Page 61 of Take

I ran until my lungs bled, until finally, I sucked in a gasp of air and it was sprinkled with her.

“We’re at the river.”

“That’s my girl. I’m nearly there.”Because no matter what she was thinking right now, I knew she was mine. And no one would take her from me. All these years I’d easily killed, became the best at what I did . . . it was all for this. It had a purpose. I had a purpose.

To save her—Max.

I heard the swoosh of wind from a few hundred feet away to the left of me and then the distinct smell of black licorice. Shit. Vampires. They’d be on me in ten seconds.

I skidded to a stop, my breathing harsh as I looked in the direction of the river. That was when I caught a glimpse of her, blades in her hands, Holden and Guise flanking. She took a step toward me and my brother grabbed her arm, pulling her back. He knew. Of course he knew. He’d know why I’d stopped running and he’d do what needed to be done.

“Do it, Holden,”I said calmly.

“Jesus, bro.”

I was fifty yards away when the air shifted and then swooshing like a fire crackling in a tornado. “Holden. Now. I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”

Within seconds, I was surrounded.

“Jasper. No, Jasper. We can—”Max’s panicked scream echoed in my head, but I ignored it, cutting her off from my mind.

I didn’t glance back at her because I knew by now Holden and Guise would already be running with Max, whether it was willingly or not.

I counted nine vampires. I would’ve fought. And there was always a chance I’d make it out alive, but not this time. This time I had to talk my way out of it and give Max enough time to get away. Drake was on foot, so his advantage of Tracing was gone, and Holden knew this mountain like his own backyard. We both did.

“Ahhh, the famous Scar Assassin, Jasper,” a deep, raspy voice emerged out of the trees and following it could only be Drake. “And I can smell her all over you. Interesting and . . . not too good for you. She won’t like it much when I cut you into little pieces. Or maybe I’ll let her watch your body burn like I did her mother.”

The opportunity to get Drake to trust me slipped through my fingers. I sensed the possession in him, the heated rage of need swirling in the depths of his red, gleaming eyes. He didn’t like it one bit that I’d been with Max and that was what was going to kill me.