Page 43 of First Offense

Gold blood splattered all over the ground and Novak’s bare torso, causing the beast to roar in fury. However,Iseemed to be the target of that anger.

Fire billowed out of the creature’s mouth, nearly catching my feathers as I ducked and rolled beneath the beast’s belly.

Golden gates,I thought, marveling at the insanity of this situation. Where the fuck was this thing even from? It was a creature unlike any I’d ever seen, and I’d fought a lot of mythical creatures over my extended lifetime.

With a shake of my head, I came out on the other side and followed Novak’s direction by leaping onto the thing’s back and gliding my blade across the throat of a second head.

Shrieks followed, the monster going up in flames all over his body.

My wings reacted to the pending heat, flapping wildly at my back to take me to the ceiling before the fire could touch my skin.

Novak took a similar course, only his burst of wind took him near the windows—which had him bolting forward again and then up.

I frowned at the bizarre action, wondering what had him so fearful of the glass.

The beast rewarded my distraction by striking out one of those angry paws, lined with glowing claws, and catching my thigh in the process.

I cursed, agony licking through my veins at the sharp gash.

It wasn’t enough to bring me down, but it burned like hell, causing me to stumble slightly back and into a corner.

The beast’s final head growled in impending victory, its massive jaws snapping at me in excitement.

Only, Novak landed on the thing’s back, similar to what I’d done before, and effortlessly drew his blade across the thing’s throat, showering me in a mist of golden grime.

Ugh, I thought, wiping the shit from my face as the creature fell to the ground with a loud, resilient thud.

Novak stood on its back, twirling the blade, resembling a picture of ease and content despite the gore dripping from his torso.

I kicked the thing’s head as I righted myself, only to flinch as pain shot up my leg. “What the fuck was that?” I managed to ask through gritted teeth.

“Product of Noir Reformatory,” Novak drawled.

Both my eyebrows hit my hairline. “What?”

He just shrugged in reply.

“Are you telling me this is normal?” I demanded.

Novak merely lifted his shoulder again as if to say,Yeah.

“Fuck,” I muttered, running my fingers through my tangled hair, grimacing when my hand came back slimy and wet. “This place is a fucking nightmare.”

Novak snorted in agreement.

“That thing could have gone after Layla,” I said, my heart skipping a beat as my eyes widened. “Oh, fuck. Where’s Layla?”

“Safe,” he said, repeating his word from earlier.

I jumped forward, ignoring the agony in my leg, and wrapped my hand around his throat. “How the hell do you know she’s safe ifyou are here?” I demanded.

“Clyde,” he replied, his hand wrapping around my wrist to give it a warning squeeze.

“Who the fuck is Clyde?”

“A Blaze.”

I gaped at him. “Awhat?” I’d never heard of a Blaze before.