Page 5 of Eternal Ruin

Samson bared his fangs at her tone, making her flinch. Without wanting to, she recalled the power in his arms, how he’d slammed her head against the bench of that abandoned hall, and shivered. He’d been prepared to do so much worse, would have done much worse, if Susenyos hadn’t given her that clue that saved her life.

Samson was merciless and his rage was always bubbling beneath the surface.

But so was hers.

Moving under the balloons, Kidan placed both hands in her pockets. “I want you to leave.”

Like a wolf drawn to meat, Samson stalked toward her. “You dare order me?”

“I’m having people over.” She glanced up at the balloons, voice casual. “I don’t want them to see who drinks my blood. It’s a little embarrassing.”

His face contorted, deepening his wrath just like she knew it would. His claws extended, black-tipped monstrous nails. One swipe or slash, and he could slit her throat. A drum settled beneath her heart. Out of habit, Kidan’s hand itched to trace her wrist, source power from her butterfly bracelet. Her blue pill used to help her be invincible, unafraid of death.

Without it, she was too human, thinking about inconvenient things like survival.

Samson lunged to the ceiling, all power and muscle, and slashed at the balloons.

Three sharp pops exploded, a savage sound that unleashed an emotion she didn’t think she was capable of. An emotion that only saidrun. Inside her pocket, Kidan traced the four corners of a square, her symbol for fear. Her body had betrayed her. Locked with the unwelcome realization of how much danger she was in. The knowledge that unlike before, Kidan had things to lose now, to live for.

She couldn’t die here. Exploding ash drifted down to their faces. And if she failed, she would die.

Run. Run.

No, draw a triangle. Now.

She did with great effort, leaning into raw anger. A breath of fresh air.

The ash was slow, almost beautiful, and it gave her time to recover her old self.Samson’s expression turned from furious disgust to confusion when the black particles invaded his eyes. Then his nose. Then his mouth.

“What—” He choked and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his fist. He stumbled a step back, trying to clear his throat. “What the hell did you…”

Move, Kidan screamed at herself.Kill him.

It worked. She quickly threw up a handful of the pins, making the ceiling explode all over, destroying the remaining balloons. Turning the air into gray and black, poisoning him. Her own eyes were stinging, watering, but she didn’t have time to cry. Sometimes, she was afraid if she started crying, she’d never stop. Instead, she coughed twice, swallowing most of the impala ash. It traveled down her throat and into her stomach. Maybe it’d protect her from the inside. Turn her poisonous.

She pulled out her gun—not shaking, good, and waited until Samson cracked one bloodied eye open.

“I’ve been waiting for this,” she said, and shot him in the stomach. Her shoulder snapped back and forth but she’d been ready for it. Raw satisfaction thrummed through her veins.

There was no room for fear.

“Heaven in hell!” he shouted, and collapsed backward, trying to shuffle away.

Hehad been the one she’d been hunting for. Not Susenyos. This was the shadow that had come to the gardens of her old house and ruined her life.

“I will fucking destroy you.” She barely recognized the venom in her voice.

He cursed her in Amharic, harsh and fast and cutting. “Your friend will die!”

GK.

As if conjured from thin air, the house crinkled with his finger bone chain, soft, warm eyes always warning her of death.

Kidan’s bubble of rage threatened to shatter, fingers shaking on the gun. She had the sense of floating outside her body and watching herself with disgust, like GK would.

Murderer, he would say with horror. The hand of death that would destroy anything good and kind. But destruction was never what fueled Kidan. It was protection. Mama Anoet had to die so June could be safe. GK had to become a vampire so he couldlive. GK would understand this. He would see the good in her again. All she had to do was earn his trust back. Give him back his humanity.

What if he never forgives you?the cruel part of the house whispered, scattering her pulse.What then?