Page 67 of Underworld
“I don’t believe it,” he murmured.
In my arms, Dante shuddered.
Hendrik crossed his arms as if waiting for Dante to retaliate.
I turned toward the Hunter as he eased back and lifted his head, terrified of what I might see.
The red in his eyes drained away as he held my gaze. “Lily…”
He touched my cheek, fingers gentle as he stroked my skin. A shudder wracked him and he lowered his head to my shoulder, dragging air in before looking up at me again. “He’s gone.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, afraid to hope for anything but more bitterness. I closed my hand around his wrist. Under my fingers, I felt the ridge of the scar—a reminder of another time when he’d torn himself open for me.
His fiery orange eyes burned into mine as he reached out and pulled me into a kiss. There was the sharp taste of blood on his lips, a remnant of the fight between him and Hendrik.
He tasted sweet.
He tasted like my Virtue.
With a greedy moan, I sank into his arms. With my free hand, I reached out, acutely aware of Hendrik and Kaito standing watch over us and burning with a heated need of their own.
No one ventured to this area of the street, not after the amount of power we’d unleashed.
We were alone.
And Cole had been driven out, the demonic cries in the distance fading as he retreated.
Hendrik’s hand closed around mine and he sank down to his knees beside us. “I think you actually did it, pet.”
Instinctively, I spread my wings wider so he could move closer, then curved them in as Hendrik lowered his head to my neck as Dante yanked my head back, his touch going hard and demanding.
Kaito joined us, his touch on me reverent.
Somehow, I’d severed the hold Cole had on Dante.
I’d done it.
Which paved the way for the next adventure Calamity had in store for me.
The sky parted and cracked as pure, golden light poured down. A reminiscent floral scent tinged my nose and I gasped, not believing it.
“What is that?” Dante asked, his gaze locking on the broken sky.
Kaito stood, a grin cresting his face. “That… is our secret weapon.”
Chapter 19
The beam of light continued to pour down from the skies as we slowly rose to our feet.
That floral scent overwhelmed me, making me dizzy.
I’d sensed this before… in Purgatory.
Electricity built in the air and my chest tightened, the tension weighing down on me becoming more oppressive with every passing second.
My Virtues, they felt it too. Dante, Kaito, and Hendrik surrounded me like a protective circle, while Orion and Logan brushed their minds against mine, seeking me out.
Logan remained in his den, whereas Orion had been fighting off Demonspawn on the other side of the campus. They wouldn’t be able to get to me in time, but I pushed back my assurance that I was okay.
