Slipping my hand into my pocket, I grab the wad of bills and press them into Smith’s hand. “It’s been nice knowing you, man. Sorry about the crap I said.”
He stares at me. “What the hell are you doing, Erik?”
I wipe my mouth, trying to get in control of my slightly foggy senses, and shrug. “This is between the Ice Mer King’s men.”
His brows furrow. A dozen questions flit through his eyes, but before he can ask them, I’ve turned away. Raising my hands in the air, I saunter past the slack-jawed patrons of the bar towards the males and then tilt my head toward the exit.
“Gentlemen,” I say lightly. Now, Reckless Erik is firmly in control. “Why don’t we take this outside?”
The males stare at me, and then at each other. It’s clear my willingness is a surprise to them. They use their fingers and palms to sign rapidly at each other. After a few moments, they turn towards me. The largest one opens the door, while the other two step aside.
They watch me warily.
I walk out slowly, carefully. The moment the humid evening air washes over me, a strange sense of calm overcomes me. I’m ready for this. I’ve accepted my fate. Better me than Helena.
She is wortheverything. Her soul isn’t dark, and I know her uncle will care for her. I’ve done everything I can to protect those I care about.
Taking a deep breath, I widen my stance and prepare for my final stand.
This is it.
In the space it takes me to breathe, I grab my gun and pull it out in a practiced movement. In the next breath, I click off the safety as I jump backward. My grip on my gun is steady as I aim it at the leader.
The three males tilt their heads, their eyes glimmering in amusement. I can practically hear their thoughts as they watch me.Idiot human. He thinks one gun can save him from the three of us.
“How can I help you, gentlemen?” I ask. Sarcasm drips from my words as I walk backward. I glance around, taking in the dim streetlights providing pockets of illumination against the darkness of the night. For a long moment, silence is their only response.
They snarl, coming towards me, when suddenly, one of them stops. He holds up his hand, his head angled to the side.
It takes a second before I hear it, too. Sirens, faint at first, fill my ears. They are growing louder by the second. My heart pounds when I realize the bartender must have called the DaePolice.
I keep my gun drawn as I evaluate the scene in front of me. Exchanging quick glances between each other, one of the Elite reaches into his jacket. The streetlight shines on something metallic as he draws out his hand. Above us, I hear the flapping of many wings. It sounds like a flock of birds is about to descend.
Very violent, deadly birds. Ones that have little care for human life. The DaePolice.
Making a split-second decision, I squeeze the trigger. The rapid sounds of gunshots shatter the silence, and seconds later, screams erupt from inside the bar. At the same moment, there is a stinging sensation in my left side.
Cursing, I place my hand on my side before turning and ducking down a dark alley. The sirens have become an incessant beat in my head, and the pounding of wings in the air is adding to the symphony of the night.
Footsteps pound on the cobblestones behind me. Keeping my hand on my side, I dart around garbage bins, wrinkling my nose as my eyes water.
“Stop that one!” a loud voice yells from behind me.
“Almost there, Captain,” someone else says. This voice comes from... above me.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Before I can even look up, steel-like claws attached to human-esque hands grip my shoulders. I try to rip my arm from them, but suddenly, the ground is five feet away. Then ten. Then I can’t look down without feeling terrified. Buildings that loomed above me become nothing more than tiny dots as I struggle against my captor’s iron grip.
Bile rises in my throat. “Let me go,” I shout, thrashing. My side aches, but I shove away the pain.
He laughs. Gods-damned laughter fills my ears. Red fills my vision as I struggle against his strong hands.
“Do you have a death wish, human? Be still,” he snarls. The hands around me tighten, and somehow, we start moving even faster.
The world below me becomes a blur. The flapping of wings is all I hear. I shut my eyes and pray for a quick death.
No one hears my prayers.