Page 154 of Rot In Knotty Pieces

I hesitate for only a moment, but Desi and Meg appear out of nowhere.

“We can take them,” Desi says with a grin.

Meg smirks. “We will help protect these pint-sized killers from getting themselves happy on human juice.”

“Human juice is not something we should ever say again, Meg,” Desi protests.

“Well, what do you want to call it? Human sauce? Meat seepage? Liquid idiot?”

“You are adorable, but no to all of that. Blood. Blood works.”

“Blood is so boring.”

“Meg, I love you, but enough, please. My head. It aches.”

I decide that I can’t take anymore and turn and make my way back, but the sound echoes, and I end up lost in the maze of giant machinery. I run into dead end after dead end, getting more and more frantic.

Pix slams into me, a bullet bites into the metal where my head was.

“Baby,” I whisper. “You saved me.”

“Yeah, because I love you, dumbass.”

“I’m sorry I made you wait so long,” I say impulsively.

Pix turns his head, and in the dark, I can just make out the frown. “Are you all right, Aaron?”

“Daega, I love you. I have loved you since I met you. Since the moment we first spoke. Walking away from you tore me apart every time I did it. There wasn’t a single time it was easy. I didn’t intend to hurt you.”

Pix stands up, pressing his body to mine, slamming our mouths together. The kiss is desperate and full of all the things we haven’t spoken.

He pulls back. “Let’s save our omega. Then we will talk. You wear my bond, and I wear yours. That is everything; hold onto that in the dark, and you will find your way.”

“Daega,” I whisper, my eyes going wide. I startle, turning my head to face him in wonder. He’s right, the bonds are the answer. “I can feel her. This way.”

“I’m right behind you.”

I take off, but after a few minutes, I realise he’s not right behind me. He’s gone.

So, I do the only thing I can do. I go to Merle Kestrel, not knowing what I’m going to find, but knowing that she needs us, she needs me, and I will always come.

Just like I have since the day I met her.

Raptor

She won’t stop attacking me.

“Just stop already. We’re sisters.” Just saying those words is freaking me out.

She doesn’t respond to my taunts. Doesn’t say anything. It’s frustrating.

I spin around her, and we exchange blows. Unlike me, she’s not holding back; she is aiming to break things.

She kicks hard, and I feel a rib break.

“Keep doing that ,and you’re going to make me angry, Robin.”

She snarls.