Page 72 of Artemis' Bow
“I don’t think I can,” I scream, sobbing harder. “That test from Nereus broke something inside me and I don’t know if it will ever mend.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so sorry you went through that. I don’t know how you managed to forgive me after seeing the indifference in that test.”
“In my heart I know it wasn’t you, but my mind isn’t a nice place to be, and it hasn’t caught up with the facts yet.” I sigh.
“What if I promise to be careful, and if I find myself in a situation I might not get out of, I’ll run. It will hurt my pride butwho cares as long as this extra burden isn’t weighing you down when so much is already heaped on your shoulders.” He presses his face into my throat and breathes deeply.
“You would really do that? You would run if it came to it?” I ask, turning my gaze to his.
“The only stipulation is if you’re at risk. I’ll do anything for you. Don’t ever doubt that. I would die a thousand deaths to make sure you’re safe.” Jayden kisses my shoulder.
“No, you won’t be doing that. You will run if it gets too bad.” I kiss him softly.
Someone bangs on the window, and I break the kiss and glare at Raven. “What?”
“We have a goddess to save, remember? It’s not time for a make-out session,” Raven says with a chuckle.
“She’s right.” I sigh.
I shove the door open, smacking Raven in the ass. Jayden chuckles into my neck, sending vibrations down my spine that are inappropriate for the current situation.
“Ow, bitch,” Raven grunts.
“You want me to hurry up and move, so hurry up and get out of my way,” I snark back.
She could have let us have that sweet moment. The kiss was over before it really began because Raven cock-blocked me.
We all pile into the SUV and all the snacks are passed around as Jayden pulls back onto the freeway. I glance up about a mile away from the gas station and notice the firebird in the sky again. It is definitely following us.
I’m not sure how long I watch the firebird, but Raven gasps sometime later.
“B, you have to see this,” she whispers, pointing her finger at the windshield.
“Oh gods, what did that?” I ask.
The sign leading to the ruins of the city has a huge hole in it as if a rampaging bull just ran through it and destroyed everything in its wake.
“That has to be something Greek,” I whisper in horror. “There’s nothing in the modern world that big. Not even a damn elephant.”
“How are we going to fight that?” Raven asks.
“I don’t know but we don’t have a choice. If we don’t fight and destroy it, everyone dies… including us.”
18
“The town is destroyed. I have only seen this kind of destruction one other time.” I gaze at the carnage, the damn bird completely forgotten.
“You think they brought the indestructible bacon back after we destroyed it?” Raven asks.
“It’s possible. I have faced the Minotaur more than once. It wouldn’t surprise me that the biggest weapons are brought back again as the stakes get higher.”
“That’s fucking terrifying. We were lucky with the indestructible bacon the last time that it was on pack land and not destroying a city and hurting people,” Jayden says.
“How do we even find it?” I ask.
“The shifters will be tracking it. I would head to their pack house and get an update on everything that’s happening before we try to jump in with everything we have.” Greyson sits forward, pointing. “Turn here.”
The streets are deserted as we weave through them to the pack house. It’s not surprising considering the destruction. Several buildings we pass are collapsed and others have chunksof plaster scattered along the streets and appear to be ripped apart by something sharp like a tusk or a horn.
