Elegy

FORTY-FIVE Mêlée

Gemma had her hand around Liv’s throat, squeezing it hard. She wanted to be able to pop her head off, the way that Penn had done to Lexi, but she couldn’t seem to do it. It might have been because Liv was staring up at her.

Or it could’ve been because Liv had her claws out, and instead of tearing Gemma’s hand away from her throat, Liv was trying to break through her chest and get to her heart. She could feel the talons piercing her skin and scraping her ribs.

She should let go and jump off, before Liv succeeded in breaking through and ripping out her heart, but Gemma didn’t want to let her go. Not after what she’d just done to Kirby.

Then she felt a hand tugging on her wing, pulling it so hard that Gemma let go of Liv’s neck and stood up. She whirled around, preparing to fight whoever was pulling at her, but it was Thea, with her own crimson wings stretched out.

“Always guard your heart,” Thea said, as Liv got to her feet. “That’s a siren tip.”

“What the hell, Thea? You’re helping her?” Liv asked with an incredulous whine.

“You really thought I would help you? After the hell you’ve put me through?” Thea asked.

“Whatever.” Liv cracked her neck, stretching it out after Gemma had been choking her. “It’s better this way. Now I can kill two birds with one stone.”

Thea shook her head. “Unlikely.”

Liv growled and charged at her. Thea spread her wings wide and put her hands out in front of her. When Liv hit her, Thea sent her flying back, crashing through several yards of trees.

“You saved my life,” Gemma said, looking at Thea in a bit of awe.

“Don’t get used to it,” Thea said in her usual husky, nonchalant way.

“I hadn’t planned to.”

“I got this, if you want to go help your sister deal with Penn,” Thea said. “I’m assuming that’s where she went.”

Gemma eyed Thea uncertainly. “You aren’t gonna try to stop me from hurting Penn?”

“Honestly? I’m not convinced that you’ll be able to, but I wish you the best of luck,” Thea said, and the trees and underbrush were crackling as Liv made her way back toward them. “And I’ve got my hands full down here.”

Liv came charging through the trees, and Thea jumped at her. They both crashed into a pine tree so hard, they knocked it down. The trunk made a splitting sound, and when it thudded to the ground, sending up a billow of dirt and pine needles, the ground around them trembled.

With Thea handling Liv, Gemma joined Marcy and Alex. Marcy knelt on the ground next to Kirby’s body, and Alex had covered him with a blanket from Marcy’s car, giving him some privacy.

“Marcy, I am so sorry,” Gemma said. She’d never wanted anybody to get hurt over this, especially not someone as nice and innocent as Kirby. He never should’ve gotten mixed up in any of this.

But she didn’t have time to mourn his passing or feel guilt about it. She could spend the rest of her life regretting this moment, but right now, she needed to help Harper and Daniel unless she wanted to spend the rest of her life mourning them, too.

Marcy wiped at her eyes and nodded but said nothing.

“Are you okay?” Alex had been standing beside Marcy, and he reached out to touch Gemma’s cracked wing. It hurt like hell, but it still moved, so she didn’t think it was completely broken.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She brushed off his concern. “I’m gonna go to help Harper. You two should go back to town.”

“Are you kidding me? After what that asshole did to Kirby and Lucinda?” Marcy asked indignantly. “I’m gonna help Thea kill her.”

“Stay safe, and stay out of the way,” Gemma said, since she didn’t have time to argue with her. Nor did she really have any right to. If Liv had hurt Alex like that, she wouldn’t have left until she’d finished her off.

“I’ll make sure Marcy doesn’t get herself killed,” Alex said. “And you stay safe, too.”

“Promise you won’t follow me again.” She put her hand on his chest and looked up at him. “I couldn’t stand if something happened to you like that.”

Gemma kissed him, and he wrapped his arms around her, mindful of her wings. The crunch of the trees, and Liv’s squawking in anger broke the moment, and she stepped away from Alex.

She gave him one last longing look, then she ran up the hill, pumping her damaged wings until they finally got enough air to take flight. It hurt, but since flying would be much faster than running all the way to the top, she’d grit her teeth and make them work.