Page 72 of Tempt Me

“I…I want her to be safe. And the baby. Emmy, let me take the baby. He’s cold.”

The girl twitched, those bugged-out eyes locking on my own.

“Emmy…” she repeated, startled by the name.

“I’m sorry about your sister, Lemmy. I really am. I know she was your everything. I would be lost without my siblings, too. Please let me take the baby.”

I was speaking slowly, walking toward her carefully. She tracked me like a snake about to strike.

“Emmy, not sleeping doll. No, no, no! Emmy is Tick-Tock, too.”

I was trying to figure out what the fuck she was saying when Fallon lunged at her. “Give me my nephew, you freak!”

Emmy’s arm came out, and Fallon flew backward like a board, falling on her back. I reached for her, but Emmy laughed, her eyes locked onto Fallon’s.

“Tick-tock, sleeping doll. Tick-tock, one, two, three.”

Fallon squinted, holding her head, and winced.

“Tick…tock…o-one.”

I watched in disbelief as Fallon looked entranced, repeating Emmy’s words and yet fighting with herself.

What the fuck was going on?

“Emmy, stop it!” I roared, lunging for the baby.

Emmy halted me, breaking her gaze from Fallon only to lock those eyes on mine. Instantly, a massive headache slammed into my head, my temples throbbing.

“Tick-tock soldier, Tick-Tock. Come to me.”

I blinked, Xenia and Joe’s forms standing beside her. They were flickering like an old TV channel that wasn’t fully catching the signal. Their bodies were not speaking, just standing blankly like they were tethered there.

“Tick-Tock. You belong to me,” the twin continued.

Holy fuck, my head hurt.

“Stop it!” I finally reached her and tried my best to be gentle as I pulled the baby from her arms.

Her body went rigid. The moment the baby left her grip, it was like a light socket flipped off, and she fell face-first into the muddy ground.

Xenia and Joe were watching me, their bodies slowly going back into focus as the throbbing in my head dissipated.

“Fucking hell! What the actual fuck was that?”

Fallon was fuming, getting off the ground, and running over to me to take the baby. She stuck him inside her shirt, trying to shield him from the rain.

“I…don’t know,” she said, some of the steam draining out of her.

This whole night was a goddamn mess. I reached into my pocket and snagged my phone. I dialed my brother’s number.

He answered after calling a million times with his expected gruff, sleep-filled tone. “Bro, I know you stay up with the dead, but after fucking my girl within an inch of her life, I sleep. You fucking vampire.”

I sighed—typical Lith.

“Dude, shut up and listen. I have had a fucking hell of a night. Not any of it good, so do me a favor and shut your whipped ass up.”

Goliath snorted but quieted.