Some of my anger faded as I pulled hercloser. “You can’t do this again, River,” I told her as I kissedher temple. “You have no idea what these demons are capable of. Onekiss, and you could have been trapped by them. You would havewillingly let yourself burn like the other humans and demons inthere because they were too far gone to think to save themselves.They’re not even screaming.”
Her teeth rattled, and her spine quakedbeneath my fingers. Rising, I stepped away from Hawk’s body as Erinand Corson knelt beside him. The other two humans rescued from thebuilding moved away from us as I walked River a few feet away.
“Shh, Mah Kush-la, it’s over now.” I strokedher raven hair back from her face before grasping her chin andtilting her head up. “Your friends are alive.”
She nodded before dropping her head to myneck once more. I embraced her as the hounds rubbed against herlegs, seeking to give her comfort. Lowering my head, I rested mylips against her temple. If I had my way, I’d never release heragain.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened hershoulders. “I’m okay.”
Reluctantly, I lowered her to her feet andslid my arms away from her. One of her hands absently fell toCrux’s head before she focused on Hawk. “Is he going to make it?”she asked Corson.
“There’s a lot of blood.” He pulled back theruined remains of Hawk’s shirt to survey more of the blood seepingfrom the claw marks slicing through his skin. “A lot of his and alot of Lilitu’s too.” He shot me a look at this realization. Ishook my head at him and he returned to exploring the edges ofHawk’s injuries. “Some stitches will close it. He may require bloodthough.”
Vargas tugged his shirt over his head.Kneeling at Corson’s side, he tore the shirt into strips beforebinding it around Hawk’s chest. “We have to get him back to thesupplies. We can stitch him there,” Vargas said.
Corson grabbed Hawk’s arm and swung himeasily over his shoulder. Bale and Corson glanced at River beforelooking to me. “Did she just do what I think she did?” Baleinquired.
“Take down Lilitu? Yes, she did,” I repliedas I slid my arm around River’s waist and pulled her close. Hereyes remained steady and unwavering as they all stared curiously ather.
“Were those all of the canagh demons inthere?” Erin asked.
“No,” I replied. “There are more out there,but not all of them are like Lilitu and her followers. Some are onour side, others refuse to choose a side, and still others followLucifer. It is the same amongst all of the demons.”
River turned her head toward the fire. Theflames reflected in her eyes as they danced across her face.Turning her away, I led her down the road back toward where we’dleft the others.
CHAPTER 40
River
I remained unmoving in the seat beside Kobal,my head bent as I watched the asphalt flash by through the holebeneath my feet. Air rushed in from the missing door, a door I’dlearned Kobal had wrenched from its hinges the minute he’ddiscovered I was gone.
My hand fell on his thickly muscled thigh.His eyes slid to me; the lines of his face were severe andunyielding. I sensed his lingering displeasure with me, but I stillwasn’t entirely thrilled with him either.
“You wouldn’t listen to me,” I saidquietly.
“There was a reason for that.”
“They’re alive because of us.”
His teeth scraped together as his handstightened on the wheel. “I can’t talk about this. You disobeyedme—”
“I’m not yours to command!” I cut in. “I amyour Chosen. I have allowed you to mark me, to share my bed, to bea part of my life, thebiggestpartof it, but I have not allowed you to become my dictator. You are incommand of the demons and the humans, but not of me. I never agreedto that.”
“As my Chosen youaremine.”
“And you are mine, but I would never orderyou about, throw you over my shoulder and command you to stay likea dog.”
His mouth quirked in amusement. “I don’tthink you could throw me over your shoulder.”
Sparks danced across my fingers when they duginto his thigh. I glowered at him as I tried to control my temper.It never worked out well when we bashed heads with each other, butstill I was tempted to smack his head off the driver’s sidewindow.
I took a minute to steady myself before Ispoke again. “I understand we’re from different worlds. You are aleader, a fighter, and used to being obeyed, but you have to talkto me. No matter what this is between us, it will never work out ifyou continue to order me around like that instead of talking withme.”
His body became as still as stone when Iuttered the words “it will never work out.” Those words tore at myheart and shredded my insides too, but they were true.
“I know you love me,” I whispered.
“Too much,” he grated.
