Whatever she lay upon moved as she rocked back and forth, and with a groan she shoved aside the covering, only to fall over the edge flat on her face. Nose against cold, hard tile. Every bone in her body ached, and it took a bit for Kira to steady her shaking nerves.
For several moments she stared down at the puffs of mist that fell from her nose. They reminded her of a cartoon she’d seen as a child. The one with the bull, scraping its hooves against the ground as it readied to charge. She raised her head and winced as the sounds that had been in the background erupted and filled the air around her.
It sounded like a bloody war was going on and she was caught in the middle of it. Kira counted to three and then pushed herself to her knees. A growl sounded, the proximity of it suggesting whatever it was was close by. Was it Logan?
She stared down at the scars on her wrists, at the pale skin untouched by the sun for years. She rested back on her haunches and ran her hand through the short hair that barely touched her shoulders. It felt dirty, less than ordinary.
She was back. And unless this was some cruel illusion, she was alive.
Carefully Kira got to her feet and pushed the gurney out of her way as she stumbled forward. Overhead, fluorescent lights flickered, casting a surreal shadow over the carnage beyond. Blood, guts, and pieces of the creatures from the gray realm were scattered everywhere. It looked like a bucket of crimson had exploded over the walls and pristine tiles of what she now knew was the morgue at the Institute.
In the middle of all of it stood a tall man, his face in shadow, yet the dim recesses of his eyes glowed crimson.
Logan.
He was naked, his powerful frame bathed in a fine sheen of sweat and blood that emphasized the cut of his abs, the taut belly, and—her eyes lowered—everything else.
Kira had never seen anything so terrifyingly magnificent.
Logan nodded toward the mess on the floor. “Two of them made it through the portal.”
She swallowed, not knowing what to say. Her mind was a mess of images, colors, and thoughts she didn’t understand.
And God, she was so cold.
“We have to go. There’s no time.” He stepped into the light and she shivered at the savagery that clung to him. “I managed to close the portal behind us, but their master will be close on our heels. That bastard isn’t governed by the same rules as the rest of us.”
“I . . .” She shook her head, confused . . . uncertain.
The red of his eyes faded, a wary look replacing the fierceness of moments before. “I know you’re scared, Kira, but you have to trust me.”
She glanced at the mess that surrounded her. “That’s a lot to ask. I don’t even know you.”
“I will keep you safe.” His eyes were intense, his expression fierce. “I swear on all that matters to me. No one will hurt you again.”
They stared at each other for several moments, and inside Kira, something stirred. Something broke. Melted. She believed him.
The door crashed open behind Logan and he paused, hands fisted.
“What the hell?” It was Mergerone. His nasally whine echoed into the sterile air and even with her hellhound close at hand, the fear inside Kira erupted. She whimpered and took a step back.
Logan’s brow arched and he smiled, a cruel bent to his mouth as he turned.
The doctor stood frozen in fear and confusion, his pale, pinched features seeming larger than life as he stared at the floor. His whi
te lab coat was pristine, with “Mergerone” sewed into the chest pocket, the scarlet letters in bold print. When he spied Kira he made a sound—half sob, half scream—and tried to grab hold of the door, but he slipped on the blood that spilled over the tiles and went down hard.
“You’re dead!” The doctor screeched as he rolled on the floor.
Logan was on him in an instant, his large body pinning the smaller man to the floor as his hands went around the doctor’s neck.
Mergerone struggled, but it was no use, and his cowardly begging rang out between sobs as he ceased to move. “Don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me.”
Logan bent his head and whispered harshly. “Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to rip your head off and shove it up your fucking ass.”
“Oh God! Please, I’ll do anything you ask.”
“There’s a special place in hell for filth like you.” Logan’s fingers glowed as he dug his right hand deep into the man’s neck. The scent of burning flesh wafted into the air. Mergerone’s scream ended on a yelp as the pressure became too much and he struggled to breathe.