Page 145 of Shadowblood Souls
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I mutter.
How can I admit that I didn’t even mean to brain that guy? I’m the one who’s kept us all on track.
I can’t go flying off the rails now. Not when Riva needs me too.
As much as she needs any of us. Her steps might bounce a bit with the rhythm, showing the fluid grace that compact body is capable of, but I can see the strength in every motion.
I remember how she brought all those soldiers to their knees with her voice alone.
Sheisn’t a monster. She’s a fucking marvel.
But we still need to find the actual monsters.
I catch Zian’s gaze, and he shakes his head. Andreas is frowning, a crease forming in his brow as he stretches his abilities again and again.
Maybe Engel’s fearsome creatures aren’t into the punk scene. It’s not doing much of anything for me.
I turn toward Dominic, who’s looking even more hunched and awkward than usual in his parka. I’m about to suggest tohim that we leave and check out some other place, because if he agrees then I’m probably being strategic rather than just giving up, but right then a bellowed voice socks my ears from behind me.
“What the fuck did you just say?”
I pause and glance over, my body going even more tense. Two beefy guys who could almost rival Zian in size are glaring at each other while several others who might be their friends look on with uneasy scowls.
“You heard me,” the one guy growls through his thick red beard. “Twilight Zombduds totally sold out with that last album, and they should be dead to all of us.”
The other guy jabs his thick finger at the bearded guy’s face. “They paid their fucking dues, and that’s my uncle’s best friend’s cousin you’re talking about.”
I don’t really understand what the hell they’re so worked up over, but the next thing I know, Beardie is swinging his fist. Suddenly the cluster of figures around them transforms into a seething mass of angry yells and bashing hands.
The atmosphere in the room goes from mildly ominous to war zone in an instant. I shove between Riva and one of the combatants who ricochets her way, taking an elbow to the ribs before I heave him out of range.
If they mark her with so much as a bruise…
My pulse thunders; my nerves sizzle like they’ve been tapped into an electric current. Two more lights shatter across the ceiling.
Didn’t mean to do that either. Fucking hell.
I whip around toward the others, every cell in my body buzzing. I have to get us out of here—both to get Riva and my friends away from the fight, and to make sureIdon’t expose us.
The others are already pushing through the crowd toward the door, but the club patrons are jostling in every direction. Some are shoving toward the fight, either to join it or cheer them on.
My heart starts hammering twice as fast. I slam between them to push my way back to Riva’s side.
Bodycheck one asshat to the side here. Punt a slowpoke out of the way there.
Clear a way to the door.
Ignore the bottles flying off the bar shelves and smashing every which way.
Ignore the groaning of the floor that might be some part of me prying at the boards.
Just get out. Just get away. There was nothing in this dump for us anyway.
We stumble out onto the sidewalk with a stream of other people who weren’t interested in the fight. Some asshole grabs Riva’s arm.
I lunge at him, but she gets there first, slamming her knuckles into his nose. He swears at her and staggers off, and I jar to a stop beside her with a growl.
The sign over the club windows screeches, one end starting to wrench forward.
