Page 75 of Midnight of Ashes
Cillian pressed the blade to his throat. “You sure about that?”
“Y-yes. She’s hot. I just thought—she seemed like she liked me.”
Maddox and I let out audible growls that had Brent’s eyes widening.
“Do you know the Corbett family?” Cillian asked, fury lacing his tone.
“Who? No. Do they have a kid at the school?”
Brent didn’t know shit. He was just a sick fuck trying to prey on his advisees.
Cillian stepped back, looking at me. “Cáel, he’s all yours.”
“But you said!” Brent yelled.
Cillian glared at him. “I lied.”
I brought my hand down, unsheathing my claws.
Brent’s eyes went wide as saucers. “W-what are you?”
I grinned. “Your worst nightmare.”
38
HAYDEN
I trembled against Knox as the SUV bumped over the gravel road. The divots in the ground just made me shake harder. All I could think about was how cold I felt. The kind of cold where your bones felt brittle.
Knox pulled me closer against him. “You’re safe, Hayden. We’ve got you.”
The faintest whimper left my lips. I hated the sound, the sign of weakness, but I couldn’t pull it back.
“How’s she doing?” Easton asked from the driver’s seat. Tension radiated through his voice like a live wire.
“She’s in shock. Shaking like a goddamned leaf,” Knox growled.
Easton’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel, bleaching white. “I hope Cill lets Cáel loose on him.”
I pressed tighter into Knox’s chest. I didn’t want to be the reason for Cáel losing another piece of himself. But I also didn’t want to see Professor Brent ever again.
Memories slammed into me. His hands on my throat. My shirt tearing.
Knox’s lips ghosted over my hair. “We’re almost home. Almost there.” His head lifted. “Faster.”
“I don’t want to hurt her with the potholes,” Easton muttered.
“We just need to get her home. Pete texted that Marcus left healing balms for us there.”
Healing balms. I had no doubt that the caster would’ve made something that would erase all evidence of what had happened to me. I wondered if he could make something that erased the memories, too. I didn’t want to see Brent’s face twisted with rage or see the intent in those dark eyes.
I shuddered against Knox.
“What can I do?” he begged. “What do you need?”
“C-cold,” I whispered.
Knox tried to cover more of my body with his. “We’ll get you into a bath as soon as we get home. That’ll warm you right up. Then we’ll get the balm on you and into bed.”
