Page 117 of Wings of Destiny

“We didn’t know you were home.”

Okay that last one hurt a bit more, since I hadn’t yet called Seth’s placehome. I hadn't even let myself consider that.

“Hello? Erin?” Libby answered, her voice hushed.

“The one and only. What do you want?” I snapped and chastised myself; reminding myself that I needed to be civil, let her explain. I needed the information about the humans.

“Look, I get you’re upset but we’ll deal with that later,” Libby clipped. “I might know where the Demons are hiding them. Where they’re keeping the humans.”

My heart raced. This was it. “Spill. And leave absolutelynothingout.”

My eyes widened and blood hummed in anticipation with each word. I bit back a growl when Josh returned, joining me inhis foyer. Concern or fear flashed in his speckled eyes as they widened, his pupils dilating. I couldn’t tell which and nor did I care. Sparks sizzled at my fingertips; fire began to rumble within my abdomen.

Libby finished, leaving me space to digest everything she had dumped on to my plate.

This is it.

I cast a dead stare at where Josh remained standing. “How quickly can you be ready?”

A beat passed before Libby responded, a fierce determination in her voice. “You tell me when.”

“Now. We go by foot. It’ll be quieter and attract less attention. Grab everything you need. And be prepared.” I hung up, not awaiting a response and sent over where to meet. My lips pressed together.

“Change of plans, I presume, Miss Snow?” Josh said, a chill of ease in his voice.

I pushed past him, my shoulder ramming into his abdomen, and grabbed my bag from the pleated chaise lounge on the other side of the foyer. “Yes. Now turn around and don’t fucking look. I catch you sneaking a peak and I will torch you.”

“I am a gentleman, Miss Snow, I would never.”

As if.

I rolled my eyes and tore through my bag pulling my fighting gear out: weapon resistant long sleeve and matching black padded leggings. I quickly threw them on, then slid into my jacket, fastening it; my arm and leg guards in place, making sure all the vital parts were protected. I strapped on my harness for my sword and the two for my daggers on my thighs before sheathing each blade. I grabbed a knife from the side pocket of my bag and slid it into my waistband, as an added precaution. I wrapped my long brown hair into a high ponytail and spun around, heading straight for the door, leaving Josh in my wake.“Do not follow me,” I stopped at the bottom step. “And leave Seth out of this. I might be pissed, but this is bigger than that. I’m not letting him risk his life, when I’m what they want.”

“Noted,” he clipped.

I flipped him off then ran. Every minute I wasted, put those humans at more risk. I snuck another glance at my phone as I reached the forests dividing us and Riverside.

Time had flown by, and we were out of time. Tomorrow would be the night of the blood moon. It truly was now or never.

Chapter forty-three

Erin

Talk about a damned coincidence.

I reached the meadow where we had taken that Demon down and questioned it over two weeks ago. The black gunk was gone, as if it were never there. The trees towered over the landscape, bushes wedged in between.

The only real difference between then and now was that I probably wouldn’t be walking away from this. It was still me and Libby. We just didn’t have Josh with us.

I crouched down and pulled a granola bar from my jacket pocket, combing through an idea of how exactly Libby and I were going to manage this. I had no idea how many Demons we’d run into or what state the humans would be in and my ass had us running in there guns-a-blazing. Okay, swords and knives but all the same. If Libby got killed or any of the humans, it would be on me. I stopped mid-chew.

Shit.

I suddenly regretted telling Josh not to follow me, it’d been brash, and we could use the muscle. And if I died, he could at least get Libby and the humans to safety.

I rolled my shoulders, there was no point in dwelling on it now.

Footsteps crunched to the left of me, I whipped my head towards the sound, drawing my sword.

---