Misted (Team Zero #5) by Rina Kent

The police isn’t a problem anymore, because, surprise, once I made a deal with Hades, the politician magically dropped all charges. I can see the lieutenant’s face reddening with anger, but I take no pleasure in that. He obviously has his own demons.

I’ll have to spend my time roaming around until Ink brings me the name and my deal with Hades comes into play.

Strangely, I haven’t felt eyes on me even when I came all the way to Northern England. Maybe that text did scare my stalker away.

I pull over at a petrol station and pick a few protein bars at the shop. My hands fist to prevent the shaking as I pay the old man who has a beer belly at the counter.

Thank God I’m wearing sunglasses or he would’ve called drug control on me.

I don’t know why I’m masochistic enough to keep the withdrawal. I stay up all night fighting with the ringing in my head. I have a month’s worth of shots in the car. All I have to do is inject it into my veins. Once it’s time for my deal with Hades, I’ll have to be on Omega anyway so he doesn’t suspect us.

Whether I return to Omega now or later doesn’t make a difference.

I rush back to my car and reach for the briefcase at the back. My hand stops midway.

Hawk did a lot to get me off this poison. He made me feel so alive and wanted after fifteen years of living as a complete shell.

I’ll only return to Omega when I absolutely have to.

My head falls on the steering wheel. It’s been two weeks since I left Hawk unconscious and wounded. I’ve been calling Crow every day since to ask about his state. His short replies drive me crazy and I wish I had Eloise’s number instead.

Being stingy — and obviously hating me for leaving — Crow made our calls brief and mono-syllable.

He’s fine.

He had a fever but it’s going down.

He can walk. He eats.

Why do you think you have the right to ask about him after you abandoned him?

Ink’s words from earlier keep pushing into my mind uninvited.

If I were you, I’d spend whatever time I have left doing what I love the most.

No. I can’t even think about that option. I have to remind my aching heart that I’m doing this for Hawk’s safety. I’m used to the distance.

Or was.

After the weeks I spent with him in that cosy house, it’s becoming a torture to breathe without him. He doesn’t run with me, shop with me, watch festivals with me. He doesn’t look at me as if I’m the most beautiful woman on earth. He doesn’t fuck me senseless as if he can’t get close or deep enough.

I didn’t know I needed all of that until I had it. He’s different from my old Hawk, but in some ways, he’s still the boy that kept me alive. He’s still the one who hugs me and lets me sleep on his lap when it’s too much.

The boy and the man might be different, but deep inside, they’re still the same.

Now that I have neither of them, my chest feels so empty, it aches to even breathe.

I rip the wrap off the protein bar, finish it in a few bites, and start the engine. I need to keep moving.

My phone vibrates.

The name that flashes across the screen causes my skin to prickle.

Scar.

Why is she calling me? Wait…

I answer in a rush. “Is Hawk all right?”

“He has a strong fever!” She shrieks. “He’s dying. Oh my God, Haaaawky, hang in there.”

There’s a rustle on the other side. Some fumbling. More muffled sounds.

My breathing deepens as I ask in a slow, spooked voice. “Scar? W-what’s going on?”

“Noooo— ” The line goes dead. So does my heart.

I dial her again. She doesn’t answer. I curse and dial Crow. His phone is turned off. My hands become sweaty and tears rim my eyes. They stream down my cheeks and into my mouth until I taste salt.

No.

No.

This can’t be happening.

My phone vibrates. I never opened a text so fast.

Scar – it’s all your fault!

My world turns black.





30





Mist





Kiss me like it’s our first and last all at the same time.



I barge into the cosy little house, feeling its walls closing in on me.

My feet are sore, my eyes are swollen from so much crying and my body never stopped shaking – and it’s not because of Omega.

I don’t know how I got here in the first place. One moment I was reading Scar’s text and the next, I was speeding to the nearest airport and flying to Marseille.

All the way here, I tried to contact Scar or Crow. Each time I failed, the black hole in my chest kept expanding, consuming every thought and chaining me in a full panic mode.

The only reason I’m not falling apart right now is because I refuse to even consider that he's hurt.

A black halo roams around my head as I sprint into the house, panting. My hair and clothes are a mess. I’m a mess.

I held my imminent break down all the way here, but now, the mere brush of air on my skin is like a thick fog.

“Scar!” I shout. “Crow!”

“Whoa.” Scar’s bored voice sounds from behind me. “Less than two hours. Impressive.”

I whirl around and snatch my knife from my sheath underneath the dress. The next second, I’m headlocking Scar and digging the knife into her throat. “Where the fuck is he? Don’t play games with me or I’ll slice your throat open.”