Page 143 of Wrapped in Their Arms

Bright’s heart stopped.

“Fuck!”Burnsnarled beside him.

They both stared, frozen for a split second, as time seemed to slow.

“That must be that asshole ex mate she told us about—the one who used to hurt her,”Burngrowled, already shoving back from the controls and reaching for the weapons locker behind their seats.“Wehave to get out there!”

Bright’s fingers shook as he undid the safety on his blaster.“Canyou take him?”he asked hoarsely.“Whatif he’s armed?”

“Just keep him busy,”Burnsaid grimly, checking the charge on his own blaster.Hisface was a mask of fury and control—pure lethal focus.“Comeon—let’s go.”

Bright followed theDarkTwin, heart pounding, boots thudding across the metal floor.Theinterior of the shuttle echoed with the sound of their urgency—doors hissing open, warning lights still blinking red from their collision-landing.

Outside, night had fully fallen.

The chill ofEarth’satmosphere wrapped around them like icy fingers as the outer hatch slid open and the boarding ramp lowered with a low hydraulichissss.

“Move fast,”Burnbarked, voice low and tense as he crouched and darted out first.Brightfollowed, muscles tight with adrenaline, every instinct screaming to get toNoellebefore it was too late.

The cold air hit them like a slap.Itwas winter here,Brightthought distractedly.

Streetlights flickered as if responding to their arrival and somewhere nearby, a car alarm began to wail, a discordant cry that only added to the chaos.

The human man—Branson,Noellehad called him—whipped his head around at the noise.

His eyes widened as he saw the two massiveKindredsprinting toward him from the shuttle, weapons in their hands and murder in their eyes.

Bright only prayed they could getNoelleaway from him in time.

79

BURN

Burn hit the ground running.

The coldEarthair slapped him in the face, sharp with winter damp and the chemical tang of leaking gasoline from the crushedSUVbeneath the shuttle.Dryleaves scraped across the pavement in thin, papery whispers.Somewherein the distance, a dog barked frantically.

But all of that faded to nothing the momentBurnsaw her.

Noelle—the woman he andBrightboth loved.

Her face was pale in the glow of the nearby streetlamp, tears glittering like glass on her cheeks.Thehuman male had his hand clamped around her throat, squeezing hard enough to leave bruises.Shemade a choked, desperate sound that ripped something vital inside ofBurn.

He barely registered the four rough-looking humans dragging a frail elderly female—Noelle’sgrandmother—across the porch.Thewoman’s thin cries floated on the cold air like broken glass.

Under normal circumstancesI’dbreak every bone in your bodies for daring to hurt a female like that,he thought savagely, muscles tensing.Butfirst he had to saveNoelle.

“Stay back!”the bastard holding her barked, swinging his head towardBurnandBrightas they advanced.“Stayback orI’llkill her!IswearIwill!”

You try it,Burnthought,Ragesimmering hot and red beneath his ribs.I’llrip your fucking heart out with my bare hands, you fucker!

“She’s not yours!She’sours!”Brightshouted.

Burn felt the wave of pure fury roll off his best friend.Ittook a lot to push theLightTwinintoRage, but he was definitely there.Bright’seyes were glowing red, pupils narrowed to slits, his chest heaving with berserker fury.

Burn felt it too—theRageroaring in his bloodstream, begging to be unleashed.

Not yet,he told himself fiercely.Controlit.Aim.Breathe.