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11

The Attack

Ispotted two assailants, dressed like ninjas from head to toe in black, with only a small slit for their eyes. I ran toward them, but Harker was faster. He moved like a tornado, rushing forward as magic exploded out of him, tearing through the air toward the assailants like a ribbon of telekinetic lightning. Trashcans exploded, clotheslines ripped apart, and the heavy wooden fence split down the middle—but when the smoke cleared, the assailants were gone.

“Did Harker disintegrate the two ninjas?” I asked Nero quietly.

“No. He didn’t use that kind of magic. They’re not dead. They got away.”

“How?” I asked.

“I don’t know. They’re just gone.”

I watched, wide-eyed as Harker took a quick loop around the yard to make sure the assailants weren’t somewhere nearby, lying in wait. When that was done, he rushed over to Bella and began healing her wounds. I’d never seen Harker like this. So out of control. So explosive.

“What happened?” I asked Gin.

“Those guys in black just appeared out of nowhere,” she replied. “We didn’t see them coming.”

“They fired at us,” Tessa added. “Bella was hit and went down.”

“Who were they?” I wondered.

Zane’s face was pale. “It all happened so fast. They were suddenly shooting at us. I didn’t think to read their thoughts. And then they were gone. I’m sorry, Leda.”

“It’s ok.” I patted him on the back. “It’s not your fault.”

I glanced around the empty, partially-demolished yard and sighed. If only Harker’s spells had knocked out the assailants, then we could have interrogated them.

I joined the others, who were gathered around Harker. He sat on the ground, one arm around Bella. The other arm, glowing with magic, waved across her body. From the looks of it, he’d managed to heal her injuries, but she’d lost a lot of blood. Her clothes were stained with it, and her skin was very, very pale. Her eyelids kept dropping. She was only partially conscious. Harker lifted her into his arms, carefully and gently, and carried her into the house.

“This attack can’t be a coincidence,” Nero told me. “Just an hour after we assembled the four pages that will lead us to Thea’s grimoire, even before Bella can try to decipher the page, she was attacked.”

“You think someone doesn’t like that we’re digging into our past. And they’re trying to stop us from getting answers.”

“Yes.”

“They targeted Bella.” Anger hit me, hard and merciless.

“She is the one best able to decipher the page.”

“I’ll put a team on the house, to protect Bella.” I reached for my phone.

Nero’s hand caught mine. “Harker has made himself her protector. I doubt he will be leaving her side anytime soon.”

“Nero, I just spent the whole day roleplaying endless angel scenarios of dominance.” And my head still hurt from the memories in that classroom. “This is my territory. And Bella is my sister. I have to protect her.”

“But she’s Harker’s mate.”

I blinked. “Bella didn’t say anything…”

“She doesn’t need to say anything. You saw the way Harker attacked the assailants without a thought: quickly, so they couldn’t hurt her anymore, and so that he could heal her. Harker isn’t acting rationally at the moment. If you don’t let him take charge of Bella’s protection, he will attack you. And then I’ll have to attack him. That would be…” Nero frowned. “…messy.”

I’d seen Nero and Harker fight each other, shortly after I’d joined the Legion. Memories of that fight flashed through my head. Messy was right. And both of them had grown more powerful since then.

“Escalation,” I muttered.

“Precisely,” Nero said. “I’d rather avoid a fight with Harker. We’re all on the same side here.”