Page 42 of Creatures that Breathe

Never. “I can’t. She’s—” Mine, I almost say, but swallow it before Lev detonates. “She’s got information. She’s being chased and …”

“It’s him! The Blackguard!”

Chaos erupts in every direction. Bloodthirsty creatures circle us. Weapons fly. Daggers plunging and guns spitting. A throwing star soars past. A coiled chain lashes out.

We fight. Back-to-back is our go-to. Ducking together, blocking, but never stopping. Sheets of shadows rise from the ground like mist and swallow attackers one by one, blinding them, disorienting them.

I can hear Lev’s teeth cracking under a feral grin. Gore shoots euphoria into his veins faster than fentanyl.

Hot blood sprays. Grunts and groans ring out. The angry orange glow of the fire lessens, the onslaught slows. If the mortals slept through that, they’ll sleep through a couple close-range gun shots. I reach for the Glock I swiped off a comatose Oceanid and swear. It’s not there.

Leni.

Pride sears across my chest, followed by hammering panic. Is she being attacked? Chased? What’s she messed up in?

An assassin wouldn’t tend to my wounds, a warrior wouldn’t go into shock when shot. Whatever she’s involved in, it’s not her doing. Outside forces are pushing her.

A slick burning desire to find and punish whoever involved her ignites within me. In response, my power ripples, rising into a wave and slamming down. Screams silence, and light scatters. Creatures collapse and stagger, their urge to kill evaporating as confusion digs spiked claws into their minds, weaving false stories.

Lev snarls, “Cheater,” as I skid to a knee, tremors shaking my hands, rivers of blood pouring from injuries. Stars wink in my vision. No. stay awake. Stay aware.

Get to her.

I clutch my chest, struggling to breathe as the curse cuts through muscle and bone. Three, four breaths. “We have to find—”

Scanning to ensure the stragglers properly fuck off, Lev cracks his knuckles, bruises and wounds rapidly healing. “You can barely stand. You’re not going to find her.”

Wrong. Mentally hacking at the curse, I push up on my knee, stagger, suck down a lungful of cold, wet air. “I can find anyone. Her, I’m going to hunt.”

9

Leni

technically closer. Noticeable lack of margs and sun

The stars bleed into the sky above, pinpricks of light reflected on the dark sea stretching below. Boots crunch on the gravel behind me, but I don’t take my eyes off Odren for one second.

I lived under his watch for fifteen years, and before he snatched me in the middle of the street, I’d never seen him smile.

Now he can’t seem to stop.

Blood pools on my tongue and my cheek stings white hot from the slap of his hand. His hair is cut in a typical sentry buzz, and his face is clean shaven, but his flat nose is swelling and I’m rapidly developing a steel coated stomach for giving males what they deserve.

I swing out at him a second time, fueled by a decade of rage and he grabs a fistful of my hair and wrenches. “You spoiled bitch,” he snarls. “You think you can run? You made a vow.”

He’s never called me anything other than princess before. On the mountain path, too far princess. In the library, time’s up, princess. If I lingered by a door that wasn’t mine, not for you, princess. But now, as we stand in the shipyard surrounded by his cronies, I hear the sinister edge in every memory.

I stumble backwards, trying to break free from his grip but only manage to trip over the loose gravel beneath my feet.

“Let me have her, I’ll keep her too busy to run,” one of Odren’s buddies’ jeers. Four of them trail us like chains on an anchor.

No style. Yaya would have roasted them like mini marshmallows for the matching black raincoats.

I know what she’d do if she were here. Run.

“Don’t touch me,” I snap, regretting trading Cross’s dagger for his gun in a moment of panic.

Odren presses the silver line of the muzzle into the curve of my neck. “Shut. Up.”

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