The second that dampener broke, I felt it. The air all around us hummed, charged with energy as Eon stood, her eyes glowing with that unnatural violet light.
Haruto and his goons tried to rush her, each summoning flames—but it was too late.
Theboomof the cell door blowing off its hinges rattled through my skull. The Kitsune bastards didn’t even have time to scream before it hit them, sending them sprawling. Dust and debris rained down. Lights flickered. The whole damn place shook like it was about to come apart.
And at the center of it all—her.
She moved toward me fast, dropping to her knees, fingers reaching for my neck. I knew what she was doing before she even touched the dampener, but my body still tensed at the feel of her skin against mine.
Then came the shock—just a flicker of her Flux, delicate and precise, worming its way into the chip’s circuitry. The tech whined as it fried under her will.
A sharppop—and suddenly, I could breathe again.
The surge of power was like ice water in my veins, an instant recalibration. My senses sharpened. The weight pressing on my chest vanished. And it was all aligned with her.
I rolled my shoulder, exhaling slowly. Pain still pulsed through my ribs, but it didn’t matter anymore.
“Shit, doll,” I muttered, cracking my neck. “Remind me to stay on your good side.”
She scoffed. “You’re not on my good side, corpo.” But I caught the hint of a smile.
Footsteps pounded closer—more Kitsune coming to clean up the mess. I ran my tongue over my teeth, tasting blood. Electricity danced at my fingertips, my Flux waking up, itching to be used.
She tugged at the cables around my arms, frying the lock and setting me free. I stood, and our power pulsed in tandem—her by my side. It felt right, like a piece I hadn’t known I was missing had finally slotted into place.
Her fingers wove between mine, and even through the charge between us, I could feel her shaking. I dared to squeeze back. “Look at me. We’ve got these fuckers.”
She met my gaze—and her power surged. It was anger. Flux was always rooted in anger. But for the first time, it wasn’t aimed at me. It was for me.
She saw me—everything I was and had done—and she was furiousforme.
She nodded, and we turned to face the hallway, ready for whatever was coming.
Two faces I knew emerged from the shadows.
Akira led Maddox, both with guns drawn.
Eon snapped her hand out of mine, and her signal died.
“How the fuck did you get in here?” I asked, letting my Flux fade too. I flexed my fingers, which now felt strangely empty.
“Nice to see you too, assholes.” Maddox deadpanned.
CHAPTER 39
EON
Iwas still staring at Maddox in disbelief. Were we really getting out of here? I’d blown that door off with more power than I’d ever unleashed before. With Cy by my side, it hadn’t felt dangerous—it had felt easy. My fingers twitched, but I pressed my Flux back down, containing it. It was almost…disappointing.
“Figured you two were fucked once you’d been inside for more than thirty minutes,” Maddox said, nodding toward Akira. “Luckily, someone showed me the back door.”
“Shit, Akira, you could’ve let me in that way!” Cy protested, waving his hand.
“You said you had a deal to make. I didn’t know you were up to some shit.” Akira crossed his arms. Of course Cy wouldn’t have told him what we were really up to. That would’ve required trust. “Now let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“You do that, and you’re done with the Kitsune,” Cy warned, serious now. “Best case, hamonjo. Worst? They kill you.”
Akira’s lips pressed into a flat line. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve wanted out for a while. Ever since Hinokawa-san got in bed with the Church, nothing’s felt right.”
