across the room. The bloodthirsty creature spun and charged a window, obelisk hoisted up to use as a battering ram.
Serenity stopped biting the nail of her thumb as the ruckus coming from inside the house died down. The noises had sounded like gunfire and grenades exploding.
Krevitch paced back and forth in front of a Land Rover, wringing his hands.
Abbadon stood stiff, fixed on the house. An unflinching sentinel. She hovered behind her new guardian, wondering if Cyrus was okay. She needed to see him, to reconnect to the vibrant power of his energy, to breathe again.
A great boom erupted, drawing her attention to the house. The metal shutter on the first floor directly across from the driveway rattled. Another thunderous bang sliced through the outdoor silence. She backed up into the fender of the SUV, gaze glued to the clattering sheet of slate-gray metal.
Abbadon unzipped his jacket slowly, as if time were not a factor. He rolled the navy garment off his shoulders with dignified grace. Leather braces covered his forearms. Two slits in his tank top, running the length of his spine, caught in the wind and flapped.
His complexion darkened, midnight blue pooling into his skin. Mighty wings burst from his back, casting a gust of wind her way as they swept out.
Her heart lurched into her throat. She stumbled to the side of the vehicle, gaping in shock.
Krevitch jumped into the car and locked the doors.
Lowering his wings, Abbadon turned his head, glancing in her direction over his shoulder. He was the dark angel from her nightmares who had cared for her and sought with tender vigilance to protect and guide her through the darkness. In every dreamscape, he was as real as the spectacular warrior in front of her, fearsome and glorious to behold.
“Stay low behind the car,” Abbadon ordered.
She crouched down as instructed. He pulled knives from the back of his holster, specially designed from the way the leather straps were cut wide to give room for his wings and hung low to his waist.
The metal shutter buckled under the force of pounding from the other side. Abbadon bent his knees slightly, blades pointed at the ready. The gray sheet of metal flew across the driveway.
A roaring blue monster barreled out—fangs, claws for hands and eyes a seething swirl of vermillion. One scaly wing flapped uncontrollably.
Scooting away, Serenity lost her footing and slipped. She scrambled back on her butt, her nails scraping the concrete, until her spine pressed against a hubcap.
Abbadon bolted toward the monster and took it to the ground in a rough holding move, knives lodged in its sides. He sat up and blades ejected from the braces on his forearms. He drove them into the creature’s ribs.
The crazed beast swiped at him, but he jerked back. With a brutal kick, the animal sent Abbadon hurling into the air and sprang to its feet.
Abbadon collided with a tree. The force of his body knocked the trunk down. He lay sprawled on the ground, wings crumpled under him. A cascade of sapphire feathers blew in the wind.
Bile flooded her mouth. Her pool of energy bubbled. Tightness seized her throat and she gasped to take in air.
The monster homed in on her. Foaming at the mouth, it crouched low.
Her body quaked and her guts twisted into knots. She grabbed the car handle, jumping to her feet.
The door was locked. Energy swelled and churning waves swirled inside of her torso.
“Let me in!” She banged on the window. “Open the door!”
Krevitch had his head tucked between his knees, hands over his ears.
She tugged the door handle and slapped the window. Krevitch remained immovable.
Yowling, the deranged beast charged on all floors. A grotesque, one-winged, hairless gorilla spewing rage. Inhuman speed powered its body—unearthly quickness.
Raspy breaths escaped her mouth as she stumbled backward.
Cyrus jumped from the shattered window, whip in hand, but he was so far away. Abbadon wobbled to his knees.
Blazing blood
Serenity stopped biting the nail of her thumb as the ruckus coming from inside the house died down. The noises had sounded like gunfire and grenades exploding.
Krevitch paced back and forth in front of a Land Rover, wringing his hands.
Abbadon stood stiff, fixed on the house. An unflinching sentinel. She hovered behind her new guardian, wondering if Cyrus was okay. She needed to see him, to reconnect to the vibrant power of his energy, to breathe again.
A great boom erupted, drawing her attention to the house. The metal shutter on the first floor directly across from the driveway rattled. Another thunderous bang sliced through the outdoor silence. She backed up into the fender of the SUV, gaze glued to the clattering sheet of slate-gray metal.
Abbadon unzipped his jacket slowly, as if time were not a factor. He rolled the navy garment off his shoulders with dignified grace. Leather braces covered his forearms. Two slits in his tank top, running the length of his spine, caught in the wind and flapped.
His complexion darkened, midnight blue pooling into his skin. Mighty wings burst from his back, casting a gust of wind her way as they swept out.
Her heart lurched into her throat. She stumbled to the side of the vehicle, gaping in shock.
Krevitch jumped into the car and locked the doors.
Lowering his wings, Abbadon turned his head, glancing in her direction over his shoulder. He was the dark angel from her nightmares who had cared for her and sought with tender vigilance to protect and guide her through the darkness. In every dreamscape, he was as real as the spectacular warrior in front of her, fearsome and glorious to behold.
“Stay low behind the car,” Abbadon ordered.
She crouched down as instructed. He pulled knives from the back of his holster, specially designed from the way the leather straps were cut wide to give room for his wings and hung low to his waist.
The metal shutter buckled under the force of pounding from the other side. Abbadon bent his knees slightly, blades pointed at the ready. The gray sheet of metal flew across the driveway.
A roaring blue monster barreled out—fangs, claws for hands and eyes a seething swirl of vermillion. One scaly wing flapped uncontrollably.
Scooting away, Serenity lost her footing and slipped. She scrambled back on her butt, her nails scraping the concrete, until her spine pressed against a hubcap.
Abbadon bolted toward the monster and took it to the ground in a rough holding move, knives lodged in its sides. He sat up and blades ejected from the braces on his forearms. He drove them into the creature’s ribs.
The crazed beast swiped at him, but he jerked back. With a brutal kick, the animal sent Abbadon hurling into the air and sprang to its feet.
Abbadon collided with a tree. The force of his body knocked the trunk down. He lay sprawled on the ground, wings crumpled under him. A cascade of sapphire feathers blew in the wind.
Bile flooded her mouth. Her pool of energy bubbled. Tightness seized her throat and she gasped to take in air.
The monster homed in on her. Foaming at the mouth, it crouched low.
Her body quaked and her guts twisted into knots. She grabbed the car handle, jumping to her feet.
The door was locked. Energy swelled and churning waves swirled inside of her torso.
“Let me in!” She banged on the window. “Open the door!”
Krevitch had his head tucked between his knees, hands over his ears.
She tugged the door handle and slapped the window. Krevitch remained immovable.
Yowling, the deranged beast charged on all floors. A grotesque, one-winged, hairless gorilla spewing rage. Inhuman speed powered its body—unearthly quickness.
Raspy breaths escaped her mouth as she stumbled backward.
Cyrus jumped from the shattered window, whip in hand, but he was so far away. Abbadon wobbled to his knees.
Blazing blood
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