Page 36 of Hades

“Hades? He’s got me,” she shouted before her voice was muffled.

My lungs burned and my legs ached, but I kept going until I saw two figures in the distance. The biggest fucking Russian I’d ever seen stood there with one arm wrapped around Raven’s throat. “Raven,” I said again, breathing heavy to catch my breath.

“It is too late,” he said with a laugh. “You should have given her to us, now you will watch her die.”

“There is no us, asshole. It’s just you now. Your boys are dust.” I grinned, enjoying the oh shit expression on his face.

“I have what I need,” he said, recovering quickly as his grip on Raven tightened.

“It’s okay,” Raven whispered. “Don’t get yourself killed.”

“Yeah, listen to the whore. Don’t get yourself killed.”

I looked at Raven, at the tears sliding down her cheeks. She was so fucking scared but determined to be strong. “Can’t do that,” I said to her. “I won’t.”

“She is not worth it,” the man called out over the rain.

“She is to me,” I told him as I raised my gun.

The man adjusted, keeping one arm around her neck while the other pushed the barrel of the gun to her temple. “She will be dead before you get one shot off.”

I roared with laughter. “You think mighty highly of yourself, don’t you?”

“I know my skills.” His words were simply spoken, but the arrogance was there just under the surface.

Raven’s eyes were wide and fear filled. Her feet kicked out in front of her, inches off the ground. She was panicking.

“You give me no choice,” I told him. “I want nothing more than to use the blade in my pocket that I used to slit your boy’s throat with, but I guess I’ll have to settle for spilling your brains in the middle of nowhere.” I looked at Raven, hoping she understood.

He laughed again. “Now who thinks highly?”

“Army trained,” I assured him and raised the gun until the barrel was aimed between his eyebrows.

“I am not impressed,” he said with a disgusted laugh.

It was just the time Raven needed to pull that small switchblade from her pocket and slam it backwards. “No,” she shouted at the top of her lungs just as the blade slid into his eye.

He stumbled back, loosening his grip on her throat.

“Get down,” I shouted to her and seconds later emptied the gun into the big asshole who thought he could press a gun to my woman’s head.

Raven fell backwards onto the forest floor, screaming and crying. The sound was so agonizing, it was like a knife to my heart.

I dropped the gun and rushed to her, falling to my knees in front of her. “Raven, talk to me.” I held her blood splattered face in my hands because I needed to see her eyes, needed to know she was all right. “Raven.”

She blinked quickly, raindrops stuck on her dark lashes. “I’m okay. He punched me once.”

“Asshole,” I bit out.

She laughed, the sound was raw and sharp. “Thank you.”

“No thanks necessary,” I told her, helping her to her feet. “Unless, you know,” I wiggled my brows.

She laughed again, this time it was half-crazed. “I must be losing my mind. How am I laughing after stabbing a man in the eye and wearing his brains on my face and shirt?”

“You’re alive to wear them,” I reminded her. “Come on.” I took her hand and tugged her towards the house.

She froze. “Back there?”