Page 117 of Knight’s Absolution

“Rocco—”

“I don’t want to open my eyes, Gun. If I open my eyes, she’ll be gone again. She’ll be gone, and she’ll be suffering and so fucking scared. She’ll be calling for me. Calling over and over and I won’t come.” His eyes snapped open with a strangled roar.

Gunner sucked in a sharp breath.

Desolation. Annihilation.

That’s all that was left.

Gunner took a step toward him, but Rocco dove off the side of the building. Gunner ran to the edge, the fall wouldn’t kill him but recovery would be a living hell. Rocco plummeted toward the cracked pavement at full speed—

His wings snapped out at the last minute, then he was shooting higher, into low cloud, disappearing into the sky. Gunner wanted to go after him, but that’s not what Rocco needed right then. Not what his brother wanted.

It was late, the sun would be up soon. They’d been patrolling all night, looking for anything that might lead them to Azel. But so far there was nothing.

He was tired and he wanted his mate. After being with Roc, more than ever. He wanted to hold Luna.

His phoned beeped and he checked the screen.

Chaos.

Shit, they were under attack.

Gunner’s wings burst from his back, and with two deep beats, he lifted off the building and headed for the action.

The sun had barely risen and it was still gloomy outside.

Gunner wasn’t back yet, and he hadn’t answered any of her texts.

Luna shoved back the covers and pulled on her workout clothes. Gunner had explained that he might be hard to reach while he was on patrol and that she shouldn’t worry.

How was she supposed to do that? The man she loved could be hurt somewhere…or worse. Fear tried to fight forward again.

No. She’d know. If he was badly injured, she’d know. They were tied together now. Linked forever. If he was in trouble, she’d know.

Desperate to get out of her own head, she headed down to the first floor to the gym. She needed to work off some of this restless energy.

“Can’t sleep?” Grace asked when she walked in, her friend’s expression knowing.

Luna shook her head. “How do you do it?”

“When I’m not out there with him, I pace around a lot.”

“Me as well,” Mia said from behind her.

Luna turned—they were all there, Eve and Meredith as well.

Eve held up her phone. “Just choosing music. Any requests?”

“Whatever you usually listen to. I haven’t really listened to a lot of music.” Azel hadn’t liked her to. He said it would put stupid ideas in her head. “Nothing slow.”

“Gotcha.”

A moment later a fast, rhythmic beat filled the room.

Luna followed the other females to the treadmills. There was a wall of them all lined up. Luna started slow and increased the pace along with the others as they warmed up.

Eventually, they all settled into different speeds. Eve and Meredith a fast walk. Grace an all-out run, and Luna a quick jog. No, she hadn’t done much running in her life, but her vampire half gave her excellent stamina, and right now she needed to get rid of all the nerves flying around her belly.