Chapter 12
Chapter twelve
Fall.
The wind tore at him, drowning out Nikhiv’s agonized shout above him.
Just breathe.
And fall.
His breathing slowed as he let go of his panic. He wasn’t Dominic; he wasn’t anything. There was nothing but wind, and air resistance.
He couldn’t float this time. He couldn’t drift. For once, it was time to plummet. He let himself fade further into nothing, his physical body unraveling into a streaking trail of smoke above him.
Unraveling. Shedding wind resistance and accelerating, until the roar of the wind in his ears grew deafening. Until he fell just the tiniest bit faster as the earth rushed toward him.
Plummeting.
Not quite fast. Only enough. Just barely enough.
Enough
to
touch
…her.
His fingers brushed the tip of her boot, and they both vanished into smoke.
It wasn’t one of the graceful somersaulting finishes of his adolescence. Not even close. It was a desperate roll inward toward the building that ended in an undignified, painful crash through a set of french doors.
He hugged Mira, trying to shield her from the worst of it as they tumbled across the carpet and collided into the wall.
The impact forced a cry out of her. Dominic pushed himself to his knees above her, willing his body solid once more. He checked her body, his trembling hands roving over her as he searched for injuries.
The beginnings of a bruise marred her hairline. A small, jagged cut oozed from a tear in the sleeve of her hoodie.
But, she was whole. Beautifully whole. Relief flooded him. He ground his teeth, fighting for control as his eyes stung.
Mira’s hand rose, and he froze. When he finally dragged his gaze to her face, she was marveling over the tendrils of smoke curling around her hand.
He was still not quite fully solidified. His body had always been slow to recover after diving; his smoke would continue to drift until he’d mentally grounded himself.
It ebbed and flowed around Mira, seeking her out in the subconscious path of his need.
“Your eyes.”
At her whisper, Dominic blinked rapidly, and realized his contacts had been lost. He looked up at the mirrored ceiling of the private dining room. His glowing silver eyes stared back at him.
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to master his emotions enough for their glow to fade. Yet when he opened them once more, Mira was still staring at them in wonder.
Shouts and pounding footsteps drew close. Dominic awkwardly climbed off Mira, and stood. He extended his hand to help her to her feet.
Mira blinked at his hand in shock before she accepted it, and let him pull her upright. She stared at their clasps hands, then searched his face.
Dominic allowed himself another second to touch her, then quickly let go.
Nikhiv burst into the room in a cloud of red smoke, his chest heaving. He studied Dominic from head to toe before shaking his head. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Dominic cleared his throat, finally finding his voice. He reconsidered the floor-length windows. “Here’s hoping you were the only one.”
“Half the restaurant saw that shit,” Bastian snarled when he stormed in with Carter. His eyes openly glowed lavender above his tear-streaked cheeks, and he looked slightly gray, as if he’d been sick.
A justifiable response, if he’d just seen his friend fall from a building.
Carter gave Dominic a brief nod of respect before he looked at Mira. “There’s someone out front claiming he knows you. Tall and lanky. About twenty years old.”
“That’s Max. Let him in.” She hesitated, glancing at Bastian and Nikhiv as though recalling her group had staged a small siege outside. “Can he… come in?”
Bastian glared at Dominic. “Of course, he can. If you have any other friends out there, message them. They can shelter in here, and ride out the worst of it.”
Dominic went over to the shattered doors. The din below had increased dramatically as groups of protestors shoved against the riot shields blocking their way. Further down, it’d boiled over into open fighting between the police and another cluster of DFC.
“Wow.” Mira had joined him at the window, her face blank with shock. “Okay, then.” She pulled out her phone. The screen was cracked, but it still unlocked and allowed her to start a new text message.
“Mira? Are they holding you here?” Max jogged into the dining room with an unamused security guard trailing him.
“Whoa.” He skidded to a halt at the sight of Dominic and Bastian’s glowing eyes. “Holy fuck. What the shit.”
“It’s okay,” Mira told him. She quickly sent off another message. “Aubrey’s already on her way. She’s looking for Jackson.”
Max jerked like he’d been struck by a heavy object from behind. He gurgled, and his eyes widened as his body went stiff.
“What’s wrong?” Mira demanded.
His mouth worked. Blood trickled from his mouth before his gaze dulled, and he collapsed in the stunned silence.
Cooper materialized behind him. He studied his hand, then glanced at Mira. “Now, I also know what it feels like.”
“Air,” Nikhiv bellowed.
Dominic shifted Mira to the other side of the room in a burst of smoke as the two human security guards drew their guns.
Carter hurled a ball of blue smoke. Cooper slapped it away. The guards fired, and he only spared them a disparaging smirk as the bullets passed harmlessly through him, and shattered two windows.
Then, he was gone.
Carter knelt at Max’s side and pressed his hand to Max’s neck. He glanced up at Dominic, and shook his head.
Dominic caught Mira when she sagged. She drew a shuddering breath that emerged in a bloodcurdling scream.
The sound sliced through Dominic. He closed his eyes and dropped to his knees, cradling Mira against him as she continued to scream.