Page 265 of Shadowblood Souls
Dominic yanks out his pistol and fires at our adversaries, but the power Jacob is hurling out to deflect their assault carries bullets from our side too. Dom flinches as the projectile ricochets off the wall.
Shit. We can’t shoot at them without opening ourselves up to their own ammunition.
More darts fly. My ears catch the click of another cannister.
If we don’t figure out something fast, we’re going to suffocate in here.
The thought sends a jolt of panic through my nerves. I sway on my feet, claws out to slash at anyone who dares to come close, knowing it won’t be enough.
The vibration in my chest reverberates through my lungs with a swelling scream.
I could end them all—but they know that, they’re tossing everything they can our way to stop me first. If I’m doing this, I have to cut them downnow.
But they’re not the only ones with us in this hallway.
Nervous eyes peek from one of the doors that hasn’t been thrown fully open. As my power resonates through my bones, I can feel them—the ones like us, the ones with shadows in their blood, shut away in this place for so long.
I can’t save us by killing them too. And my scream…
It prickles up my throat, and I clamp down on it. My body balks like it did before when Rollick tried to get me to practice my powers.
But with my next gulp of air, laced with the desperation of all my men around me, my mind latches on to a different memory.
Last night, under Rollick’s supervision. Letting out a sliver of a shriek and lancing it through one creature and another.
There are too many guardians. I can’t hit them one at a time.
But I shielded my guys before. Iknowthem—and I know the kids huddled behind those doors too, in all the ways that matter most, enough that my blood could lead me here.
I won’t strike at them. Not the ones like me.
I’m not a killer. I’m aprotector.
Images flash beyond my eyes of all the moments I’ve shared with my men over the past week. Not just battles and bloodshed, but tenderness too.
Showing Dominic I adore him even with his strange new features.
Stepping back into Andreas’s arms with forgiveness.
Stopping Jacob before he sliced himself open on my behalf and bandaging his wound.
Cuddling up to Zian on the plane just hours ago, proving that whatever he’s able to offer me is enough.
I can heal in my own ways. I can defend and champion.
And I will do that now.
I part my lips and let my power out.
The shriek bursts from my throat and blasts down the now-crowded hallway. I aim it past the bodies that pulse blood and shadow together and stab it into every figure before me that’s only human.
Human and totally monstrous.
My hunger surges up to saturate my nerves. I wrench through one body and another, devouring their pain, letting the satisfaction of it drown out any tremors of guilt.
All my focus, all my self-control stays on keeping my vicious talent on target.
I’m distantly aware of my men moving around me, not frozen in shock like the first time I let my fury loose.
