Page 55 of Revenant

Gunner’s body is rigid under the strain to remain still as agony tears through him, sitting without complaint as he allowsRue to work her magic. He gazes at her like she is his sole reason for existing, something I completely understand.

Hicks remains as still as a statue, but I don’t miss the fine tremors that shake his frame. He’s watching Rue almost as obsessively as the rest of us, ready to yank her away if she pushes herself too far, consequences be damned.

Ellis groans, then his eyes flutter shut, and he’s the first one to drop. Jace tightens his grip on our resident nerd, as if he can hold him to us. Blood drips from Ellis’ nose in a steady stream. It lasts for almost a full minute before it just stops. When it does, Jace checks for a pulse, maintaining contact with the circle the whole time. His expression is grim, his voice gruff, when he lifts his face and glances at the rest of us. “He’s alive.”

Gunner drops not twenty minutes later, his body hitting the ground with a thud that shakes the floor. Hicks drags him closer, ensuring the circle remains intact, and I throw my leg out until I’m touching the big fucker. He’s been our enforcer for years, training religiously to keep us safe. When pookie was taken, each of us doubled our training regiment, honing our bodies into killing machines.

The big man was massive before this started. Whatever drug they infected us with packed nearly fifty pounds on him and added another five inches in height. Only pure stubbornness kept the fucker conscious for so long, the pain of building that much muscle must have been torture.

Another ten minutes pass, and Hicks is barely clinging to consciousness. An honest-to-goodness snarl rumbles in his chest, a vicious sound that vibrates the air. Jace and I watch him like a hawk, each of us tense, worried he might attack Rue to make the pain stop.

If he moves toward my pookie, I will take that fucker out.

His normal green eyes now blaze a neon yellow, only the outer ring of dark green lingering around the edges. He also hasa double set of impressive upper and lower fangs. A pool of blood gathers beside him, and I spot black claws at the ends of his fingers, the razor-sharp edges gouging into his skin as he does his best to hold himself back. The wounds heal almost as fast as they appear. He has always been a scary asshole, now he’s one terrifying motherfucker.

I can’t help but pout… Those dickheads have superpowers!

I peer down at my own hands, willing a set of claws to appear…and sulk when nothing happens.

Lucky fuckers.

Then I perk up.

I’m next.

I squirm in my seat as I wait for my turn, wondering what powers I will receive. I bet it’s something cool. Of course it is… My pookie likes me best.

She’s saving the best for last.

But when she slumps against me, my excitement vanishes into dread. Not giving a fuck about the circle any longer, I immediately snatch her into my lap and cuddle her close. Her head lands on my shoulder, the slight puff of her breath on my neck the only thing that keeps me from losing my shit.

I gently brush the hair from her face, the chill of her skin burning my fingers, and my heart thumps in panic. Wanting to warm her up, I wrap her so tightly in my arms that every inch of her body is pressed against mine.

I will her to be okay, and my breath hitches in my chest when I swear she reacts to my silent command. The same glow from before shimmers under her skin wherever I touch it. I cock my head in curiosity. Testing a theory, I lean back and press my hand against her chest, right over her heart, and will her to heal.

My eyes widen when those tiny lights rise from her bones and multiply. They seem to be attracted to my touch, swarming under my hands from every direction. Maybe I should beworried I might harm her, but I’m not. I’m physically incapable of hurting her, and I refuse to contemplate anything else is even possible.

I lean over and press my lips against her forehead, the disappointment that I didn’t receive any powers from earlier disappearing. If I can heal Rue, then I have the best ability of all.

I lift my head and whisper to her in a soft voice, so as not to disturb her sleep. “Rest. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

I vow it with my life.

Chapter Twenty-one

RUE

I’m asleep one second and awake the next, which is normal for me. I can’t sleep more than a few hours, my brain subconsciously waking me so we’re never caught unaware, since I never know when my father might come and take his anger out on me. Even after months of being away from him, I still can’t shake the self-preservation instincts.

When I shift on the bed, I’m unable to move. My heart ricochets against my ribs before I can squash it, but I don’t outright panic. I’ve been in the same situation too many times in my life to worry yet.

Knowing that I’m being watched, I open my eyes…and blink in surprise when I find Hicks staring at me. His head is right next to mine on the bed, and we’re facing each other, our bodies tangled intimately. Heat fills my cheeks when I realize I curled against him in my sleep without even being aware of it, and I mentally cringe.

Part of me wonders if this might be a dream, but everything about Hicks is a little too vivid. My imagination is good, but notthat good. Warmth radiates from him, a delicious heat that sinks so deeply inside of me that I swear I feel him down to my soul.

I still can’t believe that they came for me.

Despite the danger, despite everything that happened, they came for me.

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