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Julian heard the sounds of battle well before they could see anything. He and Jaden slipped between the long rows of shelving as they rushed forward.
The entire building seemed to be moving, as if the earth beneath the concrete was heaving, protesting the darkness that slithered along the surface. The constant cold was relentless, yet his flesh was heated, and mist rose from his skin.
“Holy Christ,” Jaden whispered, and he paused, his eyes following her line of sight. Above them, a thin ribbon of energy pulsated in the air. Its strength fluctuated as it continued to weave amidst the darkness, shimmering one second, dulling to near invisible the next.
“It’s Cormac,” he said.
Jaden nodded in agreement. “I can smell him. His scent is evil.” Her teeth flashed in the gloom, and her breath was ragged. “We need to end this.” She turned to him. “It has to end tonight.”
“Agreed.”
She turned to leave, but Julian grabbed her to him, relishing the feel of her heat against his bare chest. There were no words for the intensity of what he was feeling.
He stared down at her, took note of every nuance that made her features unique. Her soft lips parted as agitated breaths escaped . . . the curve of her cheek, the tilt of her nose. She’d brought him a certain peace, and he knew the image of her as she was right now, in his arms, was one he’d carry to the grave.
“Jaden, know that . . .” he began, and faltered.
“It’s okay, Julian,” she whispered.
Loud bursts of gunfire echoed through the dull, thick air. He cupped her chin. “Know that in another lifetime, you would have been all I needed.”
“Why wait for another lifetime? Why can’t we have our happy ending right now?” She was angry, the tone of her words sharp.
He didn’t answer. The joy of the moment was gone, and he turned from her. It could never happen. His deal was done. “Let’s go.”
The pulsing energy above them was like a beacon that cut through the darkness, and he knew they were close. As they neared the target, he glanced back at Jaden and indicated silence.
The air was thick with the smell of death, of demon and of black magick. He caught trace signatures of both Declan and Ana and knew that they were near.
Sporadic bursts of light rippled across the ceiling, casting macabre shadows in their wake. He heard shouts, screams, and moans of pain and rage.
Julian centered himself, and his senses exploded from within, traveling along an invisible conduit as he searched the immediate area for anything that didn’t belong.
The hairs along the back of his neck stood on end, and he snarled softly, relishing the power that flooded his cells as he whirled around, a dagger held in his hand, a vicious growl escaping from between his lips.
There was no need.
Jaden was already wiping the blood that dripped from her knife. The crimson liquid stood sharply against the never-ending dull of gray and black. His eyes settled upon the body on the ground. It lay at a weird angle, and he marveled at the strength of his woman.
It was a young male, and Cormac’s mark was clear against his pale skin. The sorry bastard never had a chance. He was much too young to resist O’Hara’s pull. His lifeless eyes stared up at Julian, and he shook his head. What a fucking waste.
A fiery scream ripped through the layers of thick air, and his nostrils quivered as the pain continued to pour out into the night. It was a long, drawn-out cry, and it rode the cool thread of air with such sharp madness that he fought the urge to cover his ears.
Jaden took off running before he had a chance to react. He was fast on her heels, adrenaline pumping hard, fueling his muscles into a blur of speed. The two of them covered several hundred yards in seconds. Above them, the gray gave way to light, and suddenly they were in the thick of it.
He saw a large room to the left. The energy thread that hovered overhead surrounded the entire circumference, caressing the walls in a shower of sparks.
Before him was madness.
He pulled up short, his hand on Jaden’s shoulder as they quickly scouted out the scene. The blackness inside of him reveled in the violence in the air, and he felt it expand. All around him was chaos.
His brothers, their women . . . the rest of the team . . . all of them were fighting for their lives. A snarl ripped from his throat as he jumped forward, deep into the fray.
No sense in letting them have all the fun.
“Stay close to me,” he shouted at Jaden, his teeth slashing white as he smiled at her reaction. She flashed him her middle finger before cleanly severing the head of a demon that rushed her from behind.
The woman could clearly look after herself.
