Page 60 of Blood So Brutal

I gave in to that power, let it pull around my body, let it pulsate.

And then, I focused on my back, on the presence of wings, on magic.

I closed my eyes, not sure what to expect. Hells, what was growing wings supposed to feel like? But I could sense Wolf’s presence. I could feel him near, could identify his own power through his bond reacting to me, almost as if it was trying to help me.

“Huntress,” he said after a minute.

I opened my eyes. “What?”

He didn’t have to answer. His eyes went wide as he backed up a step.

It wasn’t until I saw the massive, leathery black wings flanking over both my shoulders that I realized what just happened.Wings.

I actually summoned my own vampyre wings.

“Holy shit,” I breathed before I laughed. “Holy shit!”

Wolf laughed too, genuine joy dripping over his features. “You’re fucking magnificent,” he breathed.

In that moment, I agreed with him. I could hardly believe it. There was a strange awareness I had in my back, but otherwise, they felt completely normal, like they were meant to be there all along, like I was meant to have these wings.

It felt fucking good.

“What does this mean?” I asked. “Does this mean I can fly?”

Wolf’s smile never faded. “Why don’t you test them out a few times before you go catapulting yourself off the building with Jessiah?”

“Noted,” I argued. “I guess you’ll have to get your wings back so you can teach me how to fly without getting all jealous.”

Wolf huffed a laugh, but then, his smile fell.

“What?” I asked. “There has to be a way to get them back, right? I mean, you could heal them, or, I don’t know, use your magic to?—”

“It’s not that easy,” he interrupted. His voice was still light, like he was trying to hide his true emotions from me. But even in the chaos of summoning my own wings, I could feel him. The real him. The him who felt disappointed as all hells that he couldn’t be the one teaching me to fly.

“Why not?”

“My wings weren’t cut off in normal circumstances. Sure, angels who lose their wings to injury or battle can visit a healer and try to regrow them. Magic helps, of course, but this…” He turned away from me.

“Don’t do that.” I gripped his bicep and forced him back. “Don’t hide from me.”

“I’m not hiding from you; I just don’t want any more of your pity.”

When he wouldn’t turn to face me, I stepped around to meet his gaze. “Pity?” I questioned. “You think Ipityyou, Wolf?”

His eyes searched mine, the dull lightning now flaring with emotion. He didn’t answer me, though; he just stood there with a set jaw.

“It is not pity I feel for you, Wolf. It’s—it’s?—”

“It’s what?”

“It’sguilt.” The words rushed out of me like they couldn’t stay inside any longer. “I feel guilt. I feel shame. I feel fucking hatred for you and myself and for all of this.”

He blinked but didn’t move. I stood there before him, chest heaving, throat burning.

“You feel guilty?” he questioned.

Yes.“Every fucking day.”

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