69

"He's coming," Sienna muttered.

Her head periodically bumped into Adrian's shoulder as he sprinted, but every so often she got a flash of the sky.

And the dark shape above.

"He's coming," she repeated louder.

"I know," Adrian grumbled. "I know."

Sienna peered up into the cloudless sky as Adrian slowed, squinting at the harsh sunlight.

"Oh wait... he's go—"

She turned back to face Adrian and almost tripped over when she found Damien inches from her face. He hadn't made a sound as he'd descended from the sky.

A strangled cry escaped her throat.

'His face...'

It wasn't entirely human. Something dark—like black clouds or swirls of ink—swam just beneath the surface of his skin. He opened his jaw, made a cracking sound and smiled, his face becoming normal again.

His smile, so warm and kind, made her heart flutter. For the briefest moment, she was back at the park, sitting beside him on the bench as he fed the birds. It seemed like only yesterday.

Was this all really happening? Was it all just a dream?

As she stared into his crystal blue eyes, she wondered how she'd gotten into the middle of this field.

Then Adrian shoved her back. It took her a few skips and jumps to get hold of her balance and avoid falling into the dusty path. When she looked up, she realised Adrian wasn't trying to hurt her. He was defending her. Standing between herself and...

She shook her head.

It was hard to think, as though a thick, acrid cloud of smoke was dissolving her memories.

'Damien.'

"You don't have to do this," Adrian was saying, all the time shifting to keep himself a barrier between them.

When Damien chuckled his shoulders slumped.

"Please," Adrian whined. "Don't kill her."

"Aww." Damien tutted. "Don't tell me you've actually started to fall for her?"

Adrian ignored the question.

"We used to be friends," he continued to plead. "For me... please... don't hurt her."

"I'd save your pleas for yourself," Damien said. He paused and sniffed the air. "They are on their way here now, so I no longer need either of you alive. They missed the deadline after all. I'm well within my rights to enact the promise of your demise."

"I know you're going to kill me, and I understand why, but you don't have to kill her," Adrian argued. "She's nothing. A nobody. She won't ever be a threat to you, so why bother killing her?"

'He knows he's done for and he's still trying to save me,' Sienna thought. She couldn't quite believe this was the same guy who had used and humiliated her. Had it all been an act? 'Is he... is he a good guy deep down?'

Sienna sniffed. She wiped at her face and found tears but wasn't sure if she was crying about her impending death, Adrian's imminent demise, or the fact she wouldn't get to be with him in either case.

"I've been looking forward to killing her for so long," Damien commented in a casual tone as if discussing the weather. "It's a shame I'll have to make it quick."

"Oh come on!" Adrian cried. "You're an immortal, God-like being and you feel the need to take revenge on a high school girl because what? She was mean to you?"

Damien snarled and grabbed him by the throat.

"I've come across many foes in my time on this planet and let me tell you... high school cheerleaders are the worst. Werewolves, vampires, dinosaurs, ghouls and witches I can handle. But those bitches really get under my skin."

He threw Adrian to the ground and pressed his foot into the alpha's head.

"I don't know why I'm bothering to explain myself." He flicked his hair from his face and shrugged. "You know you're trash, right?"

His head snapped toward Sienna, and she nodded. She nodded with so much enthusiasm that her hair whipped her face, knowing that if she said one wrong word, Adrian's head would be crushed.

"I know... I'm trash," she agreed. "I'm definitely the worst."

"It'll hurt you to see him die right in front of your eyes," Damien smirked.

"Oh, please don't," Sienna cried. She fell to her knees. "Please. Please... I can't bear it... I can't..."

She closed her eyes, squeezing them as tight as if not seeing it could make it not happen.

A flash of light so bright it almost blinded her though her eyelids accompanied a high-pitched whistling sound.

It was so bright and loud that it distracted Damien from his homicidal urges.

'But what is it?' she wondered.

She couldn't see or hear. Everything was too bright and too loud.

When her eyes finally adjusted, she saw Scarlett standing with Riley and a man she did not recognise. Or was he a boy? He was glowing like molten iron, making him hard to focus on.

Scarlett turned toward her and smiled. A smile that looked brave and hopeful.

'Is this a rescue?' she dared to hope. 'Are we being rescued?'