Page 48 of Terror

The crowd gathered at the gates parts for a red pickup truck. Kade parks by the dry fountain and waves before rounding his truck and getting a bunch of bags from the back. I move toward the truck.

Arkin catches my hand. “Where are you going?”

I tug, but he doesn’t let go. “To help him with the groceries.”

“Get back in the house.” Arkin walks away as if I’m his good little puppy.

I don’t think so. I follow him instead. Arkin spins around, opens his mouth to bark at me, but never gets to. His shoulder jerks forward, and he grunts, black eyes filled with pain. I stop dead in my tracks. Arkin’s armor erects, his gaze fierce, nostrils flaring as he swallows.

Something whizzes past my head. It takes me a second to realize what’s happening. Someone is shooting at us. Fear makes me freeze. Arkin jerks forward, and he falls, toppling me over with him.

“Oh my God, oh my God.”

“Crawl inside the house,” he orders and grunts.

A gunshot sounds.

Arkin whistles, and I think I hear the hounds stomping the ground as they run, but I can’t be sure. I’m too scared to look.

“Crawl to the door, Omega.” Atop me, his body jerks again. They’re shooting him, and if I don’t get my shit together, his armor’s gonna give, and we’ll both be dead. Loud gunshots pierce my ears, and I’m screaming right along with the people across the street.

Arkin lifts his body off mine but doesn’t move away, and as I belly-crawl as fast as I can, I realize he’s a living shield. “Oh dear God, please save us.” I get to the stairs and pause on my knees. The bullet hits the window and cracks it. I jump away and scream. Arkin slams me into the front door, the impact banging my head against the wood. My nose bleeds.

He gets the door open and pushes me inside, then closes the door behind us.

I wipe my nose. “Panic room.” I dash down the foyer and steps, but when I hear nobody behind me, I turn around. Arkin stands at the broken window, fingers lightly touching the bullet hole, mumbling something in Rahkan.

“Come on, man.”

“I am not a man,” he says.

Jesus.“Come on!” Blood drips to my lip, and I wipe it with my sleeve.

He rolls his right shoulder, and the armor over it cracks. Blood seeps out and between the cracks. Arkin pays it no mind and walks to the door.

“Where are you going?” I ask.

“Outside.”

“But there’s a shooter out there.”

“My Omega.”

“What?”

“My Omega.”

“What?” He’s lost his mind.

Car tires screech, and through the window, I see Kade’s pickup tear out of the gates. Dust rises and settles. Beyond the gate, there’s not a person to be seen. Everyone scattered. “Where are your Collectors?”

“Everywhere.”

I stare at the dust. “I think it’s over.”

“It has only begun.”

I approach him and throw my hands around his middle. “I want you to come to the panic room with me.”

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