Changeling (Book 1) Rated R

Chapter 26

I glanced down at Elizabeth without remorse.

Her aura slowly dimmed, lifting off her body like a mist where it rushed back into me, its rightful owner.

I stumbled back, the force knocking the air right out of me.

Suddenly I felt stronger, invigorated as if I could take on a hoard of soul suckers all at once.

Power buzzed in my fingertips, as if electricity coursed through me.

"Man." Brandon huffed as he shot me a sidelong glance. "I wish I was a hybrid."

"Let's trade." I muttered breathlessly.

"You're healing on your own."

"Give me a minute. I've got you. I'll heal you too, I just—"

Christian approached, one of his arms limp at his side where one arrow had pierced his shoulder. His wings were still spread out, one bleeding.

I narrowed my eyes at him though it wasn't the time to go off on him.

Not yet.

"Here, I'll help you down." I told Brandon.

Brandon slumped down against the grey stone, groaning in pain.

"What're we going to do about the bodies?" I asked.

"We leave them."

My jaw clenched.

Now that I wasn't in the midst of dying, I realized how furious I was at Christian. Not only had he lied to me, time and time again but now I didn't even feel safe around him.

Sure, he'd swept out of the sky to help me but it had probably all been so he could continue his mission of delivering me to this King who wanted me dead.

"The sun's coming up soon." He said through gritted teeth while he peeled his shirt away from his body. "The sun will erase all evidence of them. We'll burn the place down and make it look like an accident."

I glanced to the horizon, beyond the plains of rolling fields of grass and vines and saw that he was right.

The sky was beginning to change into orange and pink hues, lighting at the edges as the sun tried to peek past the horizon.

Smoke towers reached for the early morning sky.

***

I stood by the chapel, trying to gather my bearings.

Brandon and Christian had set fire to the mansion and now flames engulfed it, the burning wood making harsh cracking sounds of protest.

If I breathed through my nose, I could even smell the faint scent of burning flesh.

I gripped my stomach and turned away, toward the car resting at the top of the hill. It was a sleek, black rental car, one that Christian and Brandon had arrived in.

I could hear them both coming up the hill toward the chapel now.

My back stiffened.

Self-preservation kicked in but I tried my best not to show them any fear.

For a fraction of a second, I wished I had wings like them. Wished I could simply take off, far away from Christian, Brandon and their King who wanted me dead.

Not a single soul could be seen from the Verlac vineyard, not a single person around to convince me that I wasn't living in a nightmare.

A small coo had me swinging around to face the guys.