Misted (Team Zero #5) by Rina Kent

In this fraction of second, when I see that Mist has no will to live or to fight, my heart shrinks. Even my useless fucking hand keeps telling me I’ll miss, I won’t hit Molly’s head and she’ll shoot Mist.

Everything will be fucking over.

Scar barges from the window behind Molly and jumps on her back and stabs her with a knife at the same time. Molly doesn’t attempt to remove Scar. Her only attention is on her gun and Mist.

Scar glances behind her then jumps away, giving me a clearing.

I shoot. Straight to Molly’s fucking nape.

She falls over Mist and I freeze when Hellion’s body remains unmoving in the middle of blood.

No. Fuck no.

Molly didn’t shoot. I’m sure I got her before she could.

I throw my rifle and fly down the stairs. I don’t know how I get there, but I finally do.

Flame and Shadow arrive with me. They stand beside Scar. Ink is pulling Molly’s body from on top of Mist, but she’s still covered in blood. So much fucking blood.

I fall to my knees beside Mist and cradle her head in my hands. My fingers push her hair from her closed eyes.

Just like fifteen years ago, a roar claws out from my throat.

Ink and Scar jump, backs to each other, and raise their guns and knives. Shadow and Flame pull out their weapons at the same time, but it’s too late. Guards surround us from every side.

They part to make way for a man in an elegant, black suit with his aristocratic nose held high.

Hades smiles at each of us. “Miss me, kids?”





42





Mist





Our beginning is our end and you’re always my light at the end of the tunnel.



There’s a saying about seeing your life flash before your eyes.

Or maybe you wake up and find out that life as you know it is no longer there.

That’s how it feels when I open my eyes.

It isn’t the stuffy throat, the dry lips, or the dizziness in my head.

The room is white, but everything is black.

Even before I fully return to consciousness, tears rim my closed lids and fall down my cheeks.

I bury my face in the pillow as quiet sobs wreak my chest.

Hawk is gone. Just like that. He’s fucking gone.

Why am I still in a world in which he doesn’t exist?

For fifteen bloody years, I fought and hid all my feelings and my desires and pushed forward for him.

I did all that, knowing that somehow, he’ll be at the end of the road. But now, it’s completely black.

The door clicks open. I don’t bother to lift my head from the pillow. Then, those composed, familiar footsteps register. I flip around so fast, pain snaps in my head.

“Hello, Mist.” Hades stops at the head of my bed, just like what he did when I lost my child.

Everything is repeating itself.

Only now, I have absolutely nothing to lose. I’m going to kill this bastard and then follow him to hell.

My eyes dart sideways for a scalpel or any weapon.

“I wouldn’t advise what you’re thinking of.” He doesn’t appear the least bit phased, but that’s Hades. He always thinks he has everything under control.

Not this time.

“Hawk isn’t dead.”

I freeze, my body sagging. He’s playing with me, but even knowing that fact, I want it to be true so badly, it burns under my skin.

“I don’t believe you.”

He sighs and retrieves his phone. He taps a few things inside before he shows me a live feed of Hawk pacing a white room similar to this one.

My lips tremble and I snatch the phone from Hades’ hand. I run my fingertips along the screen. Hawk is wearing dark trousers and one of those baggy T-shirt that never managed to hide how toned and muscular he is.

His fists are clenching and unclenching by his side as if he’s barely stopping himself from going berserker.

And he’s alive. So… so much alive.

Life rushes back into my limbs and the world gains colours. Then, I recall the devil looming over me.

I glare at Hades. “What do you want?”

“You see.” Hades takes the phone from my hand, even when I try to hold on to one last glance of Hawk. “Hawk, Ink, Scar, Shadow, and Flame testified that Molly was the one who killed Nero fifteen years ago and they decided to punish her. They said you were the one who found out about her first.”

I don’t know who came up with that story — although I’m ready to bet it’s either Ink or Flame — but it’s genius.

“I did,” I say with my chin high and cross my arms to appear serious.

“I can overlook our deal about your return to The Pit since you caught Nero’s killer.”

I sit taller in bed. “You will?”

“Yes, but since you didn’t keep your part of the deal, I won’t let Ink go.” He places a hand in his trousers’ pocket. “He’ll have to do something for me in return for his temporary freedom.”

I’m sure Ink will fend for himself. I face Hades and ask the most important question. “How about Hawk?”

He gives me a quizzical expression. “He shot Molly down.”

“And that’s a problem because? He saved you from killing her.”

I would’ve shot that bitch myself if I got a redo. I would’ve cut her open just like she helped them to cut away my child.