I grinned and spread my arms, exposing my heart to his gun. “You might as well kill me then, because I will never bow to you bastards again.”
“Pity.” Arching his chin, he ordered his men, “Go on, then. Shoot.”
I tensed for the shot—
“WAIT!” Rook flung herself in front of me, her nightgown flapping like a white flag of surrender.
I lunged, snatching her around the middle and spinning around. “What the hell are you doing?!” I shielded her with my body even as the world spun from the effort. “I told you to stay inside!”
“And I told you I’d never let you die on me again!” She fought my grip, clawing at my arm. The bond crackled—raw, desperate.
The fear of losing her crucified me.
And I couldn’t do it.
Grabbing Rook’s wrist, I locked her behind me as I turned to face the men and flung myself wide open, begging the fire to return, hoping for the barest smidgen of power.
Every primal instinct howled to destroy. To tap into these bastards’ lifeforce. To suck out their energy and leave them nothing more than shrivelled husks.
But nothing answered.
I was nothing more than a sickly human...
And had absolutely no idea how to fix any of this.
Chapter Seven
LUCIEN VIBRATED WITH PURE HATE.
I could feel him through the bond. Feel his seething, barely contained rage. Every muscle locked tight as he shielded me, but beneath his fury, he knew as well as I did how vulnerable we were.
The fire that usually burned so hotly in his blood was non-existent. He ran on nothing but anger, and if the men who’d come to trap us figured out he was even weaker than when he was imprisoned in Cinderkeep...
Dillon shot from the pavilion, gun drawn as he skidded to a halt and planted himself in front of me and Lucien. Gratitude filled me for my wonderful bodyguard, but it was quickly swallowed by terror.
“Dil, don’t.” I tried to reach him where I was pinned behind Lucien. “They’ll kill you.”
“And you think I’ll let them kill you instead?” He didn’t turn to look at me, keeping his gun trained on the leader on the wall. “Get back into the house, both of you. I’ll hold them off for as long as I can.”
Lucien sighed heavily. “You’re a right pain in my ass, you know that?” His tone was dark, but also held reluctant respect. Shoving Dillon aside, he pointed at the pavilion. “Youget back inside. No matter what he threatens to do to me, he won’t fire. You on the other hand...”
“Aww, did you have to ruin it?” The leader cocked his head with a cruel tilt. “It’s rather touching to see how many people arewilling to sacrifice themselves for you.”
Whisper crouched low at Lucien’s side, his tail lashing back and forth. With a roar, he swiped the air, his lips peeling back to reveal razor-sharp fangs.
A dart of horror from Lucien. Snatches of his internal voice echoed in my skull.
What if they shoot him—
Ice-cold panic drenched me at the thought of Whisper being killed.
Trembling, I closed my eyes and hunted for that crisp, wintery strength around my heart.
But...it fizzled out.
Melted and demolished without even the barest hint of a snowflake.
Sagging with despair, I couldn’t shed the heavy, aching weakness.
