Page 51 of Commanding Blood And Bonds

“What drives did she grab?” Carr asked, still sucking in air as he assessed the distance between our men and the threat. His heart had to be thundering as violently as mine. He didn’t need to see my face to understand the depth of my glare when I turned on him.

Idiot.

“Right,” he mumbled. “Hey—uh, Nix? You wanna check it out?”

“You first,” Nix scoffed, though he took a tentative step toward her. My eyes flicked upward, tracking the lightning inching its way toward the ground like a God’s scalding, white-hot finger, ready to obliterate us the moment time snapped back.

“All three of us, different angles,” I ordered. “We’ve got another—” I glanced at the rods of energy stretching for us, “maybe forty seconds before these suckers hit.” Without another word, we split, moving in on her while keeping a wary distance from the lightning’s inevitable path.

“Watch your feet,” I warned, stepping over a puddle of muck. The last thing we needed was to become better conductors.

Carr drew a blade, eyes locked on her dark, determined gaze. Odds of avoiding electrocution weren’t in his favor, but I respected his willingness to take the hit if needed. Nix and I knelt beside her, sorting through the drives, careful not to brush her exposed hands. None were labeled.

“How the fuck would she even know what she was stealing?” Nix muttered, shaking his head.

I chewed my lower lip, wondering the same damn thing as I lifted my gaze to her concealed face. I was about to rip her mask off when Nix’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Are those…?” His words trailed off, and I followed his stare, scowling as I reached for the colorful plastic square beneath the externals.

“Floppy disks,” I muttered, equal parts bemused and intrigued. That lined up. Oddly enough. My mother had allied with The Wraith in the late eighties or early nineties.

“What are you after?” I breathed, tossing the disks back and handing the whole box to Nix. “Get those to the truck.”

Nix nodded once before vanishing into shadow, shocking the hell out of me with his sudden compliance. My gaze flicked to the unnatural barrier of shadows at the edge of the woods, where a line of harsh sunlight lingered just beyond. Nix materialized at the border, pausing for my nod before continuing his mission. Our elements wouldn’t get him to the truck, but at least he had a head start.

“Don’t let her touch you,” I warned Carr.

His only answer was a sharp dip of his chin, much like his brother’s.

With that final warning, I dove for her waist.

And time roared back into existence.

Freya

Thunder boomed as a body slammed into mine, the brutal collision sending us both careening through the shadows. The world slowed, dark and thick like molasses, before snapping back into full color. I was thrown off my feet as two men emerged from the ether, materializing from thin air. Searing agony ripped through my jaws, hot blood flooding my mouth as my canines burst forward. I hadn't used them since the battle with the Renown, and holy fuck, it hurt. That pain eclipsed even the impact of our bodies hitting the unforgiving ground.

His pant of exertion met my pained grunt of frustration.

“Who. Sent. You?” he growled, making a move to pin my arms. A cry tore from my throat as I thrashed against him. A bolt of lightning struck so close that the earth erupted in a violent cloud, forcing my attacker to dive for cover.

A little too close for comfort there, I warned, rolling through the smoking debris and back onto my feet.

Get the fuck out of there, August ordered, his temper dripping from every syllable. He and Ally hovered at the edge of the woods, and judging by Ally’s trance-like state, she was guiding his shots.

Working on it, I mentally bit back, but the motherfucker misted from the shadows, his arm snaking around my waist as another lunged forward, knife in hand.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I tucked my legs up before snapping them forward in an attempt to break free—or topple us. Neither happened. Instead, he grunted as thunder cracked, the world flashing a blinding blue that forced me to jam my eyes shut.

“Fucking stop that!” my assailant barked. As if in answer, lightning struck in rapid succession, each bolt closer than the last. The one with the blade staggered back before vanishing into shadow.

Blood trickled down my chin, hot and sticky, as I bellowed down the mental line, A little help?!?

Use your head, Freya, Ally’s ethereal voice drifted through my mind, distant but firm.

Breathing grew harder as he dragged my thrashing, stupidly tiny body away from the hidden armory door. I threw my head back, cracking into his face with a satisfying crunch. His grip slipped just enough for me to twist between his arm and hard body before his forearm pinned my neck. With no other choice, I opened my mouth and sank my horrifyingly painful fangs into his arm. His scream hit like a one-two punch, my mouth flooding with his blood. Nasty.

Not what I meant, Ally’s bell-chime voice admonished.