He moves closer and eyes my mouth. “I’ve wanted you, too. Not for what you can do. Not for anything else. Just you.” He lifts a hand to my cheek. “Can’t you see that? I wanted to save you. I wantedyou.”
“Don’t.” I press my back against the door. The hum has changed now, it’s a violent buzzing, an entire hive of wasps.
“You felt it, too. I know you did. On the roof that night.” He leans in.
I shove him, but he’s strong and stays planted in front of me. “Don’t touch me!”
“Georgia!” Surprise and hurt mix in his voice.
“Open the door.” I bare my teeth like a wild thing, like one ofthem.
“Okay, okay.” With a wounded tone, he drags his keycard across the pad.
I hear the lock click, then turn and yank the door open.
Right as I step into the hallway, the buzz in my blood goes nuclear, and a soldier flies past me and slams into the wall.
“Georgia!” Valen roars as he storms down the hallway toward me, blood splashed across his face.
Another soldier rounds a corner and shoots at him.
Quicker than I can follow, Valen is on him, crushing his gun and sending the man flying, his yell dying away as he hits the wall in the same spot as the other guard.
And then Valen’s in front of me, face bloody, eyes feral, his hands so gentle as he cups my face. “Did he hurt you, my Blood?”
“No,” I say shakily and lean into him.Safety, my blood sings.Mine.
He sighs and wraps his arms around me, his heart thudding heavily beneath his ribs.
How can a man—a monster—feel like home? I don’t know, and in this moment, I don’t care. He’s here, he’s alive. The vicious buzzing beneath my skin fades into something soothing, gentle waves on an endless shore. I can breathe again.
More soldiers, guns drawn, appear at the end of the hall.
“Stand down!” Gage jogs out and yells. “Everyone stand the fuck do?—”
Valen grabs him by the throat and lifts him in the air.
“Don’t.” I’m still pressed to Valen, his other arm wrapped tightly around me. “Don’t kill him.”
Gage kicks and struggles, but Valen doesn’t move.
“Why not?” Valen seethes. “He stole you. Caged you. Dared to touch you.”
“We need him. The humans need him.”
Gage’s face is red, his hands beating ineffectually at Valen’s arm.
“Please, let him go.”
Valen growls but releases his hold.
Gage crumples to the floor and coughs, his eyes bulging as he tries to get his breath.
More soldiers are massed at the other end of the hall, their guns pointed at us.
“Call off your dogs or I’ll snap their spines,” Valen turns so he’s between me and the soldiers.
“Stand down,” Gage cries hoarsely. “That’s a fucking order!”
