The Brightest Night (Origin #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,206

and one by one, the modified bullets exploded. A second later, he lit up the air, sending the Source in every direction, and I saw the remaining officers. There were just as many, if not more, than the ones who’d come into the mall.

I was moving before I knew it, racing through the opening. Luc and Grayson were right behind me as I skidded to a stop, my eyes clocking the lowered weapons, sensing their willingness to fire once more.

“When will you guys ever learn?” Luc said, curling his fingers as if he were summoning them. The rifles went up and into the air, crashing into the tower behind us and into the trees.

These officers didn’t run like the others. They came right at us, pulling something small and black from their thigh holsters.

“Tasers,” Luc warned.

“Fun times.” Grayson shoved Nate back as he slipped into his true form.

“Get back,” I ordered, hoping everyone listened.

Dipping down, I slammed my hands onto the ground. The earth rattled and woke up with a deep, trembling breath. Geysers of dirt flew into the air, and then the ground expanded under my hands, rippling out in all directions, forming tunnels of churning dirt and grass.

There was a shout as the closest man jerked backward, his arm flying up. Electricity charged up the prongs of the Tasers as he hit the button in his panic. He went down, down deep, along with several others. I buried them under the thick, sandy dirt.

I didn’t think they were getting out.

Ever.

Rising, I caught sight of Luc catching one of the officers by the arm. A bone cracked, and the Taser dropped to the ground. Luc slammed his hand into the officer’s chest. The Source washed over the man. His screaming ended abruptly, just as the Source streaked across the area, smacking into another officer. Her pain-filled shout was drowned out as Grayson took down another.

I continued forward, the wind picking up around me as my eyes moved to the trees. Perfect, useful weapons. The Source guiding me, I spread my arms and hooked my fingers inward. Branches cracked like thunder, tearing from the trees.

Grayson and Luc knew what was up. They hit the ground like pros, Grayson taking Nate down with him. Not all the officers were fast enough.

The branches—now jagged, multiheaded arrows—hurtled across the clearing. They slammed into the men and then went through them, piercing shields, helmets, and armor.

The air smelled like metal as I lowered my hands.

Six more down.

Half a dozen left.

I scanned the grounds, looking for Morton and the child. An officer came straight at me, and I pushed with the Source. He flew backward as if the very hand of God had grasped him and he met an unhappy ending with some sort of cement wall that stood in the center of the park.

Where was—?

I spun, coming face-to-face with an officer who held a Taser mere inches from me. I had no idea what, if anything, it would do to me. I didn’t want to find out. The officer jabbed the Taser at me. Electricity fired to life—

I moved.

Or I thought I did, because the officer stumbled forward, the Taser firing harmlessly against nothing, against—

Smoke and shadows.

Holy crap.

I’d done the Arum thing—the thing April had done. I was there, but not. The officer whirled, and I threw my hand out. It was there—the dark, fuzzy outline of it was, at least—and it went straight through the man’s chest. Blood sprayed my face as I drew my arm back. The man’s shout ended as he collapsed, folded like a paper sack. I watched my arm solidify, watched my legs become more than just the shape.

I lifted my head to where Luc stood feet from me. His wide eyes met mine. “Did you see that?” I asked.

He nodded. “You went all Arum there for a moment.”

“I didn’t know I could—”

Luc grabbed my arm, thrusting me to the side as he shoved his hand out. A bolt of the Source erupted from his palm and hit the chest of the man who had come up directly behind me.

“Thank you,” I said, turning around and finding Grayson taking out another officer. I was going to have to take what I’d just done and set it aside to get excited over later.

Luc and Grayson made quick work of the remaining officers. Within minutes, the field was scattered with bodies, and the scent of burned flesh and blood was heavy in the air. I felt the sudden awareness of an