right. Not like it used to.
“Yup, you’re fuckin’ pretty, Killy Boy,” Beau commented from his spot by the door. “Now, are we goin’ to kill a hunter, or am I rippin’ your throat out?”
I growled, making the mirror rattle with the sound. Beau stood taller. Closing my eyes, I breathed in deeply.
Human.
Act human.
Be human.
I could fucking do this. I willed it to go away—for now. The power receded, swirling and looming anxiously. One wrong move and I knew I’d fucking lose it.
But I couldn’t. Not now.
“Stop calling me that,” I snarled as I opened my eyes. My same old fucking reflection stared back at me, and I held in a sigh of relief. I couldn’t show Beau weakness. He couldn’t know I was struggling.
Not until I saved Genevieve and Nolan.
Chapter 124
Killian
An odd calm settled over me, considering what we were about to do and the danger my brothers were putting themselves in. Cade and Gabby could handle themselves. They’d do whatever the fuck it took to survive. But Declan, Lucas, and Finn? They didn’t fucking have a mean bone in their body. They were fired up over Nolan and Genevieve being taken, but would that be enough?
I wasn’t so sure.
“Listen up,” I began quietly, “Lane and I will take the front. Cade and Gabby are going to stick near the back. I need the three of you to stay in the fucking middle and don’t get involved. I know you want to help, but you’re not cut out for this shit. That’s not a bad thing, but it is the fucking truth. I don’t want anything to happen to you three. Got it?”
