Page 53 of Underworld

He caught my upper arm, his fingers curving around it a smooth—and unbreakable—grip.

“You’ve hurt yourself,” he said in a far more gentle voice than I deserved.

“I don’t care.” I hated how my voice shook.

“I do.”

Through our bond, I felt just how much hedidcare. Maybe it soothed some of the raw, jagged edges inside me. Sucking in a breath, I went still.

His grip around me tightened.

“Don’t worry, Kaito,” I said, my voice ragged. “I’m not going to take off.”

“Yet,” he responded. He gently squeezed my arm, then released me, moving so he could untangle my feathers from the snare of branches and vines I’d tangled myself up in.

“I hate these damn wings,” I said. I sounded like I was four. I didn’t care.

“You’ll learn how to use them,” Kaito said. “This will hurt.” He hesitated then added, “I’m sorry.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I said, “Do it.”

Welcoming the bright, tearing pain, I focused on it, on fresh injuries now making themselves known as Kaito freed me.

I felt battered in ways that had nothing to do with my injuries.

“Nothing permanent,” he said finally, coming around to stand in front of me. He rested hands on my shoulders.

I could feel him willing me to look at him.

“Cole’s done something,” he said, a statement without surprise.

Jerking my head up, I stared at him.

“It’s not hard for me to guess.” He hitched a shoulder up and offered a side-long smile. “All of us can piss you off—and most of us have. But you’ve got red hazing your eyes in a way I’ve never seen.”

He stroked a gentle finger along my jawline.

“This look… It’s as if somebody crushed everything that makes you who you are.” He cupped my chin. “It makes me want to do ugly, awful things to whoever is responsible.”

We both knew who that person was.

His eyes began to glow and a whisper of danger came to me along our bond.

He took a deep breath and the glow faded, the danger retreating.

“That’s a part of me I haven’t released in a very long time. It’s best I keep him caged.”

Looking away, I stared into the growing darkness of the forest around us.

I didn’t need another demon on my hands. As much as I wanted to confide in Kaito, I couldn’t risk it. “Thanks for the help.”

Cutting around him, I started walking again, but I wasn’t heading for the campus.

Deep inside me, there was a pull and if I followed it long enough, it would take me to Cole.

And once I found him…

My claws slid out a little further, my anger pulsing inside me once more. Anger was much better than feeling broken.