Gunner shook his head, the clawing of his demon relentless, its howls lifting the hair on the back of his neck. All the calm, the control he’d had over that part of himself since he found Luna was gone, decimated because she was gone. If he looked in a mirror, his eyes would be completely black.
His demon pressed against his skin, causing a ripple down his spine, so close to the surface, so desperate for him to shift and let him take over.
“Find the control,” Zenon said low. “Dig deep and fucking find it.”
Gunner shook his head again. “She’s gone.” Dragging his fingers over his head, he paced back and forward, so much adrenaline pumping through him with nowhere to go.
“You can track her,” Rocco said. “Right?”
The reality of just how bad this was hit with full force at Rocco’s words. Gunner met his searching stare. “We’re not mated. She needed time after what Azel…” He growled. “She needed time. I can’t track her, I can’t find her. They’re blocking her again.”
Chaos cursed.
“She had some freedom before, she won’t anymore.” Gunner shook his head. “Azel will make sure I never find her again.”
At those words, the fragile grip he had on his control snapped. His demon pushed harder, and Gunner let him have his way. He shifted into his Kishi demon form, his clothes falling in tatters at his feet, and shot into the night sky.
Luna had found a way to reach him before. No matter how long it took for her to get another chance, he wouldn’t stop reaching out for her, calling for her until that time came.
He wouldn’t stop searching.
The rest of it could all burn.
Luna fought against Ronan’s hold until she couldn’t anymore. He held her to his chest, striding through the city streets. The air around them rippled as they seemingly walked right through people. His power was so incredibly strong, stronger than she ever believed.
She gripped the lapel of his jacket. “Ronan, please, tell me where you’re taking me.”
His vibrant violet eyes locked with hers. “Home.”
“Home? What do you mean?”
Ronan blinked down at her slowly, his confusion clear. “He needs us.”
She struggled again. “No, goddammit, no. Not back to him. Not back there.”
Ronan’s hold on her tightened. “Calm yourself, Luna. What is the matter with you? Your eyes, they’re bleeding, but you’re not using your power.”
She shoved at his chest, and there was no holding back her panicked scream. And she kept on screaming. His hand touched the side of her face and something pulsed heavily through her head.
Then there was nothing.
Luna opened her eyes.
And oppressive darkness closed in.
She was back in the basement.
Panic seized her by the throat.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she squeezed her eyes closed and bit her lips together. She would not cry, she would not show Sir her pain. That fucker would not get the satisfaction.
Gunner.
The way she’d seen him before Ronan took her rushed forward, burning an imprint into her mind. His anguished roar echoed through her head, and the cry she tried to fight escaped.
A scraping sound reached her from the other side of the room.
Luna jolted and curled deeper in on herself.
If Sir touched her, if he made her feed from him and forced himself on her—
Her body convulsed as she dry heaved.
“Luna?” A light came on.
She jerked back, blinking as her eyes tried to adjust.
A small lamp was on across the room. She wasn’t in the basement. No, of course she wasn’t. That basement didn’t exist anymore. The house didn’t exist anymore.
Ronan sat in a chair across from her, watching her as if she was some newly found species.
Luna pushed up, not from a hard concrete floor but a huge bed. “Where am I?”
The bedroom she was in was filled with dark furniture and hunter green walls, curtains, and bedcovers.
Her brother’s head tilted to the side. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you cowering?” He stood and moved closer, still studying her. “What do you think is going to happen here?”
“Where is he?”
“Sir?”
“Yes! Goddammit, Ronan, is he here?” Her voice was growing higher with her panic.
Her brother shook his head. “I planned on reaching out to him once I found you. I failed him. His house was destroyed, you were taken,” he said, voice almost robotic. “We saw you with the knight and you wouldn’t come to him, to us. He was angry. He won’t return until he has us both, until we can make it safe for him to do