Page 97 of Laid Bare

Axel, Luka, and Thaddeus keep me in the middle of them, but every time they dart out to take one man down, another one gets way too close for comfort.

“Bailey, stay here,” Luka mutters, tossing a lightning bolt which misses. “It’s easier to focus if you’re in one place and protected.”

It’s then that I realize the guys backed us into a corner. Or more specifically me.

“I’ll keep my shield on you, but you can’t leave this spot. Understand?”

There’s a scream before I can answer, and my eyes find the source, wishing I didn’t. Ice encases their entire body before there’s a deafening crack and their body explodes into a million tiny pieces.

“Bailey, please tell me you understand.” The shield bubbles up around us, and Luka cups my cheeks. “We can’t lose you. So please, stay inside my protection.”

“I understand,” I murmur on autopilot, even if it’s a lie. I don’t understand. Not any of this.

Why can’t people just leave me alone?

Chaos.

It’s absolute chaos, and it’s destroying my biological parents’ house.

Magic flings through the air, screams bounce off all the walls, and the scent of blood makes bile rise in the back of my throat. I feel absolutely useless standing here in my demi-god’s shield with my back to the corner while Luka, Axel, and Thaddeus defend me. I should be out there fighting, keeping them safe just as they’re trying to keep me safe. But they’re the ones who put me here, saying they can focus better if I’m not somewhere in the melee.

The twins—my demon mates—are still nowhere to be found, and it sends worry shooting through me. Are they safe? Are they hurt, and I don’t know it?

It’s just not like them to leave, especially since it’s their job to protect me. So where the fuck are they?

“Luka! Duck!” I scream, sending out a blast of water to intercept the fireball heading his way.

They should really be inside the shield with me, but they’re not. They’re outside of the bubble of protection, putting their own lives on the line to take whoever these guys are down.

Some asshole comes charging at me from across the living room, ignoring the flashing blue sphere surrounding me. He must think he can get through it because he picks up speed, confident he’ll make it inside unscathed. Less than a foot from seeing if he’s right, a blur whips past, there and gone instantly.

A sticky liquid splatters against my face and the gurgle from dude’s torn out throat has me bending over and expelling stomach acid onto the floor.

Gross. I swipe the back of my hand across my lips, grimacing at the disgusting taste left behind in my mouth.

“Wrangle them up. I want to get what we came for and get out here before the cops show up,” an unfamiliar voice says from the direction of the front door.

Zane and Bane, my other two mates, finally make an appearance, and I breathe a sigh of relief knowing this will be over shortly now that they’re here.

At this point, I don’t give a shit where they’ve been when we needed them. All that matters is that they’re safe and they’re here. And the rest of these fuckers are going to regret stepping foot in my house.

My brows furrow and confusion leaks from my pores as I watch my demons walk right past the bad guys standing in a line to keep us from escaping out of the house. They ignore them in return, only jumping into the fight every time another one from their side goes down.

“What the fuck are you two doing?” Axel blurs to a stop in front of them, seeing the very same thing I did.

They should have torn the assholes apart already, so what are they waiting for?

Zane’s arm flashes out, his fingers wrapping around Axel’s throat and lifting him into the air. My vampire struggles in his grip, but no matter how many times he claws at Zane’s arm, the hold remains intact.

No. No. No. This can’t be happening.

Axel’s face starts to turn an alarming shade of red, small cracks tracking their way up his face.

“Axel!” I cry, tensing, ready to run over there and try to free him.

“Don’t kill the vampire, dumbass,” comes that voice again.

Zane tilts his head to the side, regarding the order, before throwing Axel at the closest wall. His body hits with a godawful bang, and he slides down to the floor, not getting up again.

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