I sighed. “You’re right. I’m ready.” His body tensed, and his hand stilled over the wound. “You need to take him out of me, Akil. Please. I can’t live like this anymore.”
He laced his fingers into my hair and tipped my head back. I could have fought him, but what was the point? We both knew this had to happen eventually. He didn’t look as happy as I thought he would. He studied me, his sculpted face marred by suspicion.
“I expected you to, y’know, gloat or something. You’ve wanted this since he soul-locked me.”
“Much longer, actually. But I—”
His teeth snapped together, and he jerked as though struck then shoved me away from him. I almost fell over my own feet trying to stay upright. Stumbling against the wall, I spluttered a curse. “What the hell?”
He’d spun around and faced the mouth of the alley, his back to me. I saw them then: six black-clad men and women, assault rifles raised and trained on Akil as they closed in. Laser dots bounced around on his back. I searched the roofline and spotted the snipers. Worse, more special-ops jogged in from my left behind Akil. I recognized one instantly. Ryder led the smaller team, rifle shouldered and aimed at Akil’s back.
“Shit, Akil, get out of here.” I shoved off the wall and strode into the line of fire, exuding a confidence I didn’t have. “Don’t do this, Ryder.” I called over the sound of hammering boots on asphalt. Akil could kill them all.
“Get outtah the way, Muse,” Ryder barked. “We will shoot through you.”
Akil’s element lashed outward, surging past me and rushing toward Ryder’s group. “Dammit, Ryder, you wanna be responsible for more deaths?”
“Ain’t gonna happen.” His men were closing fast. It would be a bloodbath. I saw five in his group, a couple on the roof, and six approaching Akil from the front. It wouldn’t be enough. A hundred wouldn’t be enough. What the hell was Ryder thinking?
Akil’s element spluttered beneath my feet. I felt it choke and gasped, spinning around to see Akil drop to one knee and brace himself against the ground, head bowed. Heat throbbed around him, beating the air in relentless waves. He should have been upright, smug and confident. At the worst, he could have called his true form, Mammon. Something was very wrong. “Akil?”
The enforcers gathered around him. His shoulders rose and fell as he breathed hard, but he made no move to attack them or protect himself. A deep, inhuman growl rumbled through him. He snapped his head up and scored a few enforcers with his powerful glare, but it only seemed to make them more determined. They closed ranks, moving tighter.
I stole a few steps closer. Ryder grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. “Stay away, if you know what’s good for you.” He shoved me back, fierce determination making his glare hard and cold.
“Ryder, he’ll kill all of you. Are you insane?” Akil might be down now, but it was likely a trap. He was probably hoping to lure them in so he could catch them together. I strode forward. “Let him go before it’s too late.” I didn’t want to see anyone hurt, especially Ryder. We’d had our differences, but he didn’t deserve to screw up like this. “You can’t capture a Prince of Hell. Ryder, please, c’mon… Before he brings Mammon…” My words trailed off as Akil’s gaze found me. Lips pulled back in a snarl, eyes bright with amber, he glared at me, accusations burning in his gaze. What? Did he think I had something to do with this? “Akil… Don’t hurt them. Let them go.” Another growl rumbled through him.
“He’s not going anywhere, Muse.” Ryder raised his rifle, aimed, and pulled the trigger. The sharp crack bounced around the alley. Akil took the hit in the shoulder. He spun around, his body moving liquid fast, but it wasn’t enough. They all opened fire. The deafening noise of gunfire drowned out my shriek of alarm. I sprang forward, only for Ryder to grab me and shove me into the arms of three of his crew. I kicked, yanked, writhed, and bucked, but the enforcers held fast.
When the gunfire ceased, a horrible, unearthly quiet settled over the alley. The smell of hot metal and acrid gun smoke burned my nostrils and laced my throat. Ragged breaths sawed out of me. I couldn’t tear my gaze from the group huddled around a pool of blood. He couldn’t be dead. Could