Page 66 of Wolves Always Bite

Everythingwent black.

ChapterTwenty

ADRIAN

Iwas already running towardJeremy, screaming his name, when light blinded me.Theexplosive noise hit me next.Istaggered and fell to my knees.

Icouldn’t hear anything over the ringing in my ears, but blurry figures were running and gesturing wildly.Ididn’t care what they were doing;Ionly cared aboutJeremy.Iblinked, trying to clear my sight.Everythingwas fuzzy for one long agonizing moment.Jeremycame into focus again just as his eyes rolled back in his head and his legs gave way.Ileapt toward him, butIwas too slow to catch him before he collapsed on the hard concrete.

Whateverhad exploded from him was still there.Hiswhole body glowed and there was a strange, brilliantly white stream of light like a thick magical cord connecting him to something inBabette’soffice.Theribbon of light pulsed and undulated, making the air sizzle and my nose twitch.

“Wait,”Isaacshouted at me asIreached forJeremy. “Don’ttouch him.”

IignoredIsaac;Ineeded to touch my…Jeremy.Ididn’t care what that light would do to me.Ifwe were all going to die from the goblin’s bomb,Iwanted it to be withJeremyin my arms.Ididn’t care about anything else.Ijust needed him.

“Jeremy.”Igathered him into my arms.Themagical light streamed around me like a warm breeze. “Wakeup.Please.”

Jeremy’shead lolled back.Hiseyes didn’t open.Hisface was deathly pale, making his freckles stand out in stark contrast.Hisbody was limp.Wasit fromBabette’sbioweapon?Ifit was, why weren’t the rest of us going through the same thing?Wasit because he was a human?

Ishouted his name louder.Nothingchanged.Istrained to hear his heartbeats, which wouldn’t normally be a problem, but my ears were still buzzing from the loud boom that’d detonated through the air at the same time as this unfamiliar magic.Iwas healing, but too slowly.IfBabette’sbomb malfunctioned andJeremywas the only one impacted,Ineeded to be in top form to help him.

Someone—Ithought it might beNelson—shouted from somewhere in the direction of the office.

“Statusupdate,”Gagedemanded.

“WhateverJeremy’sdoing,”Nelsonsaid, “it’s stopping the bioweapon.Thebomb detonated, but none of the contaminants have hit the air.Hismagic is…”

“Jeremydoesn’t have magic.”Itore my eyes away fromJeremyto look atNelson.

Theshadow jumper stood in the doorway and stared atJeremy.Heshook his head and pushed his hands through his hair. “Idon’t know.Ithink he does.It’sabsorbing the bomb or containing it or…”

Washe really sayingJeremyhad magic?

No.

Thatdidn’t make sense.

Except…Whatelse explained all this?

Whenhad he gotten magic?

ThenIremembered the shimmering sparklesI’dseen when we’d made love.Hadthat been coming from him?I’dwondered at the time, but…

IsqueezedJeremytighter as the magic kept flowing, apparently neutralizingBabette’sweapon.Hewas sacrificing himself…Mybrain stuttered over that word…Sacrifice.That’swhat he was doing.

No.Irejected the idea.Hecouldn’t.Babettehad said it would kill us.

Butwhat else explained all this?

Iwheezed as crippling pain stabbed through my chest.Icouldn’t catch my breath.Myarms and legs shook,Iwas feeling so weak and uncoordinated.Jeremycouldn’t sacrifice himself for us.Forme.Hejust couldn’t.

HowcouldIlive with myself if he died?Iturned him away from the office, putting my body between him and the bomb, hoping that would sever the unnatural connection between them.

“Ican’t lose you.”Panicmade my voice break. “Ionly just found you.You’vegot to fucking stop this.”

Butthe magic wasn’t stopping, and he wasn’t waking up.

Ihauled him up in my arms and ran for the door, praying distance would break the magical tether betweenJeremyand the bomb.Insteadof snapping likeI’dhoped, the light clung to him like a long ribbon, lengthening and growing with every stepItook.