Page 96 of Bonds of Starfall

A car door slammed.

Cyrus appeared, red glittering in the air around him as he held her, his eyes wild with rage.

"They hurt you, Ves." He kissed her temple, finger skimming the shallow cut on her throat. "Now, I’ll hurt them."

Cyrus turnedto the three men, all writhing on the ground. He walked to the younger one, who had held the knife to Vesperin’s throat, and kicked him in the side.

"She’s mine," Cyrus hissed, their emotions sinking into his very being, giving him enough strength for a week. "Your lust tastes rotten, but your fear"—he let himself smile, let the red in the air grow deeper—"tastes like honey."

His power crackled as he yanked the very life away from the three men. They turned to hollow shells, blood dripping from their eyes—until nothing was left.

Cyrus tipped his head back, relishing the quiet, feeling like he could run for hours.

A soft, shocked sound tore his attention to Vesperin, and he hurried over to her, wrapping her in his arms.

Her bottom lip was split, jaw already darkening with a bruise. The cut on her neck was shallow, blood smeared from his touch. His head fell to her shoulder as he embraced her.

"I’m sorry. I’m so sorry they hurt you." Cyrus pulled away until he could see her face, her eyes wide. "Do you like your present?"

"W-what did you do to them?" she stuttered.

Cyrus petted the top of her hair. "Withering. A little incubi trick that not many know about."

He rarely used it. The last time had been three hundred years ago, when he had rescued her from the ones who bought her as a slave.

He grabbed her chin, tilting it to the light. "I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I got in the back seat like you told me." He’d thrown one of the blankets over himself, hunkering as far as he could. When he heard the unmistakable sound of violence, he leapt to her aid, just in time to see a man throw a punch at her jaw.

"You were magnificent, doll," he praised, eyes drifting back to the withered husks of the men. "I want to make them suffer again."

Vesperin’s fingers tangled in the front of his black hoodie. She peered up at him, lips shining with blood like rubies. "No, they’ve suffered enough. Thank you, Cyrus, you saved me."

Rin sat behind the wheel,the car idling. She had gotten her credit card, and Cyrus insisted on seeing to her wounds, despite her protests. So, she pulled to the back corner of the parking lot, and now faced the incubus who had murdered in her name—who had saved her—as he carefully unpacked antiseptic cloths from a first aid kit in the glove box.

Withering… She had never heard of that before, but he had said it was a well-kept secret. She shuddered, remembering the way the men had frozen, red foam dripping from between their lips as Cyrus had sucked every bit of their life away.

It didn’t make Rin fear him; if anything, she felt safer. She didn’t have to do this alone. He could care for himself and her, if she wanted. It made the weight on her shoulders lessen.

"Look at me, doll." Cyrus tugged on a loose wave that fell over her shoulder, forcing her head gently toward his. He hissed as his purple eyes dipped to the cut on her neck, sweeping away her hair to gently clean it with the tiny antiseptic cloth. It stung dully.

When he got to her lip, the air crackled with energy. She waited for the red sparks to fill the car, but they never did—he kept his promise to her.

He gripped her chin as he carefully swiped the cloth over her bottom lip. She couldn’t stop the low sound that escaped her from the sting. Her lips parted, his thumb grazing her teeth, and he snapped out of it, shaking his head as he put away the supplies.

"All done. A kiss would help it heal better, though." Cyrus looked up at her from under his lashes. "Want to?"

Part of her melted at his boyish charm. "Maybe if you’re good," she whispered.

He grinned like a feline.

Rin’s stomach growled, and she placed a hand over it, feeling exhaustion tug at her.

"You’re hungry? We can get some food. I’ve always wanted to try the greasy fast food that humans eat in the movies," Cyrus rambled. "Let’s get my doll fed."

Rin put the car in drive, blowing out a breath. He was going to be the death of her.

The saltfrom the fries burned the cut on her lip.

They had found a run-down drive-through a few miles away, and she had ordered Cyrus to get in the back seat as she drove through, her gun concealed on her lap as she pulled around to the window and got their food. A large fry for her, and the greasiest of burgers for Cyrus, along with two fizzing sodas in paper cups.