CHAPTER 22

T he tags were dated and named—probably pulled from stolen driver’s licenses. It made finding Gray easy, which I fucking needed considering every goddamn siren knew I’d killed one of their own. I had minutes at best.

As soon as I found him, I let myself inside. The simple room had a bed in it, which Gray was passed out on. He looked oddly peaceful despite the IV stuck in his arm—no doubt to keep him sedated. The faint pink glow to his skin was unnerving, but every expansion of his chest was a fucking relief.

“I’ve got you,” I whispered, not even sure he could hear me. I was as gentle as I could be when I took out the needle. How long would he be out? Hopefully not too long.

But I couldn’t stay. No matter how badly I wanted to. I didn’t need Gray unconscious in a corner when I got into it with whatever sirens showed up. Leaning down, I brushed my lips against his in a brief kiss and rested my forehead on his.

“I love you,” I said and willed him to hear the words wherever the hell he was in his dreams. I shut the door as I left and made sure the tag looked undisturbed. Didn’t need the sirens checking on him because of me.

I found Mal next. Somehow, my little brother managed to look derpy as fuck in his Star Wars shirt and flannel with drool on his beard. But he seemed good all things considered. I hadn’t seen him in over a decade, and he hadn’t changed. Kid probably never would.

Moving quickly, I unhooked his IV and left his room undisturbed. I found Jake in the same way and made fast work of unhooking him. I wasn’t the praying type, but fuck, I prayed with everything I had that the three of them woke up sooner rather than later. I couldn’t take out a den of sirens alone.

As I left Jake undisturbed, the energy in the air changed. It thickened and pushed against my skin. My breath stuttered in my chest, and my grip tightened on my knife. That was definitely not just one siren.

Dark hallway in one direction.

Sirens coming through the door at the other end.

It was a fucked up situation no matter what. At least I could funnel them and take out as many as possible. Could sirens fight? Or was I just about to start stabbing strippers?

God, this whole thing was fucked up.

The pink glow of their skin filled the hall in a pink glow. These ones… they were different. More monster and less human with razor teeth and ashy skin. Were those gills under their jaws? I couldn’t quite tell.

A shrill cry echoed around me. The energy that pulsed against my skin tripled in intensity, making my stomach roll. Even my well-practiced defenses had their limits.

The first siren rushed me and proved real fast that they knew how to fight.

Block.

Twist .

Hit.

Another hit.

When the opening came, I buried my knife to the hilt in the first siren’s heart. The screech it let out was all-consuming. It vibrated against my bones.

It didn’t stop anything. Another one replaced the other as its body crumpled to the ground.

It rushed me, I lashed out.

Block, hit, stab, repeat.

My heart pounded in my chest as a second body dropped to the floor with a violent scream. That sound. Fuck, it was grating. I felt how my defenses fractured—could feel the energy getting to me.

Fear.

Stress.

They seeped into my veins, sending adrenaline coursing through me.

I fought harder but sloppier.

One more fight, one more kill .

Block, hit, stab, repeat.

Progress was null and void. Every piercing scream with every death was a little slice of torture. It wrecked me more and more.

Each fight grew harder.

A hit to the stomach.

The face.

The ribs.

The blows left bruises I knew I’d feel for days if I survived. My muscles screamed for relief, and my heart damn near galloped in my chest.

Block, hit, stab—

Something thin and cold closed tight around my neck. My breath caught in my throat. I lost my knife while I tried to grapple the thin wire. The harder I struggled, the more it tightened.

A sharp blow to the back of my knee knocked me down.

I couldn’t get my footing .

One strong tug yanked me back.

My vision pulsed with dark shadows.

My chest burned.

Desperation settled in.

I wasn’t getting out.