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Shit, he was strong. Was he going to break my femur with that grip?
My scream melded into the sharp ring of my nerves turning to ash. Just as my vision blurred and the sweet nothingness of passing out crept over me, his hand disappeared.
Gods, really? He couldn’t have held on and let me lose consciousness? Asshole.
Their heads turned to the door. Mouths moved, but I heard nothing until Cole snapped, “The hell was that? Check it.”
I gasped and snotted and whimpered, my entire body shaking as if electrocuted. Just as long as I didn’t look down at my legs, don’t look down, don’t look down—
The door handle clanged. Jiggled.
The boys tensed. Hugo, the dickwad nearest the door, crept closer to the entrance. All was silent but for my pained breathing.
Someone else was here? Okay, Gray. Probably best if you stay awake. Gotta make it out. Have to stay awake if I can. Have to… have to…
A rowdy pattern of knocks clanged into the door.
Cole hissed. “No one’s supposed to know about this place.”
The intruder seemed to lose hope that their knock would be answered. A muffled, faraway voice said, “Well, I guess I’ll just use my key. Don’t mean to be rude, but—”
With an explosive, terrifying bang, the door buckled inward. One more hit and the hinges were flung off. Steel crashed into the stone wall.
Razai stood framed in the doorway like a towering, broad-shouldered picture of vengeance. He was too lean to look so huge, right? Had he always been that big?
He wiped invisible sweat from his brow. A smile stretched his lips in a way that could only be described as vicious. The three men faced him, but his gaze was only on me.
When he took in my injuries, those eyes became wider. Brighter, even, in a maniacal sort of fury. The only question I had was whether he’d murder with a smile or a snarl.
All three of my attackers lunged for him at once.
“Razai!” I shouted. But it was no use. He was strong, but against three archangels snorting fun little power pills? No one could withstand that much magic and brute force.
They surged toward him, and for a second, they blocked my view of him completely. That is, until the very next moment.
As if smacked by an invisible shield, all three men jerked to the side and cracked against the wall, stunned but not knocked out. In a blink, Razai had moved across the room and stood at my feet, back facing me. His posture was alert and ready for the next step of the battle.
How had he just done that?
He turned his head slightly. “Anything critical?”
“I don’t think so,” I replied, still stunned. Probably would be critical for a human or mortal, but thankfully, I had immortal genetics on my side.
Hugo steadied first and stiffened. Light grew in his palms as he prepared for an attack.
Razai added, “Stay put, Detective. This will be over quickly.”
“Where would I go?”
Hugo’s light flashed with the power of a fucking supercharged sunbeam. Razai lunged directly into it, but somehow, it didn’t touch him.
Hugo stumbled back as Razai slapped an open palm over his ear. The violent crack was followed by a strangled cry and a splatter of blood. That told me an eardrum had just tragically exited stage left. Hugo held the side of his head and dropped to his knees.
The second henchman, the one I’d met in the hallway of Clave’s office, threw a fire-charged punch. Razai ducked easily and slammed his fist into the man’s gut. His other hand jutted upward and hit again, palm to the nose.
The boy swayed into the wall and slid to the ground, crimson already pouring over his mouth and chin. Eyes rolling back.
Cole didn’t look good. I’d guess he’d cracked his head into the stone, but that didn’t stop him from summoning his power. White-hot flames erupted from his hand.
