Page 30 of Desecrated Saints
“That’s it, Eight. Just us, no one else.”
“Augustus—”
“Is dead,” Seven finishes.
“And we’ll be next.”
He strokes my sweaty hair as I greedily suck in air. I can see the guys gathered on the porch, none of them daring to take a step closer. Kade is holding a seething Hudson back, while Phoenix and Eli cling to each other for strength, both looking terrified.
“Don’t look at them,” Seven orders. “Do as you’re told for once.”
“I c-can’t do this, they’re going to come for me…”
“You think any of us would let them?”
Seven offers me a tiny, threatening smile. I peer around apprehensively, but the shadows have abated. He’s holding me in this plane of existence, keeping the madness in my veins from poisoning the world again.
“You got me out of Blackwood. I’m going to keep us out.”
“How?” I whisper brokenly.
His grin turns savage, dripping with violent rage.
“I’ll kill them all, princess, and bring you their heads on fucking stakes.”
CHAPTER 7
BROOKLYN
LEFT ALONE - ZERO 9:36
Ducking through the oppressive woodland, I feel myself relax. I’m more at home in the darkness than anywhere else. I need the space to gather my thoughts. We’ve been hiding out here for another week, ever since Incendia decided to drop a nuclear bomb on our heads.
With few options, we had nowhere else to run. The guys have been worse than ever, refusing to leave me unaccompanied. It only got worse when I wouldn’t discuss the whole losing my mind and becoming a complete fruit cake thing. I’ve been drowning myself in our dwindling supply of liquor instead.
“Blackbird! Jesus, slow down.”
I run to escape Hudson chasing me through the forest. After two weeks of forcing myself to eat, I’m still weak and unable to get far before his long, powerful limbs catch up.
“Leave me alone, Hud.”
“Can’t a guy go for a harmless run?”
I shove him away and brace my hands on my knees. I can feel him glaring beneath his shock of unruly black hair and shining eyebrow piercing, his angled jaw clenched. Every inch of well-honed muscle is on display in his running shorts and tank top.
“What do you want?”
He shrugs. “Just jogging, that’s all.”
“Run somewhere else.”
“You really think you should be out here alone right now?”
I fix him with a cold stare. “I don’t need a babysitter. Least of all you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
With rage steeling my spine, I prowl forward until he’s backed against a nearby willow tree. It’s still weird to see Hudson surrender to me after so much pain and misery inflicted by his hands. His aquamarine eyes are lit with amusement, like he’s enjoying the show I’m putting on.