Page 120 of Stroke of Shadows

A rumble against her cheek.

“I know you will, brother.”

Harper tried to speak, but her eyelids were heavy.

Everything was heavy.

The last thing she felt was a soft press against her forehead, and then there was nothing.

Chapter 41

Sythe

Sythe waited as Lucy held Harper as if she were glass, their eyes meeting for a fleeting moment before he disappeared into a drift. His beast tore at his mind, but he pushed him back.

Lucifer had proven himself time and time again he was one of them, but that didn’t stop Sythe’s heart aching. He was a brother, a Guardian, as much as the rest of them.

Sythe didn’t spare Wyatt a glance as he made his way to where his other brothers were regrouping. The gallery had been torn apart, the walls destroyed, as well as many of the paintings and art. Sythe couldn’t wait for Angel to hear about it.

“Twenty-three,” Axel grunted, adding a body to the growing pile in the corner. “Where the fuck were these Undead hiding? This is the most I’ve seen as a group.”

Kace stood beside them, playing with a metal ball in his hand. Sythe would bet a pretty penny that it was an explosive.

“Can someone please get this wolf away from me?” Thea was backed in the corner, her fingers trembling as she played with the metallic band around her wrist. Jax had shifted into his beast, and for a second Sythe readied himself to pull him away. Except his stance wasn’t aggressive at all. He just seemed to watch the faerie, head cocked and ears pricked.

Riley approached, Xander at his side. They were both covered in blood, their weapons holstered.

“What happened?” Riley asked, eyes dropping to his stomach.

“Luce’s taken Harper to hospital.” Sythe swallowed, realising his abdomen was peppered with holes. “It’s bad.”

Xander reached out to grip his shoulder. “She’ll be fine. Our boy’s there watching over her.”

Sythe nodded, but he knew he wouldn’t feel right until he was by her side. “Gideon’s gone, and he’s taken the chalice.”

Riley grunted. “You have holes. We need to get them plugged, and any bullets removed.”

Sythe shook his head. Shifting with bullets inside moved them, which meant he was in a world of pain when Jax was free to pick them out. “What’s with Jax?”

Riley sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Don’t ask.”

“One of the Skulls hit pink-haired girl,” Xee answered, nodding toward her. “Jax just fucking lost it.”

“And you’re just going to… what? Ignore the situation.”

Xee shrugged. “He’s unlikely to eat her.”

Thea smacked Jax’s snout when he went to sniff her, and everyone froze. “I said back away.”

Kace jerked his head up, ready to shift if needed, but Jax just gave Thea a wolfish grin.

What the fuck?

“J,” Riley barked, storming over to grip Jax by his scruff. “That’s enough.”

Thea looked pale, her arm wrapped in fabric. She kept herself against the corner, eyeing all the Guardians warily before settling on Sythe.

“You’re okay, no one’s going to hurt you.”

---