Page 58 of Ravaged Devotion

“Fun?” Ishleen glared from where she was kneeling next to Esti’s bandaged leg. “This is fun to you? My dad is still out there.”

“Let’s be real,” he drawled, “he’s probably monster food by now.”

She shot to her feet, but Esti grabbed onto her wrist before she could attack Ellery.

“I’m a Black Hart, baby,” Ellery stated, curling his fingers at her. “Bring it on.”

“If you’ve got so much energy to burn,” she snapped, “how about you put it to use and go out there and figure out what we’re dealing with?”

She’d meant it as a taunt, but Ellery cocked his head and considered it before standing.

“Sure. Why not?” He made his way to Ryker and clapped him on the shoulder. “Care to join?”

“What?” Esti glanced between the two of them, panic growing. “No! You can’t!”

“What’s the matter?” Ell asked. “There’s still another of us left. If something happens, go to Uriel.”

“No offense,” Penn cleared his throat. “But I don’t think he’s going to be much help.”

“It’s cute that you think we’re any different. What makes you think we give two shits about helping any of you?”

Ryker sighed. “That’s enough.”

Ellery grunted. “Whatever. You coming or not?”

“I could see the pool house from my room,” Ryker told him. “If we can make it—”

“Absolutely not.” Rue was still standing behind the bar with his friends, but he must have tuned into the conversation, because he was glaring at Ryker now. “You aren’t going out there. No one should be.”

“We’ve got to check and see if there’s an internet connection, or a landline,” Ellery disagreed. “I don’t see any of you jumping to volunteer. Besides, who better than us to take on what’s out there?”

“We don’t even know what’s out there,” Rue insisted.

“Aren’t you curious?” Ellery grinned at him tauntingly.

“He isn’t going. If you want to put your life at risk, that’s your business, but you aren’t dragging Ryker into it.”

“What? Did you two kiss and make up or something?” One look at Ryker seemed to answer that question for him and Ell laughed. “Oh, I get it.”

“The sun is setting,” Ryker said. “No one is going anywhere until morning.”

“With any luck, the weather will have cleared by then,” Penn agreed.

“Let’s hope.” Ryker wasn’t holding his breath though. He glanced around the room. “The third floor is above the fog. All of the keys are behind the front desk. If any of you are uncomfortable staying in the one you were assigned, just pick a new one.”

“Esti can’t make it up the stairs on this leg,” Ishleen told him, clearly hopeful he’d offer his assistance.

“Tell her boyfriend.” He’d already done his good deed by suggesting they switch rooms.

“I don’t want that monster anywhere near me,” Esti sneered, confirming Ryker’s earlier assumptions that there was trouble in paradise.

On the other side of the room, Hollis hung his head.

“I’ll carry you,” Penn offered, already moving toward her. He’d just slipped his arms beneath her when a scream came from outside.

“Again?” Ellery set his hands on his hips. “Who’s the idiot who went out there?”

“No, that’s…” Esti struggled onto her one good leg, Penn helping steady her as she turned to stare out the window. “That’s…”