Page 79 of V for Vindictive

Cassius covered his mouth, coughing. Nothing but dense smoke filled our lungs, and while we didn’t need to breathe, he did. Then the flames parted like large curtains on a stage, ready to welcome the first act. A figure came away from the darkness, all curves and shape, and visibly female.

Kris?

But it wasn’t Kris.

Walking through the break in flames, purple magic danced around the woman in an awesome display of power. It sparkled and snaked aroundher hour-glass shape, never staying long but never completely disappearing either. The strange woman’s golden-brown hair flicked, swished, and twirled about her head in a beautiful dance, but it was her eyes that took me hostage the second the light of the fire hit them.

They were like darkness personified in one glance. A darkness that seeped into your flesh and bones, before wrapping around your heart and holding you prisoner. Firelight burned in them, igniting like she was the flames come to life.

Both Sloan and Phillip moved into defensive positions, their weapons aimed and ready. But the woman walked on, unbothered. Then she was feet from me, lips tilted into a mysterious smile.

“Guess I’m right on time,” she said with a voice like liquid chocolate. I’d never heard anyone sound sexy within the first few words, but this chick nailed it in five.

Phillip’s voice rattled with warning. “Jo. What the fuck are you doing here? I thought you returned to the Fae space?”

Is she a Dark Fae?

I didn’t see any markings, but a good portion of her body was covered so the Dark Fae marks could be somewhere out of sight. Would explain the full body suit she wore, which flexed and moved like a second skin.

I wanted one. Bad.

Her eyes trailed from Phil’s to mine. Then to the other two standing close to me, feet from my own destructive hellfire, which would consume them on impact. “I’m not here for you. I’m here for her.”

His grip on Blood Slayer visibly tightened, but she only smiled and snapped her fingers. The rest of the flames were snuffed out with a whirl of her purple magic, and the room was drenched in darkness again.

Cassius blew out a grateful sigh, the only one shameless enough to show his relief.

But I pinned the stranger with wide eyes before I risked a look around the room. It was no longer filled with a power I couldn’t control. “How—?”

“I want in. Whatever you’re planning to do to Eros and the Organization, I want in on it,” she said to the shock of everyone in that damn room. “And you want me to be in on it, believe me.”

Chapter 30

Choke on a Dick

Istole a glance at my two Hunters, deciphering the confusion, the hostility, the apprehension before Phillip spoke up, “I guess you’ve always been an enemy to the Organization, but you’re hardly trustworthy. The Hunters you killed—”

“Oh, like you haven’t killed Hunters?” Her eyes could pierce flesh. “Like me, you’re on the wrong side of it now so you’re forced to make a choice. I made mine a long time ago, and I’m not here to argue with you about the morality of it. Or about whatyou Huntersdid to those of us who crossed over.” Jo locked her arms against her chest, eyebrow raised in challenge. “You, better than anyone, should know how easy it is for them to control the narrative. What makes you think you know anything about me other than whattheytold you, Hunter.”

I mean, she’s not wrong.

“I’m sure they’re already crafting clever lies to make you three targets—the rebellious few, the scourge of the Hunter code, the virus taking hold. So yeah, save me your self-righteous bullshit. I’m only bothering with you because of her. You’re an unfortunate byproduct of a partnership with this tide-changer. If I had it my way, you and I would figure out who was strongertoday. But she seems attached to you,so…you get to live.”

Phillip scoffed, not bothered, and my eyes flicked between them in growing interest.

We just met, but I liked Jo way more than I ever expected to. Anyone who put Phillip in place with logic was a bona fide god to me. Not only that, but what she said made perfect sense.

The Organization had total control over the narrative, and nothing I learned over my years as a Hunter could I trust. Not when they were responsible for breeding and experimenting on all sorts of creatures. Not after learning about my own genetic makeup and the facilities they used to lock us up like animals. Not after they murdered my parents for no other reason but that they were close to learning the truth.

Jo’s gorgeous shape was on full display in the skin-tight body suit even I didn’t know how she got into. Either it was painted on or she used magic to get it on. Whatever she did, it was impossible not to stare.

She noticed me gawking because her eyes dropped down to mine and her lips tilted sensuously. “I can help you control your power,” is all she uttered.

I opened my mouth, hope rising, but Phillip was quick to cut in. “Like I’d let you touch one hair on her body,” he growled low in this throat.

Sloan’s fingers tangled with mine, and I turned to look at him before he finally said something, surprising everyone, “I think we should let her. If we’re honest with ourselves, the Organization made targets of a lot of Fae for no other reason but they refused to comply.”

Cassius swallowed and put up a finger. “I, for one, don’t want to be on the wrong side of this woman, so whatever she wants is what we should give her.”

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