Page 121 of First Offense

I nearly scoffed.And we should care why?

“Auric,” he said, urgency in his tone. “There’s something you have to know. The Reform—”

His words died as a blade exploded from his chest. It retracted a moment later, sending blood spurting all over Auric as the guard fell into a heap on the floor. Gurgles sounded from his mouth, followed by a metallic stench that indicated imminent death.

An inmate stood in the doorway behind him, triumph tugging at his lips. The lighting gave the prisoner’s eyes an eerie glow. His two orbs were as dark as midnight and speckled with silver stars, accompanied by an almost psychotic expression. He twirled a guard’s weapon that now dripped with blood.

From the Nora on the floor.

And likely others.

I recognized him just as he spotted me, and my blood ran cold. A strap ran around the stump of his wrist, evidence of a missing hand.

Horus.The guy who tried to touch me in the yard. The same one who had tried to assault me outside the cafeteria.

He licked a strange splatter of silver mixed with blood from his lips, then grinned. “I thought I smelled ripe pussy,” he mused as inmates ran through the hall behind him, their attention elsewhere. His gaze slid to Auric. “And you. Oh, my revenge will be so sweet.” He hefted his sword, angling it at Auric’s chest. “Maybe I should impale you with this before I put something else in your female here.”

Auric’s muscles coiled, but something kept him from striking. “What’s wrong with your eyes?” he asked, his voice cold and deadly.

So it wasn’t a trick of the light. The Noir really did appear mad.

Ignoring him, the Noir stepped inside, his nostrils flaring as his gaze snapped to the Nora on the ground. The guard’s pristine white wings were disintegrating into ash.

I frowned at the sight. “What in the name of the—”

But my question was cut off as Horus lunged to the floor. He clutched his weapon as he mauled the Nora’s back, shoving the dust into his mouth like a rabid dog.

Novak raised an eyebrow.

I gagged, the stench of blood mixed something foul, invading our room.

What in the holy gates is going on?

“Something’s wrong with him,” Auric said, covering his nose as he stepped around the occupied Noir. “He’s infected with… something.” His gaze slid to me, full of concern. “We need to leave. It’s best not to touch him.”

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.

Auric yanked on his pants and Novak followed suit, then they both pulled on their boots while I laced up my sandals.

“Watch,” Novak said, nodding toward the dead Nora.

Auric frowned, then pulled out a blade as he bent to gently remove the item from the dead man’s wrist and pocketed the watch. “Good call.”

Horus didn’t notice, too enthused by his, uh, meal.

Zombified angels,I thought, blinking in dismay.How…? When…? How…?

Chaos echoed down the halls, promising that more inmates would be on their way soon.

However, Novak had mentioned a breach. Perhaps they would run toward that? Or they’d all gone insane like Horus. In which case, we needed to use that breach more than anyone else.

Novak grasped my wrist, guiding me around the morbid display on the floor and out into the hall with Auric a step ahead, his white wings gleaming with purity.

Novak released me and pressed against the small of my back, gently propelling me before him as he guarded the rear.

We approached a massive hole through the rubble that boasted a view of blue skies and evergreen trees. The edges smoldered with metallic debris sparking with magic and energy. Inmates flooded through the opening, escaping outside as the alarms blared.

The last of the inmates ahead of us filtered out into the yard, and another wave echoed from somewhere behind us.