Page 114 of Worse Fates

The wide front doors are kicked open as fire explodes across the floor, causing the blood mages packing up to scream. Then, standing silhouetted by the weak sunlight like an avenging angel, Summer tosses two swirling balls of darkness towards the bright orange blaze.

And then…chaos.

Chapter Thirty-Eight - Lucero

Red flames are lobbed into the warehouse walls and immediately begin to devour them as if made of paper.

A wave of heat crashes into me, and I throw my forearm up as a shield against it, the stink of my singed arm hair clogs my throat and I have to blink several times to avoid being blinded.

Uncaring about the blaze, Rurik charges towards the screaming blood mages. Their cries soon cut short as his fangs meet their necks, their blood spraying out in an arc.

And through the blaze—“Golden.”

He’s away from most of the destruction and using a piece of glass to cut Ramy out of ropes.

“Lucero! Jace is up there!”

I look to Summer and where she’s pointing, moments before a man with black hair goes to attack her. But even exhausted, Summer is no baby mage—her rings suck in the light, and with a sweep of her arm the other mage’s shadow rises from the ground and flings him into a burning beam.

Knowing she can look after herself, I run over flaming corpses towards my mark. I pass Rurik ripping throats out, so drenched even his hair’s dyed red. I dodge badly thrown spears and watch as people’s own shadows turn against them.

Leaping onto the gangway, I find Jace kicking Kai off him—the boy hits the floor with anoof, landing hard on his hip. Jace strikes out at Apollo, who hasn’t changed since the last time I saw him fifty years ago. But I reach Jace in time, locking my fist around the cunt’s neck in a crushing hold.

Golden’s monster isn’t getting away this time.

CRUNCH!

I slam his face into the floor, blood pooling under him.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

Again and again I hammer his face into the concrete floor, his screaming agony is the sweetest delight.

He hurt Golden, tried to take my mate away from me—and now he pays.

“Get outta here, Kai!” Apollo might be behind me, but his voice sounds like it’s underwater. “Run!”

“But—”

Every cell in my body yearns to drag Jace’s pain out, his blood and gargled screeching only fueling me.

“KAI!” Apollo shouts again.

I yank Jace up off the floor and bring his ruined face to mine. Golden’s abuser, this worthless piece of shit, whimpers and the stink of piss wafts off him.

Both of his eyes are swollen, teeth missing from fleshy, red gums. His nose is nothing but a puddle of meat, blood and exposed shattered cartilage.

“I’m going to fucking kill you.” A vicious smirk rips open my face, my fangs glinting with the fire destroying the warehouse.

Jace blubbers, like the small pathetic little creature he is.

But before I can fulfil my promise and rid this man from the face of the earth—pain pierces my shoulder. My hold on Jace remains, even as I swerve to avoid the next red, gleaming spear.

“Drop him!” A woman stands near an open door. The one I fought on the side of the road with a shot of white through her dark hair.

Emma.

“I don’t think I will,” I growl, Jace choking wetly as my hold tightens.