This Blood that Burns Us by S.L. Cokeley

Author:S.L. Cokeley [S.L.Cokeley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: S.L.Cokeley Books
Published: 2023-08-14T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty

Kimberly

The breeze was soft as we waded through the tall pine trees. A few yards ahead I saw an opening in the brush, and I thought about how we would all spend the evening with much less stress on our shoulders than before. Everything felt okay again. Not great but bearable because we were all together.

A twig snapped overhead, and the twins quit moving, causing the rest of us to run into each other. The breeze stopped.

Zach and Luke were frozen, staring at a shadowed figure in the trees.

Above us, sitting with his legs dangling over the branch of a tree, was a man with slicked-back black hair. He wore a long coat with rolled up sleeves, and dark tattoos covered his pale forearms.

“Didja miss me?” He smirked like a kid who’d found his favorite toy.

I blinked and then he was there in the dirt in front of us, landing with ease. The dirt swirled round him, and he cocked his head to the side. I couldn’t see Luke’s expression, but I could see Zach’s wide unblinking eyes.

“Long time no see, boys.”

“Who are you?” Presley blurted. He was to my left, huddling into my shoulder.

“The second highest-ranking member of The Guard . . . Her guard,” Luke said.

He said it like a warning to show us how serious this was, but I could already feel it in my tiny fragile human body. It was nothing compared to the feeling of blood lust radiating off Aaron and William at the campsite. This was different. Immense power radiated from him. The way he spoke and carried himself made the spit catch in my throat.

“Name’s Akira.” His dark eyes settled on Presley. “Ah! Littlest brother! The afterlife suits you. Tell me, how are you liking it? How’s it been?”

“I’ve been better . . .”

“And, Aaron! Glad to see you teaming with life. We’re all connected now. You’re practically my brother too.”

Aaron scoffed and put his hand on my forearm like he might try to bolt with me any second.

“Let’s see, who else do we have . . . the boy scout.” He scanned William. “Who cares about you, and oh! Kimmy is here. Aaron, you really are a lucky guy.”

I was frozen. My blood pumped with adrenaline. It told me to run, but there was nowhere to go, as we were surrounded by trees. I squeezed my palms, trying to dethaw from my body’s freeze response. We were in trouble.

“Kimmy, I’ve heard you’ve made quite the addition. It’s a shame I’ll have to kill you.”

Aaron’s hand tightened on my arm. “You won’t.”

“Did you just come to bore us to death with your pleasantries?” William said as he rolled his shoulders. I didn’t have to see his face to know he was ready for a fight.

“Altar boy. Please. I’m talking.” Akira rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe you guys decided to work with The Legion. It just makes everything so . . . complicated. Because of you and your little friends poking around, we had to relocate.

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