Page 34 of Sugar Rush

The last thing I wanted was a twenty-foot fall.

"I saw a church before I was yanked into the air, if that means anything," I remarked.

"I saw it, too," Arkan muttered. "We need to get down and find that church."

"If the sceptre's inside it," Taj rumbled, "the building will be full of traps."

"No!" I gasped dramatically. "You mean the abandoned city where the devil hid a crazy-important sceptre is protected bytraps?Never would have guessed."

His answer was—you guessed it—a throaty growl.

"I have an idea," I murmured.

Not looking down even a little bit, I swung my legs behind myself and then flung them forward. This was a training exercise, not a life or death situation. Everything was cool. Superchill.

I swung my legs faster, like this was a swing in a park, and dove deep inside where my magic and mate bonds lived. There was a sliver of Dev's soul here, now part of me forever, and if I could find it, I might be able to do something stupid and incredible.

"Lina, what the fuck?" Taj exploded. "Stop!"

"Aveline," Arkan warned.

I sifted through their panic, and Joseph's restless worry, and found the tendril of Dev's soul.

Hey, little guy.

I imagined cupping the vulnerable soul sliver in my hands, keeping it close to my chest, and sent a command at the power holding me, Ark, and Taj in the air.Let us down—gently.

Because the universe was a bitch, it didn't work like that. But the ropesdidwiggle. Hey, that was optimistic.

"Whatthe fuck?"Taj screeched, impressively high for someone with a deep demonic voice.

I snorted, but then the rope around my waist jiggled and my fear of heights slammed into me hard enough to make me whimper. I squeezed my eyes shut, and tried to convince the magic again.

It's me, mate of the devil who made you. How about setting us lovingly on the ground instead of dangling us above a perilous fall?

"Stop it!" Taj yelled.

"Let her concentrate," Arkan snapped, a rush of support hitting my soul from his direction.

He believed in me.

Oh fuck, now wasnotthe time to be fighting tears.

I decided to go on the offensive with the magic trapping us. Time to bring out the big guns.

Look,I sniffled,it's been a shitty week. My mates are all hurt, either physically, or they’re fucked in the head, or they're missing, or in a coma and I—I just—I could use something good right now. So please set us down. Please.

The tether unravelled from my waist.

Uh oh.

"Fuuuuuuck!" I screamed when I plummeted, the ruthless wind tearing at me as I crashed down to earth.3

It was good to know men being freaked out by tears also extended to their magic. All I needed to escape the trap was to turn on the waterworks.

The water that was still working because I was falling to my death or at least a broken leg.4

Tears streamed down my face and I tried not to look at the ground as it raced for me. A swarm of shadows blessedly blocked off my vision as it hit me, knocking me off course with the cobblestones below. Arms wrapped around me tight enough to leave a mark.

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