Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Izzy
I scream for Van to stop, afraid of what he’s going to do, afraid of the burden he’ll carry with him for the rest of his life.
But at the last second, the arc of his swing changes. His powerful shoulders and biceps ripple as he slams the sword into the painting.
The image of the goddess inside screams as the blade plunges into the painting. When he draws it out, the painting is nothing but paper hanging in tatters from a wooden frame.
“They can never use it to hurt us,” he says, his chest heaving with the effort. “I’m not going to let them take you away from us, Izzy.”
He swipes his hand through his hair, the sword still gripped low in one hand, and I stumble into his arms. He closes an arm around me tightly, hugging my waist.
“I can’t believe you actually listened to me,” I murmur, and my laugh comes out a little shaky. I’m still full of adrenaline. “I didn’t think you listened to anyone.”
“Yeah, let’s keep this between us. Don’t ruin my reputation.” His words are as lazy as ever, but his eyes are bright on mine. He flutters his hand at the vampires, as much as he can while he still grips his sword. “Get out of here.”
The vampires get up, slipping on their own blood, and limp away.
“We should get out of here too,” I tell him.
He nods, agreeing with me, but neither of us make a move to leave.
“I always listen to you, Iz,” he says softly. “I know sometimes I might act like I don’t give a damn, but when it comes to you, I…”
He trails off, pulling a rueful voice like words fail him.
So I bob up onto my tiptoes and brush my lips across his.
When Van kisses me back, his fingers wrap around my hip, his grip firm and possessive. His lips sear mine as our bodies sway together.
That kiss says everything he hasn’t.
“Let’s go,” Aiden says, breaking into the moment.
He looks at the trail of destruction we’ve left behind us: the broken suit of armor, the destroyed painting, and the blood everywhere.
Somewhere off in the distance, the guard is yelling obscenities at the imaginary raccoons.
We’ve officially broken the night watchman.
“It’s going to be a goddamn miracle if we don’t get expelled from this reform school. ”
“I don’t think that’s an option, Aiden,” I say. I loop my hand over Van’s arm as he sheaths his sword, and hold my free hand out to Aiden. “But I don’t know that our vampire friends are going to brag. Maybe...maybe it’ll be okay.”
He gives me a smile I can’t read, but comes closer, slipping his hammer back into place on his back, where it disappears. He gives me the crook of his arm too.
My four men and I slip out of the library and into the night.
I want to grieve the loss of the painting and the promise it held, but right now, I’m overwhelmed with relief.
I led these guys who will follow me anywhere, apparently, into danger because I wanted so badly to find my sister. But we all made it out alive. Together.
And we didn’t let the gods destroy who we are. Not today.