Page 68 of Vengeance of the Gods

The bullet tore through his body, off to the left of where Romulus’s heart should be. In the bullet’s wake, was a round, perfectly circular hole where light shone through.

There was no blood, and he didn’t react.

Okay, so guns don’t kill him. Noted.

He looked at the hole, mesmerized for a second too long. Bridger grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head back, using his dagger to slice through the tendons of his throat with ease.

No blood poured from the wound, but his vocal cords strained when he talked. “That’s not how you kill me either,” he said, like he was inside Vega’s head.

In the blink of an eye, Romulus bent down and grabbed another piece of the portal and pierced it through Bridger’s upper pelvis. “A little lower and that could have been bad.” Romulus's laugh echoed through the trees with a too-high pitch.

Bridger bent at the waist, crying out in pain while Romulus pushed the severed portal deeper.

Vega unloaded the gun into Romulus, hoping it would at least buy her time. The piercing ring in her ears drowned out the sound of anything Romulus was saying.

Holes littered his entire body.

“I hate to mark up such a perfect body.” Romulus’s hand was covered in Bridger’s blood, leaving a streak down his face as Romulus stroked his cheek.

Bridger’s fist connected with Romulus’s nose, the crunch sending Vega into action. She ran at full speed, grabbing a piece of the portal he’d launched at her earlier. It tingled in her grasp, tendrils of what felt like home sliding up her wrist, soaking into her bloodstream, reminding her of all she had to lose.

While Romulus was distracted by Bridger’s hit, Vega charged after him, using a sharp piece of the portal as her own personal dagger. If it was a piece of their world, a piece of Marlena’s power, she hoped it would answer her desires. She waited until the last possible second to show her move.

Romulus hooked Vega by her arm, tossing her into Bridger like she weighed nothing. They tumbled, Bridger’s head smacking against the ground with concussion-like force.

Vega had no time to recover. Romulus snatched her hand and drove the piece of portal Vega had intended to use on him straight into Bridger’s chest. She felt the vibrations up her arm as it tore through his tissue and shattered bones. It was inches from piercing his heart.

Romulus yanked her by her hair with such violence, Vega’s neck popped, shooting pain down her leg. She screamed, drowning out most of Romulus’s rambles.

Vega struggled to follow every word. “But you promised to kill your sister, and your sister has the gods with her. He gave you more time in hopes you’d deliver what he’s always wanted.”

She blinked away the tears, struggling to see Bridger fighting to sit up, his hands covered in blood as he tried to apply pressure to his chest.

“He’s sick of waiting for you to fulfill your end of the bargain.”

Vega’s nails dug into Romulus’s wrists, but it didn’t faze him.

“It’s a shame you have to go. I quite like your spunk.” He sighed, bending down in front of a large sliver of the portal. “How about I give you a parting gift? I’ll let you get the revenge of a god before you die.” Romulus forced the long piece of portal back into Vega’s hand, a sharp edge slicing down her palm. Blood immediately oozed down her arm. “I’ll let you kill him for all the times he’s betrayed you.”

Time stopped. The world stopped. Vega’s vision turned to a long tunnel, the only thing on the other side being Bridger.

At one point she might have jumped at the chance to end the only man she’d ever truly loved—she would have enjoyed watching the life drain from his eyes.

No, you wouldn’t have. Her inner voice surprised her.

Bridger dug the shard out of his leg, inhaling a wet breath. His lungs filled with blood. The portal’s broken pieces weakened Bridger more than he already was without his powers. His normally golden color had turned pale, and the places where he’d been stabbed dripped with blood faster than average.

The piece cutting into Vega’s skin right now seemed to do the complete opposite. She felt like she was feeding off it. It wasn’t exactly like having her powers—didn’t have the same feel as her storms or lightning—but it energized her.

My curse. My death. My hands. My blood. It’s time to end this.

She didn’t care who waited for her on the other side.

They’d have to wait… Vega wasn’t done in this life yet.

25

Vega would be the one to save herself. She’d be the god to save the bonded.