Page 126 of Wrapped in Their Arms

“Whash wrong with me?”Thunemuttered thickly.

He staggered backwards, his huge bulk making the stone floor tremble underNoelle’sbare feet.Thenthe massiveTrolloxcollapsed onto the couch with a sickeningwhump, the halfempty tumbler of wine sloshing out of his hand.Darkliquid splattered across his filthy white shirt, blooming into a stain like dried blood.

The left head snored instantly—loud, rattling, and grotesque.

The middle head listed to the side, eyelids drooping heavily.

But the right head…the right head hadn’t moved.Itstill drooled, its vacant yellow eyes wandering lazily.

Please go down.Pleasejust go down…Noellethought, her hands clenched into fists of tension.

“Now,”Burngrowled, his voice low and dangerous, vibrating with pent-up violence.“It’stime to get that fucking key.”

He swung off the mattress in one fluid motion, already dragging his trousers back on.

“Burn—wait until he’s all the way out,”Brightwarned sharply.

ButBurnwasn’t listening.Hewas locked onThunelike a heat-seeking missile.

Noelle’s pulse roared in her ears asBurncrossed the room in three long strides.TheTrolloxsprawled limp and heavy on the couch, looked almost harmless—with the three heads in various states of drooling, snoring, or drunken blinking—but she knew better.

They all did.

Burn reached intoThune’spocket.Hisbig hand slid down into the filthy fabric, groping for the long silver biometric key.

Noelle’s breath caught in her throat.

Come on.Comeon—just a little further?—

Thune’s middle head stared glassily into space, too drugged to react.

Burn’s fingers closed around the key.Andthen?—

Suddenly, the right head snapped into perfect clarity.

Its pupils shrank and its drooling mouth pulled back in a snarl.Andin a harsh, hissing squeal that madeNoelle’sblood run ice-cold, it shrieked:

“THIEF!”

The sound was so sharp it felt like a blade cutting through the room.

Its eyes—two luminous, deranged points of yellow—focused directly onBurn.

“Thief…Liar!” it screamed, and the huge right arm came to life, swinging upward in a violent, spasmodic lunge.

“Burn!”Noellecried, panic tightening her throat.

But theDarkTwinwas faster that the drunkenTrollox—muchfaster.

He ducked under the snatching hand, twisting away even as he ripped the long silver key fromThune’spocket.

And then, beforeNoellecould blink,Burndrove the key straight into the right head’s right eye.

There was a sound like a wetpopand a spray of milky fluid burst outward.

The right head shrieked—a high, keening roar of pure agony.

The entire right side ofThune’senormous body spasmed violently, arm flailing, leg kicking, the couch groaning under the sudden thrashing weight.