Page 15

She did.

But she didn’t just survive.

In the blink of an eye, she was on her feet and throwing herself against the stranger.

They tussled, gripping each other’s throats, snarling like a couple of animals.

No, I had to be imagining that. My brain was completely fried by then. I wasn’t processing anything. I was wrong when both of them looked like they grew fangs and snapped at each other with them. I covered my mouth with both hands and almost forgot to breathe when she slammed her attacker into the wall and sent bricks showering down on both of them.

“Enough!” he roared before taking the top of the girl’s head in one hand and jerking it roughly to the side.

I watched in horror as he bit her—no, as he sank his teeth into her throat and pulled back, tearing half of it away all at once.

She let out a breathless shriek before going stiff all over.

The attacker flung her body to the ground, where she landed in a heap.

When he turned to face me, I saw her head dangling from his clenched fist, hanging by the hair.

My mouth fell open in a scream, but nothing came out. I was going to die.

It was all over.

My mind would break, and he would kill me, and that would be it.

I looked up and recognized him from earlier, the one I had run away from.

He tossed the head aside, and I struggled against a rush of bile in my throat. Why couldn’t I move? Why couldn’t I scream? Shock froze me solid.

“We have to get back to your apartment, and fast.” He was peeling off his bloody shirt and rolling it into a ball, stuffing it into a backpack before putting on a clean shirt.

“Hurry. Come on.” He grabbed my arm with one bloody hand.

“No!” I gasped, slapping at him with both hands, jumping to my feet.

All it took was his touch to snap me out of it. I tried to pull away, tried to get away, but he was too strong.

“Listen to me!” he snarled, pulling me close enough to feel his hot breath on my face. “I have to take you someplace safe, and fast. They’re going to come looking for her, and you can’t be here when they do.”

“Who? The police?” I looked down at the body and couldn’t believe what I saw.

It had turned to something that looked like stone—pale gray, with white eyes.

“No.” He pulled me behind him.

His hand was so tight and strong, I thought it might break my wrist. I wanted to fight him, to kick and scream, but it was all happening so fast.

He hailed a cab and threw me inside before I knew what was happening. He barked my address at the driver as I pressed myself against the door, fumbling around for the handle.

“How do you know my address?” I asked.

He stared coldly. “I know everything about you, Janna. And now you’re in more danger than ever.”