Misted (Team Zero #5) by Rina Kent

I stare at the clock. More than three hours since I was hugging Hawk right in this room. I clutch the bedpost for balance as I fall back on the bed with my chest twisted in a knot.

You’re not the only one who’d risk it all, Hellion.

His last words filter back into my hazy brain. Hawk went to Hades on my behalf. He’s going to die on my behalf.

Maybe he’s already dead.

Nausea stabs me and I run to the bathroom and heave into the toilet. I remain perched against it, unable to catch my breath.

How could he?

After all that preaching about me leaving him, how could he do this to me?

I barely survived being ripped apart from him in the past. I barely stitched the wound closed, and now he’s ripping it open all over again.

“Mist.” Ink stands at the bathroom’s threshold, brows furrowed. “You need to get it together if you want to work anything out.”

He’s right.

A pity party won’t do me any good at the moment.

I jump up to a standing position, open the faucet and splash water all over my face. I storm past him into the room and dig into the wardrobe for some clothes. “I’m going after him.”

“And then what?” Ink is still leaning against the bathroom’s door only he’s now facing me.

“I’ll tell Hades I killed Nero.” I snatch black trousers and yank them up my legs. “He has my gun as evidence, not Hawk’s.”

He sighs. “And I’m sure Hawk will say something that convinces Hades that he did it.”

Scar cracks one amber eye open. “Hades would looove to have you both like his Christmas present.”

“I don’t fucking care.” I face them both.

I’ve been dead for a long time, if the final has to be with Hawk, then I welcome it. No. I need it. There’s no way in hell I’ll live without him again.

Either we live together or we die together.

“Just find my stalker, Ink.” I retrieve track shoes and point them at him. “I want him dead.”

“Does it matter when you are dead?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Yes. He doesn’t get to live happily ever after all the hell he made me live through.”

He didn’t only ruin my life but he also destroyed Hawk’s. They ruined our life. This house. That innocent teenage dream.

“Actually.” I flick my gaze to Scar. “Let her kill him in one of her gruesome kills.”

Ink runs his finger along his bottom lip. “You wound me, Misty. Hey Scar, wanna bet on whose kill is more gruesome?”

“Call!” She shouts without opening her eyes.

“By the way.” Ink faces me again. “I told you that I need you as a trap for the stalker. I’m going to use you.”

“Do whatever you want.” I grab my bag, the gun and I’m out of the door.

Either I save Hawk or I die trying.





The moment I hit the English soil, I call Molly from the airport’s public phone. I need backup. I don’t want to put her in danger, but I’m not going to barge into Hades’ playground without insurance.

If anything goes wrong, he can target the girls and I need Molly to take care of them.

She picks up after two rings.

“It’s me, Molly.”

“Misty!” She shrieks. “Why didn’t you call earlier?! We have an emergency.”

“An emergency?”

“I couldn’t reach the guy I put to protect Sarah and Jessica.”

“What?” Since when was it a guy? That would make the girls uncomfortable especially if they knew he’s a killer.

“I don’t know what happened. It’s so weird.” There’s fumbling on the other side. “I’m heading over. Do you want to meet me there? Where are you?”

“Heathrow.”

“Oh, good. You’ll reach them before me.”

I hang up with a frustrated sigh and hit my forehead against the public phone over and over again.

I was barely holding it together and trying to gather my wits during the flight here. To pacify my chaotic, scary thoughts, I retrieved the journal to re-read the one-liners Hawk and I wrote in the past. Instead, I found a few notes from him from the time he was released from The Pit after torture to when he drugged me. It brought tears to my eyes and I kept chanting that Hawk is strong and Hades won’t be able to break him down easily. Then I recall the hell he made him go through a few months ago and almost go nuts.

And now this.

Fuck.

Onlookers start giving me judgy stares. I stop hitting my head and storm out of the airport.

I call Shadow and Flame. I beg them. Yes. I actually beg Shadow to do something for me to the point that I make him speechless. I need them to find Hawk, and considering that Shadow recently came back from The Pit, he knows where to find him best.

As for Flame, I promise him a favour and he agrees to help.

I drive to the safe house where Jessica and Sarah stay with my heartbeat loud.

If it were any other situation, I would’ve gone after Hawk first, but he’s strong — to a degree. Sarah and Jessica aren’t. I’m sure this is all the bloody stalker’s doing. I must’ve provoked him with the last text to cause him to target innocent girls who trusted me.

I wouldn’t forgive myself if anything happens to them.