Page 32 of Wings of Destiny

“Excuse me, I’m always right. Thank you very much,” Libby retorted, back to her typical bubbly tone. “So, until we hear anything, stop being such a party pooper.Maybetake that chill pill I mentioned and let some things play out.” She winked.

“I’m always chill, Lib. And on the other subject, she’s never so much as glanced at me in that way. I don’t see anything happening there and I don’t plan on ruining anything or puttingher in danger. You know how these things go: Demons discover who’s important to us and they become targets. She’s already got one on her back with being Nephilim. I don’t want to make it bigger.”

“I get that, but you don’t have to play savior all the time, Seth. You deserve to be happy, too,” her eyes softened. “Take a chance. It just might be worth it.”

Maybe Libby’s right.But even beyond the risks…she deserves better than me…better than what I could offer her. She deserves the world. She—

A tingle raced up my spine, sending chills down my arms and the blood in my veins turned to ice. A panic began eating its way through me.

Something’s wrong.

“Libby. Libby. Something’s not right.” I frantically looked around the coffee shop, searching for the cause. And found nothing. I focused on my heightened hearing and sense of smell to see if I could pick anything up. Nothing.

It’s just the two of us. I can’t pick up any Demons.

A cold sweat dripped down my face, my hands suddenly clammy. I stood up, sending the stool I was just in crashing to the floor.

“We need to go.Now.” I yanked Libby’s arm, and we ran out of the coffee shop.

We ran at a faster-than-should-be-humanly-possible speed. There was no time to be concerned with passersby seeing us. My breathing grew shallow. Shades of black and cream blurred images darted in and out of my peripheral vision.

Shit.

I felt a tug. It was as if a string were attached to the muscle that pounded within my chest.

“The house.” Realization dawned on me.

Erin.

A growl ripped from my throat.

Libby must have reached the same conclusion. We were both sprinted at full force, the lactic acid building.

Erin, please. No. No. No.

They couldn’t have found her. Not this soon.

We turned the corner onto my deserted street. The panic welled through my entire being. We bounded up the stairs to my front door. It was flung open. The living room was trashed. Streaks of black scorched the walls, fractals spread in every direction. Libby took to searching the living room, weight area, kitchen, and guest room. I followed the black marks, leading me back to my bedroom. I stood frozen in the door frame.

In front of me, the room that had once been was gone. Fractals covered the floors and walls. Scorch marks, singed fabrics, pillows that continued to burn, and books were scattered throughout the room. Blood splattered along the walls.

No.

I fell to my knees.

Libby gasped behind me.

My worst fear had come to life.

“She’s gone.”

This is all my fault.

Chapter eleven

Seth

She wasgone.

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