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Despite the situation, I can’t help but giggle, knowing he’s right—Aria fights like a monster and is just as good as one. She doesn’t need our help, we would only get in the way. Instead, we protect the child and the research.
We watch as they kick ass, taking down an army of guards before they hit a red button and cells I don’t remember seeing swing open, releasing more monsters.
“It’s time to go home,” Aria calls, her voice reaching us. “You might have to fight. Are you with us?”
“Until the end!” a female shouts, and at the voice, the kid in Cato’s arms starts to wiggle before he slips free and starts to run.
“Mummy!”
“Kid!” Cato shouts, but it’s too late. I just stare with everyone else as he flings himself at the woman. My heart melts when she cries, swinging him around happily as they both chatter and giggle.
How could we ever feel guilty now? We might not have been able to save everyone, but this makes it worth it.
“Mummy, Mummy, the human saved me,” he tells her as he pulls back.
“Thank you. Thank you,” she repeats, her eyes filled with tears as she falls to her knees before Aria. “I owe you my life, thank you.”
“You owe me nothing,” Aria offers and holds out her hand to the lady, looking every bit the badass monster saver she is. “Now, let’s get you both home, shall we?”
The woman watches Aria for a moment before accepting her hand, and Aria looks at her mate. “Ready?”
“Let’s go home, mate,” he replies.
“What he said, Tally,” Cato murmurs to me, holding me closer. “Home, so I can remind you I will never let you go again.”
“Sounds perfect,” I whisper, cupping his cheek as I lean in and kiss him.
Home.
Home is where he is.
FORTY-FIVE
CATO
After we make it through the lobby, with Akuji and Aria leading and taking down any threats, we hurry out into the fresh air of the human city.
Tally seems surer now, stronger, and each step she takes away from the building makes her stand taller. I’ve never been so proud. My woman is one hell of a fighter. Nothing keeps her down. She’s not uncertain at all as she leads us through her lands with a tight-jawed determination that makes me ridiculously hard. Once we reach the mouth of an alley, she sighs and looks back at us. Her bright, stormy eyes flick to me for a moment.
“We have to walk down the street from here.” She sounds about as happy as Aria as she curses. I look around to see why. It’s open and there are too many people, strange human homes, and perfect-looking streets.
It’s crude and very cold.
“Okay, we’ll move fast then. Where are we going?” Aria asks.
“Straight down this road. It leads right into the slums, but there is a small bridge we have to cross and it might be guarded.” She swallows nervously, but Aria nods before pursing her lips and looking at Akuji.
It’s strange and funny to watch the giant monster I have looked up to all my life peer down at the tiny human as he waits for her commands. “Carry me. You’re faster. We’ll run as fast as we can. Do not stop for anything.” She looks at the rest of us then, taking charge, and we listen because she knows best. “If we get split up, head to the wall, and we will find you.”
I grab Talia while Akuji scoops up Aria, and when we are all ready, we burst out from the alley and into the streets. Aria leads the way in Akuji’s arms, with me right on his heels, holding both Talia and her bag.
We race as fast as we can, the wall towering in the distance like a gleaming beacon of hope. That’s where we need to be. We can do this. We are going to make it. It’s chaos around us, but we stay focused until we skid to a stop before a bridge. Humans protect the crossing. I hold Talia tighter as Aria slides down Akuji and rushes across the bridge. We watch in awe as she tricks them and then begins to kick their asses.
“She’s amazing.” Talia giggles.
“No, you are,” I murmur, kissing her quickly.
A whistle cuts through the air, and I focus on moving forward, not on how perfect my mate is in my arms. Akuji scoops Aria back up, and then we are moving through the decayed, run-down section of the human world.
