Page 380 of Evil Hearts

Content hummed in my body despite the intense fatigue that now nipped at me. I ventured closer, pushing myself through the EMT’s body to put myself in between them. My hand strayed up, pushing away at the bottom of my mask until the chilly air kissed at my skin. “Mine,” I whispered.

For a split second, our gazes locked. This female was looking directly at me without any realization as to who — or what — I was. She couldn’t maintain eye contact for long before her extensive injuries pulled her back under.

I didn’t try to keep her conscious this time around, not when I had restarted her heart and supplied her with enough of my magic to ensure she’d survive these wounds. No part of my body moved as the EMTs worked quickly to transfer her over onto the gurney with the aid of a thin blanket. My gaze followed the woman wherever they moved her.

When they headed outside, I trailed after them. I went as far as this strange little bond would allow us until I found myself frozen in place in the doorway with them rolling her over towards an ambulance. I could do nothing more than watch them push her inside before they scrambled to haul ass to the hospital.

With her energy now moving away from me, the exhaustion that had been nipping at my soul was sinking all those sharp teeth into me. It refused to allow me to linger out here any longer than I already had. I had overexerted myself, spending valuable energy that I had not yet recovered.

As long as I could feel that heartbeat growing stronger, it could take me as deep as it wanted to. I would break free from these shadows again. I’d regain my freedom. Then I’d seek out mymates that had been imprisoned with me, breaking those chains until we could all hone in on that fragile little soul.

Only then would we direct our rage on those that had done this to us.

I would stain the ground red with their blood and my delicate little mortal would be sitting on a throne made from their bones.

My upper lip curled.I am coming for you, Zyair…

You and your king.

EPILOGUE: ZYAIR

Gods, the tasteof another jinn’s soul was horrible. It left a foul taste in my mouth that I wanted to scrub clean. The only thing that made this method of killing even remotely worth it was the echoes of the fae’s essence woven with it all.

I rose from the ground with Lorelei’s lifeless body sprawled out amongst all the blood at my feet. A slight gesture left my shadows surging forward, eager to piece together the outfit it had destroyed prior to our lovemaking. I didn’t give a damn about all the crimson coating my skin, not when it wouldn’t stray me from the heated thoughts pouring through my mind now.

It was greatlydisappointingwhen I caught wind of a fellow Boogeyman straying from the path. How can anyone stray away from the stones that had been laid down into the Earth before our feet by the two deities that began it all? Our king led us true along the laws our god left behind.

Our rightful place was to stand at the top of the hill with all the mortals trapped into a massive machine of our own making, their bodies blending together to mold the ground beneath our feet. It was the first step of many to ensure the rest of the paranormal races crumbled. Things were already in motion to guarantee it. It was only a matter of time until every single one of their empires fell.

Xerxes would be looming above them all with me by his side. Those of us that had gone rogue wouldn’t leave to see the day we destroyed it all and created a new world from its ashes.

Soft footsteps behind me jolted out of my thoughts. My head whipped away from the fallen Boogeyman toward the petite male approaching me from behind. A low feral growl rumbled in my chest as my upper lip curled to expose demonic-like fangs. It was one thing for my high to be ruined by the king himself, especially since this had been such a high priority hunt.

To have it destroyed by one of the grunts who had no purpose with being in my presence? My vision was completely consumed with red.

Ethereal whispers echoed in my ears as my magic pushed against the thin lining keeping it restrained inside my soul. It could sense their presence just like it could pick up on the way my rage threatened to spiral out of control. The power humming in my veins wanted that high returned to us as much as I did.

“Do you hunger for death tonight, Caleb?”

The smaller jinn arched an eyebrow. He drew to a halt several feet away with his hands clasping behind his back. “It wouldn’t be wise to shoot the messenger before I’ve delivered what I was sent to echo to you,” he returned.

Although he had been stripped of his vision long ago, it wasn’t hard to detect those milky white eyes dropping down toward the ground. He could sense Lorelei’s faint energy despite staring into a world of total darkness. The smell of her death amongst those of the other two men was enough to break free a twisted grin.

“Tell me what Brazierre instructed you to repeat and thenleave me.” I didn’t hesitate to back a punch behind the weight of my snarl.

Right now, I wanted nothing more than to leave this pathetic excuse of a jinn behind and stroll through the simulation untilI found another paranormal soul that didn’t belong in here. Nothing besides the feel of hot blood on my fingers would soothe this rage.

“My message comes from Xerxes himself, not my master.”

I had started to pace around the room, taking the delightful path around the lifeless body at my feet. My sense of urgency to move before I ripped this man apart completely dissipated when those words launched from his tongue. I froze. Seconds evolved into minutes by the time I managed to turn my head slightly. “What did he say?”

Caleb raised his chin. That slight air of cockiness grew and swirled around his aura. “Our king wants you to report down to Erebus — immediately.”

Erebus, the one part of the simulation that no other jinn saw except for a select few — myself and Xerxes included. Nothing existed there except for a massive abyss of darkness that wore down one’s insanity and a collection of Boogeymen that had strayed from our designated path long ago.

Starting with the prince’s right hand men.

It was a hell meant to completely destroy them from the inside out.

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