Page 25

Chapter 25

Nova

N ova couldn’t breathe.

Dex had knocked the air from her lungs so hard, it hurt like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Her shoulder was throbbing, and the blood loss was starting to get to her after he’d knocked her head into the ground.

She slammed her fist into his elbow, forcing him to release her throat. Nova brought up her knee at the same time, slamming it into his side and she heard a rib crack. Gasping for air, she kicked forward as hard as she could, pushing him off of her.

Then she made a run for it.

It was stupid and she wasn’t thinking, but Nova didn’t know what else to do. How was she supposed to explain this to him after everything?

Nova should have been more careful. She should have known an angel would somehow pick up on her presence, but he’d played her so well she’d thought he had no idea he was being followed.

Dex suddenly appeared in front of her, and Nova reacted without thinking, dropping to her knees and sliding between his legs, punching upward right in the sweet spot. His scream of rage was the most terrifying thing she’d ever heard in her life.

Nova wrapped the darkness around her. No use in hiding that anymore and she knew he couldn’t see in it.

She couldn’t run forever, and he was so much stronger than her—than a shifter. It would be suicide to try to fight him fair.

“Nova!” The pain in his voice made her gasp, and his hand wrapped around her arm before she realized her mistake.

His eyes were glowing, and she froze.

One was bright silver fire, and the other…

The other burned with the fires of hell.

Demon .

Dex was…a demon?

She studied the eyes that mirrored her own in a warped way. The silvery white was still there, she hadn’t imagined it. He’d said his father was an angel – he hadn’t lied to her about that. But his mother…

He slammed her into the brick wall, and she reacted on instinct, snarling as she pulled a knife from his thigh, sinking it into his side. Dex barely even reacted. He pressed into her, and she did everything in her power to get free.

But he wouldn’t let her go.

Nova gritted her teeth and twisted the knife.

Wings burst from his shoulders, and she let her entire body go lax.

Closing her eyes to concentrate, she let her left hand curl into a fist.

“Why?” Dex demanded, squeezing hard enough everything in her throat ground together.

Her eyes flew open as her power spiraled down her arm and into her hand. Nova put her hand to his chest and took a deep breath. “Let me go, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Why are you hunting me?” he practically roared, wings spreading so wide they were all she could see.

Nova released every drop of magic she could, letting it slam into him.

Dex was thrown back so far, she actually hesitated. Had she done more damage to him than she’d thought?

He wasn’t moving and Nova took a step toward him, but there was no way to repair this. His heart was still beating which meant he was alive at least. She needed to leave before it was too late.

Nova was a Council hunter. After what she’d learned, he would torture her for information and then kill her to cover his tracks.

No one could know what he was, especially the Council.

Nova turned and wrapped the darkness around her like a cloak, regretting every life choice she’d made that had brought her to this point. She jumped and gripped the gutter. Her right arm screamed in protest, and she lost her grip.

Breathing harsh, she fought through the pain and hauled herself up so she could grip the gutter with her legs.

This is why her father had always told her never to get emotionally attached. Dex had set a trap for her, and she’d fallen right into it like a rookie.

Nova used her leg strength to do most of the work and just used her good arm to stabilize her body. Every movement hurt and she couldn’t help the scream of frustration and pain as she hauled herself on top of the roof.

What was she going to do now?

Nova took her time crossing the roof, knowing it would be a while before any of the shifters woke up, and Dex…she had no idea how long it would take him, but she’d used enough magic to take out literally anything but a demon until they regenerated.

Dex wasn’t just a demon though; he was an angel too.

A rare Nephilim who could smite her out of existence with half a thought if he wanted.

Nova studied the edge of the roof and considered her fucked-up shoulder.

This was going to be rough.

She backed up a few steps and then sprinted toward the edge, launching herself into the air. Her body she trusted, but everything else seemed to be failing her.

Including her heart.

Her feet hit the edge of the roof and she pushed forward, flipping instead of rolling so she didn’t have to use her shoulder. Blood was dripping and if she didn’t hurry the fuck up and do something about it, they’d be able to track her down.

Jogging across the roof, she sped up – ready to jump again. Nothing but air, and then gravity pulled her down. Nova curled her body, prepared for the roll this time.

Then something slammed into her back, and she crashed into the roof, sliding instead of rolling. The growl warned her, but she was in too much pain to properly defend herself again and she had no more magic.

“You’re bleeding,” Dex hissed, kicking her over and onto her back. “I can smell it even if I can’t see you.”

Nova tried to get up, but her arm gave out. She looked up and saw him standing over her, wings so massive and wide they blocked out the night sky and all she could see was him.

Dex looked absolutely fucking furious with those blazing eyes staring down at her.

She pulled out the scent charm from her ear and threw it at him.

He flinched when her scent hit him, and Nova used the distraction to grab one of her own blades. Without hesitation, she set it to her throat and dragged it across deep.

“No!”

Nova felt the knife slip from her hand and her head hit the roof.

Suddenly, his face was all she could see.

On instinct she reached up with a small smile, tasting blood. “Dex.” His name wasn’t even a whisper thanks to her ruined vocal cords.

His hand pressed to her throat and Nova stared up at him, rubbing her thumb over the eye full of hellfire. “I’m sorry,” she mouthed as the darkness finally welcomed her home.