Glass shattered in a violent explosion, shards flying like shrapnel in every direction.
With a shout, I braced my arm over my face and stumbled back, a few sharp licks of pain grazing the trunk of my left thigh and abdomen.
The world was dark, eyelids dropped to keep my cornea’s safe. I huffed hard and loud, lowering the shield of my arm and shaking my hair out.
Then, the front door whooshed.
My head snapped up, catching the last second of a vision of red running outside. She darted down the front porch, nearly naked against the black night as she put more than just shattered glass between us.
“Scarlett!” I yelled, frantically yanking my attention between her slender back and the sharp splinters at my bare feet. She ignored me, a broken sob trailing behind her as her quick legs took her away from me.
“SCARLETT!”