A rush of power. A gush of life and heat and energy. A concussive blast punched through the air, smacking into Whisper and making him trip.
The panther snarled as he was flung forward just as the bullet whizzed past, slamming into the pavers—exactly where Whisper had been a second ago.
Lucien staggered, his breath turning shallow.They’ll all fucking die for this.
I dashed forward and wrapped my arm around his waist. The strain of whatever he’d just done tore at his body, costing far too much for him to pay.
“Huh, that’s strange.” The leader scowled at his gun as if it’d misfired. “I never miss.”
Lucien gathered what strength he had left and stood to his full height. Anger flared in his gaze as he unwound my arm from his waist and tried to tame his breathing.Don’t touch me. Just in case.
Our eyes locked, and the soft drums of so manythud-thuds, thud-thuds, thud-thudsechoed in my mind.What...what is that?
He gave me a weary smile.Their heartbeats.
You canheartheir hearts beating?Gushing with rhythmic blood. Dozens of them. Everywhere.
How long had he been able to do this?
What did it mean?
If I can still hear them...maybe I can use them. Closing his eyes, Lucien sank into whatever power he’d tapped into and yanked.Hard.
My own heart skipped a beat as if he’d suddenly squeezed it in his fist.
Two men on the wall wobbled, wrenching my stare upward. One dropped to his knees, clutching his chest as his rifle clattered against the stone.
“What the fuck are you playing at?” the leader barked at his subordinates. “Get up.”
With his face drained of colour, the man pushed upright and fisted his gun.
No one seemed to connect their sudden cardiac issues or Whisper’s miraculous avoidance of a bullet to Lucien.
Hope flared sharp and bright even as Lucien trembled. The depth of his hollowness made me panic, but he straightened and gave me a stronger smile.Do you trust me?
I blinked.With every part of me.
Good.Turning away, he focused on the leader. His hand found mine, squeezing once.Can you access your ice at all?
No.Grief threaded through the word.It’s still missing. Ever since I woke up, it’s just...gone.
Can you feel anything...else?
I stilled.Anythingelse?
I caught flashes of him being able to feed off another’s energy, but then he shook his head.Doesn’t matter.
Before I could confess that, ever since I’d chased him up the mountain, I could taste death, his mental presence brushed against mine again—exhausted and apologetic but with fierce determination.You’re sure you trust me?
I studied him even as the strangest sensation tickled my heart.I just told you I do.
I’m going to try something.He never looked at me, keeping his eyes on the leader.If it works...you’ll probably feel a lot worse than what you already do.
I flinched at the thought. Despite living my entire life with migraines and nausea, I wasn’t much better now.What are you going to do?
Borrow your energy.
What did he mean borrow? How?
