Angel Blood

46- Sacrifices

The hollow words tumble past my swollen lips, despair so deep and endless it feels like an ocean welling inside of me.

Just as quickly, Sin snarls at the boys. It's so animalistic that a shudder itches under my skin. He braces himself and tugs at the chain over his wrists so sharply that they snap under his rediscovered strength with ease.

He moves so quickly I don't even have time to worry about my modesty. My oversized sweater is long enough to cover my important parts but I don't worry about holding it down as I lurch after him.

"Run," I pant, panicked frustration filling my chest as they instead straighten themselves with twin stoic expressions. Theo reaches for the gun at his waist and my stomach tumbles at the sight.

"Don't shoot him," I blurt, even though I know it's selfish and stupid. They need to protect themselves. But I can't let them take him away again...not after I only just got him back. "Please."

Theo's face is grim. He glances at me and the distraction gives Sinclair just enough time to jump on top of him, knocking the weapon from his hand.

"Fuck," Sam rasps, his hand shakily smoothing at the pistol at his belt. Like he knows what needs to be done, but just like me, can't do it.

Sinclair's hand is wrapped around Theo's neck. His eyes are too wide, a chilling smile pulling over his lips as he raises his grip on Theo's head and slams it into the concrete floor with a loud crunch.

Theo scrapes at his fingers around his nape, face purple. I can see the blood already smudging the concrete, red matting his chestnut hair.

I jump forward, toppling onto Sin's back. I wrap my arms around his neck, squeezing as tightly as I can.

It hardly fazes him. He doesn't even bat an eye as I try to yank him away from Theo. I don't have any weapons—even my strength isn't enough against him, so I do the only other thing I can think of: I lean forward and bite his bare shoulder so hard the heavy tang of copper fills my mouth.

He snarls again beneath me, although I'm sure it's more from annoyance than pain. He releases Theo long enough to grab me by the hair and yank me forward so that I topple next to Theo's frail body.

Theo wheezes next to me, his eyelids fluttering as he fights to remain conscious.

Sin makes a warbled grunting sound in the back of his throat, his eyes drawn together as he studies how my body sprawls out in front of him.

My ears ring with the impact of my head on the ground, scalp stinging where I'm sure he tore out a chunk of hair. The panicked sound of my quick breathing sounds hollow in my ears.

He slowly leans over me and I squeeze my eyes shut. This is the end. My Sinclair is lost forever, but I know deep down that I would rather go out by his hand than watch him die again.

But instead, his hands scoop under me and he cradles my body to his chest. He nuzzles his face into mine before burying it in my neck, breathing in my scent deeply.

I meet Sam's eyes over his shoulder, his filled with the same disbelief that I'm sure mirrors mine.

"That's...progress," he murmurs. "You got through to him somehow, even if it's just a little."

I raise a shaky hand to his hair, stroking my fingers through it. He makes a pleased sound in his throat, leaning into my touch.

Is he trying to apologize to me? Better yet...if he didn't mean to hurt me, does he know who I am?

My palm nudges his jaw, tugging his face up to meet mine. His stormy eyes shine with something akin to regret.

"Do you remember me?" I whisper hoarsely.