Blood Flows Deep in the Empire (20 page)

He gritted his teeth and pushed her against the side of a building. His fists slammed into the brick behind her, and he leaned down, looking her in the eye. She didn’t even flinch.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

He tilted his head but held her stare. “You’re fucking glowing.”

Ismini glared up at him like some tiny hellion ready to attack, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Even in the dark, he was able to see the way her eyes flashed and her skin flushed.

He meant to interrogate her. Meant to find out what the fuck was going on and where the hell had her powers come from.

But she made his fucking mouth water, and he needed a taste.

Dyletri’s touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers. Ismini’s wide eyes flickered to his hand before settling on his lips.

He growled, all questions going straight to hell and him along with them.

Taking her jaw in hand, he pulled her to him and nearly swallowed her lips with his mouth. Power erupted along with her taste. He was out of control, plundering her with his tongue and tracing every inch he could get at.

He pressed her further into the wall behind them. Her arms came around him, and her fingers raked through his hair. She pulled him toward her with enough force to actually cause him some discomfort.

He fucking loved it.

Their tongues swirled, the motion sparking memories of what he’d done to her back in his room. He let his fingers drift down, seconds away from ripping off every inch of their clothes and taking her right there.

Until Cy’s voice echoed into the alley.

“Yo! Dy! I don’t need to look in there to see what you’re doing, and that’s good and all. I’m happy for you, bro, but one of these fuckers has disappeared!”

Dyletri swore under his heaving breath.

“That asshole has amazing timing.”

Ismini nodded, unable to speak.

Dyletri smirked and bared his teeth. “Where’d you get the guns from, baby?”

She blinked up at him, looking unsteady. “Nylicia.”

He nuzzled her cheek, rubbing his thumb over her hip bone. “And the powers?”

Her breath faltered. “N—Nylicia.”

“Dy!”

“I’m fucking coming!” Dyletri yelled.

“Oh, Be-Jesus, he’s still going at it!”

Dyletri exhaled and forced himself to take a step away from her. “And the powers are supposed to last how long?”

Her voice was shaky. “Until she decides.”

“Good. Either way, stay behind me. Got it?” He didn’t bother telling her why. They both knew he didn’t want anything happening to her.

He scrutinized her for a moment, his throat tight. “Make sure you keep that gun handy.”

“She called it a
teret.
Said they’re more like moleculular destabilizers than guns.”

Fuck. Great. “On that note, perhaps you should give it back to me.”

“No way.”

“Dy!”

Fucking impatient asshole.

Two steps out of the alley, Ismini put her hand on his shoulder.

“My place is around here.”

He stiffened. “I know.”

They both spun around just as the remaining
ceFtut
let out a shriek. Dyletri shoved Ismini behind him, shielding her while trying to see where the sound was coming from.

The
ceFtut
didn’t stop. Its huge steps could be heard running down the block. Xreak came bounding past Dyletri and Ismini in pursuit, pushing a wave of energy out and extending the
Gnetica.
It appeared he was headed straight for the corner where the restaurant was.

It was clear the creature was running back
in their direction, bounding down the street toward them. Although it was three in the morning, there were still enough people around for it to cause a problem if anyone happened to see it.

Dyletri grabbed Ismini’s hand and took off after Xreak, determined to help him. The others began running toward the corner, as well, but slid to an abrupt halt when the
ceFtut
crashed into view again. Surprise was clear on everyone’s faces as its giant body skidded across the street, a whimper escaping it.

Someone had attempted an evisceration on the creature, leaving what appeared to be two arrows sticking out of its eyes.

It fell on its side, legs kicking as it scrambled to get back up. They exchanged a curious look. Ianthen shrugged, taking two steps forward to shoot the thing into oblivion when a voice drifted down the sidewalk.

“Take that, you trespassing mutant freak! How you liking those bewitched arrows? That ass of a face is burning now, isn’t it fucker? How dare you come into my backyard? You want a piece of me, you fugly excuse for a mutt?”

“Holy shit,” Ismini and Evesse said at the same time.

Another arrow came out of nowhere and embedded itself in the struggling creature’s left eye. It now had two sticking out of there.

“Yeah. That’s right, motherfucker!” And another arrow flew straight into its right eye.

The
ceFtut
stayed on the ground, breaths heaving and legs failing. It obviously couldn’t see, and it was clearly in more pain than those arrows should have been able to cause on their own.

A redhead with a crossbow in her hands emerged and crossed the street. She was wearing a tank top, pajama pants, and fluffy gray slippers. She was also rocking one hell of an aura. Midnight blue, bright white, and burgundy screamed around her.

Dyletri recognized two things. One, that was Soleria, Ismini and Evesse’s close friend. And two, that aura of hers was as abnormal as those of the other two human girls in their company. He knew it meant she was different, but he couldn’t pinpoint how.

“Oh, holy shit is right,” Ian mumbled under his breath, his eyes wide as he lowered his
teret.

“I fucking love you, Sol!” Evesse screamed.

Soleria stopped, her crossbow lowering. Her baby blue eyes were wide as she peered around. She spotted Evesse first, then Ismini. As she took a look at the rest of the group, one thing became very clear.

