Page 84 of The Bonds of Indigo

“I’d drop the weapon if you value your fucking life, boy,” Kayn growls, voice steady… like the gun may as well be a feather against him. “That will be your only warning.”

The gun cocks, and I gasp, nearly screaming, “No, no! He wasn’t! Please, we have bigger issues right now!”

The male tuts. “My partner just finished off the last Pyrehound and you handled the other two. Cleanup is all that’s left, and the authorities can handle that. But you…” He shoves the muzzle harder into Kayn’s throat, and rage spikes hot and fast through my chest. I can’t risk grabbing the weapon—it’s clearly not some cheap firearm. “She just killed two demonic creatures that don’t die unless you use magic, and you stand here belittling her?”

“I’m not belittling her, you rat.”

Kayn vanishes in a blink—I barely catch a left-to-right flicker—then he’s behind the man.

“I warned you.”

His hands clamp around the guy’s head, and he snaps it. The crack is sharp, horrifying, final. The man collapses to the ground with a heavy thud.

My mouth drops open. He just killed him. Without hesitation.

My heart lurches painfully, then pounds back to life as Kayn looks at me with a half-lidded, bored expression. Like this was an inconvenience at best. And the worst part? I don’t care about the life he just took. Not because I’m cold or cruel… but because the only thing I can think is that he’s safe. That he isn’t dead, and it isn’t his head rolling down the slight incline.

That he’s okay…

And that realization terrifies me.

I want to blame the bond for it—Gods, I want to—but the way my pulse steadies with relief says otherwise. It wasn’t relief that he could still fulfill our deal. It was relief that he wasn’t gone.

His gaze drops to my chest, and I can’t help but wonder if he hears it; my stubborn heartbeat betraying every truth I refuse to speak. If he can feel the way it calms because he’s okay.

“Well, that was unpleasant.”

What? No. I cannot take any more surprises.

I whip my attention down to the body—the man that should have absolutely no life left in him—and my blood runs cold as the man moves. His hands brace against the ground… and he begins to push himself up.

Kayn slams his foot onto the man’s back, pinning him to the ground again. “Did I miss the spinal snap? I don’t think so… I definitely heard it.”

“Get off him.”

A female voice slices through the tension. It sounds familiar… but when I look at her, nothing stands out. Well, except for the fact she’s gorgeous. Blonde hair, blue eyes like the male, flawless skin…

And… are those actual runes inked along her arms?!

I don’t get the chance to study them, because she already has that same white whip of magic wrapped around Kayn’s neck.

“Stop!” I scream the word, channeling an arrow back through the stream of energy. It flares to life instantly, glowing hot in my grip, and I aim it straight between her eyes.

“This will kill you before your arms move. Please, enough of this! He’s with me!”

“Tell the giant to get off Rane. Now!”

My nostrils flare and I look up at Butcher. Of course, he doesn’t even care that she could slice his head off. His indifference pisses me off more than the danger.

“Kayn…”

He groans—actually groans—and closes his eyes. I don’t miss the way they roll upward like I’m inconveniencing him.

“Only because you said my name.”

When his foot lifts, I snap my gaze back to the girl.

“Release him!”