Page 46 of Knight’s Salvation

In that moment fear and rage so fierce it felt like her blood was boiling in her veins took that pressure in her chest to a whole new level, but this time it didn’t stop. It smashed through. It spread out and flew down her arms. The release was so hard and fast she shook violently from it, enough the demon lost his grip.

Her hair whipped around her face, scalding wind stinging her eyes. Instinct told her to put her hand on him. She needed to release what was about to shoot from her fingers, and she wanted to give it to the asshole trying to ruin everything.

So instead of pushing him away, she gripped him tight, dug her nails in deep, and let all the wild energy and heat that had built inside her free. The demon’s mouth fell open and his hold on her fell away. He stumbled back and collapsed to the ground, nearly taking her with him. The smell of burning flesh surrounded her a second later.

She was staring down at the demon’s lifeless body when Zenon, closely followed by Rocco, literally fell from the sky. The sound of their boots making contact with the pavement echoed off the surrounding buildings like a thunderclap.

The two remaining demons closed in, moving in front of her. They were bleeding and battered but were still able to stay upright. Her savior in the long coat was nowhere to be seen. He’d vanished into thin air. She hoped he was okay.

Rage contorted Zenon’s face, the brand on his cheek making his features twist until he was almost unrecognizable. He did not look at her, his stare locked on the demons in front of him blocking her escape. “You all right, Mia?” he said, his voice reverberating oddly, like he wasn’t the only one talking.

“Y-yes.”

He reached back and drew two wicked-looking axes from the leather harness that crisscrossed his bare chest, the ones she’d seen in his room, and swung them easily in his loose grip. “Who sent you?” he growled. They didn’t respond, stepped back, moving in closer to her. “Do not fucking move,” he snarled.

Rocco cursed. Mia had never seen the easygoing male like this before. He was almost as terrifying as Zenon. He had a knife in each hand and he spun them slowly, ready to let them loose any moment.

“Who sent you?” Rocco tried this time. Again they didn’t answer, and one of them actually grinned. Rocco shook his head in disgust. “Are you stupid? Start talking or die. Your choice.”

Zenon swung one of his axes, and it whistled through the air. “You know what? I’m done talking.”

“You and me both.”

Everything happened at once. Roc let one of his blades fly, nailing a demon in the chest. The other demon turned and came at her. She tried to send him a jolt, like she had the last one, but she had no idea how she’d managed it the first time, and nothing happened.

Then Zenon was there.

The demon sunk its claw into her arms, and as Zenon ripped it off her, she felt her flesh resist then give. Stinging pain shot from her shoulders and down her upper arms. Zenon threw it against the unforgiving wall with a bloodcurdling roar, and when it rebounded, swung his ax, removing its head with one powerful blow.

She sagged against the building at her back, relief and pain draining the last of her energy.

Zenon didn’t take his eyes off her as he reached back, secured his weapons, and walked straight to her.

He didn’t speak and swung her up into his arms, cradling her gently against his chest. The snap of his wings extending was the only sound before he took several massive pulls, catching the wind, and lifted them off the ground.

Rocco followed. His wings were feathered, white and silver tipped, so different from Zenon’s leathery ones, and made his angel DNA more obvious.

Rocco didn’t hang around, and, man, was he fast. One minute he was there, the next he wasn’t. That was when it sunk in. She was flying through the night sky in Zenon’s arms. She looked down—way down—and sucked in a sharp breath.

“I’ve got you,” Zenon said, his voice so low she felt more than heard the words.

It felt so right in his arms—God, safe. This time she didn’t ask for permission and slid her arms around his neck. He didn’t tense at the contact and instead tightened his own hold on her.

Laying her head against his warm chest, she listened to the steady thump of his heart because once they reached the compound, she knew she’d have to let him go.