Page 95 of The Phoenix

“I’m shielded.”

“What can I do?”

“Die.” The berserker sprang forward.

In a flash, Roark stepped from the idiot’s path, flicking out a foot. As the giant tripped, he head-longed onto the pavement in what had to be a painful experience. Roark risked a glance at Indy. She was holding her own, though her warlock opponent was stronger than expected.

Pushing off the ground, the persistent berserker rushed him again.

End this shit and help Indy.

He whipped his wings out to propel himself forward, meeting the berserker chest to chest in a loud clash. As his enemy pitched forward, Roark plunged claws through flesh and bone, yanking out the berserker’s heart.

With the bloody organ squeezed in his fist, Roark murmured, “Give my regards to Cerberus.”

He dropped the body, wiping berserker blood on his black pants, a great clothing choice since the color hid a multitude of sins.

Pop.

A gunshot.

“No!” His heart slammed against his rib cage, his nerves firing a rapid staccato, his legs churning up the concrete as he sprinted toward Indy.

Not her. Not his quirky witch.

Chapter Twenty-One

Indigo had no time to react. She was prepping to fry his ass when the warlock drew a damn gun from a hip holster. Self-respecting Aeternals didn’t use guns. They used their breed powers. He fired. When she collapsed to the ground, the mage rifled through her pockets until he found the ruby. She reached a shaky hand toward him, trying unsuccessfully to retrieve the stone. Then he disappeared.

Poof.

Roark screamed, “No,” racing toward her.

When she felt a sharp pain in her chest, she glanced down to see blood flower on her shirt. “Roark, I think I’ve been shot.” Her words were halting. Raspy.

“Hold on, Indy.” He scooped her into his arms.

He sprinted for the car, opening the door. Gently, he placed her inside. While she clutched her wound, he slid into the driver’s seat and started the vehicle. With both hands wildly turning the steering wheel and a worried sidelong glance at her, he peeled away from the curb.

“The ruby.” She watched as blood continued to soak her once-clean tee. It dripped onto her khaki shorts. Blood was hard to get out of clothes.

Roark whipped his head around to stare at her. Growling, he stomped on the gas. The car lunged forward, nearly tumbling Indigo to the floor.

He was pissed.

Damn.

She hadn’t meant to lose the stone.

“Listen. Warlock. Ruby.” Her head wobbled from side to side. “I’m not doing so well.”

Roark’s hand stretched out to caress her cheek. The touch was tender. Almost as if he cared. “Stay with me. Do you hear, Indy? Don’t you dare die. Fuck the ruby.”

“My job,” she gasped, her breath jagged.

“Your job is to stay alive. We have shit to do yet.”

She tried to smile, but her mouth wasn’t getting with the program. And Roark kept growing blurrier and blurrier.

---