Page 70 of Expose Me

Everyone was flocking to the ribbon now. Everyone except the asshole on top of me.

It only took a few moments for Zey to come to again—about the same amount of time it took my attacker to pin me to the ground, climb over me, and pull a knife.

Vuulectians had no use for sharp weapons. This one was armed specifically for me. To hurt me, maybe even kill me.

Zey groaned, his skin doing that flickering ripple thing as he sat up. He looked groggy as he glanced over.

The Lineg had one hand at my throat as the other raised the blade. I was doing my best to thrash him off, but I was so weak. I had a zap in each hand, but he had my arms pinned to my sides with his legs.

Zey whipped his head around, looking in the direction of the retreating fight and the Onuei getting further and further out of his grasp.

He jumped to his feet. He was going to chase after it. He was going to leave me here to die, not willing to let anything jeopardize his mission.

I loved him, and he was going to let me die.

I stopped trying to struggle. There was no fight left in me.

I hoped he’d succeed—restore order to his world and his people. If I had to die, something positive better come out of it.

But also, a part of me hoped he’d have to carry the guilt of my death with him for the rest of his life.

Asshole.

The hand at my neck disappeared a split second before the heavy weight on top of me did too.

I spluttered, trying to get myself upright as I swung the zaps haphazardly.

Warm hands caught my wrists firmly, and I finally realized that Zey was crouched before me. His depthless eyes were wide as they bounced around my face and body. I let the zaps drop from my grip, barely able to hold on to them anyway, and he pulled me into a fierce hug.

“You lied,” he admonished, the words sounding choked in his throat. “You’re badly hurt.”

“You saved me.” I sounded nasally, probably from the broken nose. “You chose me.”

He pulled back, his hands holding my face as he looked at me fiercely. “I’ll always choose you, Sky. I love you.”

Despite how fucked everything was, a smile pulled at my lips.

Now I felt bad about thinking he’d left me and calling him an asshole in my mind.

“What about—”

Zey fell back onto his ass, one of those zappy arrows sticking out of his chest.

Eyes wide, I reached for him, but then another hit him in the shoulder, then another and another. I lost track of how many arrows were embedded in him before he fell to his side, water splashing around him.

I pulled myself over to him and yanked out the first arrow I could grab. I only managed the one before pain shot up my back. The bastards had shot me too. I could feel the electric current running through my body, making everything feel like it was on fire.

I collapsed next to Zey, half my face in the shallow water.

He was facing me, and for a moment, I was mesmerized by the blood seeping from my nose and trickling towards his peaceful face.

Forcing my eyes past him, I looked into the distance where the fight for the last Onuei raged on.

I closed my eyes and let my ribbons unspool in my mind’s eye. My power was the only thing that still felt strong as my body gave in. The ribbons snapped out and wrapped around what I was looking for.

It was mostly instinct, partly me imposing my will, and partly the very essence of my ability just doing what it was made to do.

With the last dregs of my consciousness, I took a firm grip on the Onuei andpulled.

---