Page 67 of Veil of Shadows

“Beeeeeexleeeeeey!”

“Go,” Dom choked out.

The heat of the fires beating down around us threw me into panic mode. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing myself closely against him, and gazed into his beautiful blue stare. I committed every part of him to memory. I studied the geometric designs upon his chest and down his arms. I ran my hands through his sweat-stained hair, memorizing the way it felt against my skin. I smiled softly as the flames mounted, slowly eating away at the forest around us. And as the screaming of the packs in the distance faded away, I saw a tear streak Dom’s cheek.

“I gotcha,” I whispered as I brushed it away with my knuckles.

Dom’s voice was choked with emotion. “You can’t die here with me, sweet girl. Please.”

I simply shook my head softly, though.

“I don’t want you to die here with me, Bexley. I’d never forgive myself.”

I pressed the softest kiss to his lips before I tucked a strand of dripping wet hair behind his ear. “Well, I’m not leaving you here to die by yourself. I already did that once with someone I loved. I’m not doing it again.”

His eyes bulged. “Love?”

I stroked my knuckles along his cheek. “Does that really shock you, Dom?”

He shook his head quickly. “Get out of here, sweet girl. That’s an order.”

“I’m not leaving here without you. End of story.”

Another tear streaked his cheek. But as he parted his chapped lips to say something, a familiar voice that made me see nothing but red emanated from behind me.

“Maybe I can be of service with that particular venture,” Delilah said.

21

BEXLEY

“Bexley, don’t,” Dom choked out.

I couldn’t help it, though. My back stiffened and I raised my head high. I balled my hands up into fists as I slowly turned around, and my eyes beheld my former boss. Her blonde hair whipped around in the wind, the flames of the fire kicking up, and her crimson red dress fluttered with every step she took. Despite the heat of the flames, she wasn’t sweating one damn bit. Her equally red heels seemed to glide across the ground as I backed toward Dom, shielding his body with mine.

“Bexley,” Dom said breathlessly.

“Shut up,” I muttered.

Delilah cackled. “I swear, it really does take a strong woman to rein these boys in sometimes, huh?”

My head tilted off to the side as my eyes darted around, and I couldn’t help but notice that the fire stopped moving. I mean, it was there. The wall of fire itself was at least twenty feet high. The flames reached toward the treetops, threatening to burn down the whole of the fucking forest if something didn’t give. But, the flames weren’t coming toward us.

Huh.

“So,” Delilah said as she clasped her hands behind her back, “I see we find ourselves at a crossroads.”

“A crossroads you created,” I spat.

She shrugged. “Does that make it any less a crossroads?”

“Bexley,” Dom whispered.

“Can it,” Delilah and I said in unison.

You know, before Delilah clapped with delight. “See!? That’s why you were always my favorite, Special Agent Anna.”

“I’m not a special agent any longer,” I said flatly.

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