His lips were warm and welcoming, her blood singing with pleasure. The world stopped when she pressed her body into his. She didn’t care if they had stopped dancing. She didn’t care who saw. It could have been a second, but it felt like an eternity as he gently pulled away, a low chuckle rumbling through his chest.
Her cheeks were on fire. The next song started playing a fast-upbeat tune. He didn’t hesitate, and spun her around the room, gentle but powerful. Blurs of people surrounded them, laughing, dancing, the lights low and energy exploding through the room.
Pulling her in closer, he whispered, “You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that.” He grinned as she flushed an even deeper crimson.
Leaning in, wrapping her arms around his neck, his breath hot against her face, she could feel the magnitude of their energy as their lips met once again. Memphis let go of her hands to cup her face gently.
The music swallowed them whole, as they discovered their own powerful language. Selfishness ran away with how good his lips felt, and for tonight, she allowed herself to enjoy every kiss, every caress that he had to offer. Hours passed, and they danced for every second of it, laughing, talking. Wishing for more.
Sweat dripped down her neck, and she said, “I need a break, one second.”
She walked toward the edge, and before Memphis was able to follow, he was swept up with his friends, laughing and dancing once again. Even just one night, all worries were forgotten.
Until it wasn’t.
Emory spotted Nyx in her line of sight, arms crossed and looking predatory.
You did nothing wrong. It was Memphis’s choice.
She wanted to say something to her. Anything that would make it right. She chewed on the inside of her lip, mulling it over and taking the other woman in. Her purple hair was now tied back in a high ponytail, tight black combat gear extenuating her perfect curves. Nyx flashed her a smirk, and Emory’s blood ran cold as Nyx pointedly unsheathed her curved twin blades from her thighs and slowly stalked toward her.
In that instant, the ground started to shake, the lights flickering. Locking eyes with Nyx again, she sneered with such hunger, fear shivered down Emory’s spine.
Emory quickly scanned the crowd, panic settling into her chest. She ran back to Memphis, knowing who the one person she hadn’t seen tonight was. “Bryd is missing.”
Memphis’s face drained of blood. Mouth gaping, he looked and saw Nyx moving toward them. Everyone stared at her. The music cut. And their world exploded into chaos.
The elevator doors burst open and multitudes of black clothed figures stormed into the dining hall, all adorned with red sashes. Screams resonated around them, a sick serenade. Smoke drifted in behind the strangers, their swords glinting. Hands pushed her back, and she stumbled out of the way.
Memphis roared at Nyx, “YOU!” He barreled toward her, dodging as her sword cut at his shoulder.
Nyx panted, “Memphis, I need her!”
His fist connected with her gut with a thud. Nyx collapsed to her knees, and Memphis turned, grabbing Emory’s hand, and together, they sprinted toward the hallway.
Running full tilt, they weaved around their friends, leaving them to fight alone. “It’s Adair’s men... I can’t believe...” Memphis shook his head, not able to finish the sentence. Silent tears rolled down his cheeks as he digested the betrayal.
Nyx had led Adair right to them.
He flung the door to his room open and ran to the bookcase, pulling a novel down. The bookcase shifted to reveal a staircase spiralling into the darkness.
“You have to get out of here. Find Brokk. Stick to the woods, and don’t let them find you.”
He didn’t allow her time to speak as he pushed her onto the staircase, making her stagger down. He shoved the novel back in place, sealing her in the darkness and sealing both of their fates.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Memphis
The bookcase slid shut, and Emory disappeared.
Adrenaline coursed through him; everything surrounding him moved in slow motion. Nyx had betrayed Black Dawn to Adair. After all these years, Nyx had betrayed him. His friend. His once lover. The truth was black and white before him, but why did everything seem so grey?
As he ran out of his room and down the hallway back to the dining hall, guilt washed over Memphis, thick and suffocating. Maybe if he had been honest with her from the beginning about Emory, she wouldn’t have made such a reckless decision.
Screams rained down, and he took in the scene before him as Memphis watched Adair’s men kill his friends without mercy. Steel flashed as blood spattered on the ground, and Memphis’s breath was knocked from his chest: for a second, he was transported back six years ago, when the Academy fell, and all he could register was the ashes as death rained down.
Snapping out of his panic, he forced himself to move.
“NYX!” he roared, searching for her in the throng of chaos. Luckily, living in a war ridden world, Memphis was a soldier through and through and was always prepared for the worst-case scenario. Underneath his dress clothes, he was armed to the teeth. He loosened twin blades from his forearm, and a ragged breath tore from him.
Rounding the corner, he was quickly cut off. Standing in front of him, Nyx was shaking, covered in blood.
Taking a step toward him, her voice cracked, “Memphis, you have to leave. Now.”
At her words, his vision was tinged red from anger. His body was calculated as he charged at her, his blades swinging. Her violet eyes were pleading as their blades met, sparks flying from the force. They were met face-to-face before Memphis twisted away, not giving her an inch before he attacked again.
“I trusted you.”
Nyx’s face darkened. “And I loved you. But I wasn’t going to let you end us all. The price was Emory. She was supposed to buy our freedom, but Adair lied.
