Page 88 of Blood Bonds
Our family, because that’s what we do.
So now I have to get Gray back here safely. I already know he can hold his own, but the Resistance only ever sends in their biggest and best fighters, so he needs some goddamned backup.
Atlas, who is standing at the door, cursing under his breath, mutters desperately, “Oli, please stay here with Sawyer and let me go. This place is a fort and you can just guide me—”
Absolutely not. “No. I’m the biggest weapon we’ve got. I’m not running scared anymore.”
Atlas scoffs and lets his head drop back against the wall behind him, muttering under his breath, “You never did. You never fucking did, Sweetness.”
Atlas grabs another gun from the cabinet next to Sawyer, and throws the holsters over his shoulders. There’s a full Tac uniform in there but it’ll be too small for him, and I refuse to change now. I don’t need the superhero outfit, I need the range for my arms, but I do take an earpiece. Sawyer does too, shoving an extra one in his pocket, and then we get our asses out of there.
I keep the net out and kill every Resistance soldier that I come across the second I hit them. Word that I’m here and that I’m hunting seems to spread quickly, and through the comms I hear comments of Transporters making speedy exits. They haven’t taken anyone with them so far, but we’re on guard nonetheless.
We get through the debris and corpse-filled streets easily enough and find Gray in the kitchens, exactly where Sawyer had last seen him, holed up in one of the walk-in fridges along with the chef and half a dozen other kitchen staff. Atlas gives him the spare comms and then we all regret it when Sawyer cusses him out very openly and unabashedly for daring to be somewhere that wasn’t covered by the cameras.
I have no doubt that North will be finding room in the budget for more in the very near future.
We make the choice that Gray is safer here than us trying to move him, and with a way to get intel from Sawyer and a gun from Atlas, he’ll be able to protect himself and those with him.
He’s also Telekinetic and could for sure kill a man if he needed to, we have no doubts.
I take the risk and open up to call out to my Bonded, praying that I’m not going to get either of them killed.
We’re going to find Gabe now. Do either of you need anything?
Gryphon answers first,Come grab Sage and get her over to the schoolhouse. She’s a distraction for Black, and he’s useless to me with her here.
Easily done, I definitely want her out of the firing line anyway.On my way.
North takes a second longer to reply and I feel the tendrils of guilt in my stomach at his words.Should I expect my power to go on forever? Or just until the Soul Rending is done? Exactly how strong are you, Bonded?
Atlas glances at me again and shakes his head, more than happy for there to be secrets for only us to keep. I already know we can’t live like that.
There is no limit. Or at least, I’ve never found one.
Atlas curses under his breath again, but I move forward, taking all of the right turns towards zone six. I might be freaking horrendous at directions, but my bond is good, and it can follow the invisible strings that connect me to my Bonded easier than breathing.
It almost becomes soothing, the sounds of the bodies dropping to the freshly poured pavement. I become completely numb to the meaning of it, my bond quietly pleased as we take the energy and funnel it to our Bonded. Atlas’ skin begins to glow softly next to me, but he’s too focused on protecting me to notice it.
The moment we get to where the last of the fight is, I let my eyes flash to the voids and trust my bond to take out the last of the Resistance soldiers there. I can see the relief on half of the TacTeam there, all of them looking a little haggard and worn out.
Except, of course, for Nox, who looks up from the corpse he’s now holding in place of the man he wascreatively questioningand sneers at me.
Great.
He stands up in a rush, beating Gryphon to me, and Atlas pulls me back into his arms like he’s trying to get me away from the Bond.
“Why the fuck are you risking yourself out here? Do you want the Bond Group to fucking implode just because you’re bored and don’t want to sit somewhere safely for an hour while we sort it out?” he snarls at me, shoving his gaiter down his throat so that all I see on his face is the significant rage thrumming so clearly through him.
“Because it’s my fucking fault! Do you think I’m going to let them take other people just because I escaped? They were killingchildrenthe last time.”
Nox snorts and my eyes snap up to meet his. There’s a ring of black around them, his bond sitting just below the surface, and the smirk on his face is savage and mocking. “You think this is the first time they’ve killed children? Well, I suppose usually they just grab them. Half the Resistance is made up of stolen and brainwashed kids. Davies started taking them thirty years ago. Those Gifted you killed todayarethose kids… they’re just old enough now that you didn’t think twice.”
My stomach drops so quickly that I think I’m going to puke all over Atlas’ shoes, my head spinning and my moral compass once again taking a hit.
Gryphon’s temper snaps and he gets right up in Nox’s face, crossing the invisible lines that they usually leave securely in place. “Don’t fucking say that shit to her! If you’re worried about what’s happening, then deal with it. She is not your fucking punching bag. North won’t save you this time.”
Atlas’ arms tighten around me, and I realize I’m shaking. I killed all of those men and women. I killed them. Without thought, I just ripped all of their souls out of their bodies. They could have been anyone.