She was standing
outside
the edge of the
Gnetica.
And she could still see them.

“It’s not working on her,” Cy whispered under his breath.

“
Pfftt.
Soleria?” Evesse said. “She’s had ten expert hypnotherapists fail to get through her will. Good luck with that, guys.” She walked toward Soleria, aimed the
teret
at the
ceFtut
, and blew it into nothingness, before smiling at her friend.

“Oh, man. I want one of those,” Soleria said with wide eyes. Then she seemed to snap out of it and glared at Evesse and Ismini. “What the fuck is going on here? Where have you two been? Who are all these people? What the fruck was that thing? And
why
is this womanizer coming toward me right now?”

She raised her arm and aimed the crossbow at Ian.

“Fuck me. How could she tell?” Nythi asked, her eyes amused at her brother’s expense.

“She can smell them miles away,” Ismini said, smiling. She let go of Dyletri’s hand and walked toward her two friends, leaving him there feeling too cold, too empty—and eyes that were glued to the way her ass moved when she walked.

His body was freezing. Empty. The hunger pounded its way past his soul.

Dyletri barely noticed when Xreak approached him and began speaking low near his ear. “We need to get back. I managed to get the
Kystm
closed but we have to investigate.”

“Investigate what? Where the fruck are you going? Where the fruck have you been? Don’t you dare think you’re leaving me behind!” Soleria said, her long, dark red hair flapping wildly around her shoulders.

Ismini and Evesse laughed.

Ian swallowed, seeming unable to pull his eyes away.

Cy raised a brow. “She really does like the word
fruck
, doesn’t she?”

Soleria turned to Cy, giving him the type of stare that sent chills through any male and hit him in the ass. “Yeah, I do. And don’t think I won’t beat the fruck out of you if you even think of taking my best friends with you and leaving me behind!”

Soleria was pulled in for a hug, Ismini and Evesse still laughing as they held her tight. The sound of Ismini’s laughter drilled through Dyletri. The sight of her smile made something under his armor snap. Had he been human, he would have worried about his ribs.

“We can’t take another one with us . . . although, damn, maybe we should,” Cy said. He got smacked in the back of the head. “Ian! Dude, not you, too! What’s with all this ‘first dibs’ bullshit?”

“Let’s just bring her. The girl is going to be . . . gone in a few days,” Sil whispered to the others. “She could use her friends. And they’re pretty kickass . . .”

“I don’t know. You see how strong that one’s will is,” Xreak said. “A mind-wipe probably won’t work on her.”

“And you think it’ll work on Eve?” Liz asked, her tone sarcastic.

“You’re right. But still . . .”

Dyletri could already see that Xreak was going to lose that argument. He wanted him to. Regardless of what the problem would be, Dyletri wanted Ismini to have her only friends with her. She seemed so happy talking with Evesse and Soleria.

It was undeniable. Dyletri
needed
her to be happy during her last days.

Her
last
days.

Those words made him nauseous for the first time in his existence. Dyletri had never felt it before, but there was no mistaking the turning of his stomach. The need to heave and purge until nothing was left. The world was being disfigured before his eyes, the colors pounding like they did back in his room.

The others exchanged worried looks as Dyletri forced himself to take a step back. Then another. He needed to get out of there. He needed to make sure he didn’t go back to Enzyria. Ismini would be there. She threatened everything. He knew she’d probably have her way and her two friends would be coming back.

He definitely couldn’t go back. He knew, just knew . . .

He wanted to deny it. He wanted to find any excuse that would lead to a different conclusion than the one he’d made. Because he knew of only one condition that featured all of his symptoms, however rare.

And he was damned sure that was exactly what plagued him.

Shit.

There were only four days left. Four. Surely he could last that long before he did something stupid and condemned both Dimithinia’s soul and the Universe as a whole.

But you’ll be condemning Ismini to death instead. And if you’re right, you’re going to die with her.

The thought of Ismini dying almost bent his ass over and had him spewing his soul out right there. The thought of him dying with her? Well . . . a world without her in it suddenly made being suicidal more than okay, didn’t it?

Besides, it was too damned late. The sacrifice was already arranged. The Fates were expecting a soul, and they wouldn’t back out now. If the vortex opened and Ismini wasn’t fed into it, the Fates would unleash their revenge. If that meant he would die, he would gladly do so.

Dyletri forced himself to break apart his molecules and shot straight out of the dimension. He had no idea where the hell he was going to go, but he knew damned well that no matter how much he ran, he wouldn’t be able to escape his thoughts or the reality of what was happening to him.

More than ever, he was truly doubting his decision all those years ago and wondering what the fuck he was going to do.

Because the truth was, his days were numbered.

Chapter 18

“I only came back to grab a few things.”

“And then you’re running away again. Is that it?” Zen asked, his frame blocking Dyletri’s doorway.

“What am I supposed to do?” Dyletri asked, dropping his duffel bag onto the bed with more force than necessary.

“Admit you have feelings for the girl, for one.”

Dyletri laughed, the sound full of self-loathing. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s too late for that. I think the entire Universe is aware of that. It’s also too late to do anything about it, even if I wanted to.”