Free InkintheBlood by Chandra Ryan Page A

discovered. Her uncle had
been right. She had gotten it for them to see. So they’d know she was no longer
a puppet on their drug-laden strings. “No, you and Dad were unfortunate life
lessons I had to learn.” She’d blown her cover a little early but it was worth
it to see Alex’s handsome face contort into one of rage and betrayal.
    “Bitch!” The back of his hand connected with her cheek and
the contact sent a sharp pain radiating through her head. “After all Dad and I
did for you.”
    Jacob tensed behind her but he didn’t move. He still seemed
willing to let her take the lead in this and let it play out. He probably
wouldn’t have, had he known what she was planning to do next though. Letting go
of Jacob’s hand, she looked Alex in the eye. She refused to back down to him.
“You’re right. I never did thank you properly.”
    Before he could move, she reared back and slammed the heel
of her hand into the tip of his nose while pushing up and forward at the same
time. The impact didn’t kill him, but the pain and the wave of bright-red blood
that rushed down his face did stun him for a moment.
    “God damn it!” Jacob cried from behind her. “Now! Now! Now!”
    But there wasn’t enough time to wait for the backup. Seeing
the guards reach for their guns, Izzy turned so her body was shielding Jacob’s.
Then, forcing her mind to focus, she concentrated on protecting him and nothing
else.
    The familiar pain from her dreams enveloped her, leaving her
gasping for breath. But this wasn’t a dream. Memories flooded her as she clung
to Jacob. They were memories of her body twisting as she lay on her rehab cot.
Her soul would scream with each new form she took.
    Demons and angels danced in her mind, filling in the gaps
she wished had been left blank. But they also gave her the answer she’d been
searching for. With a soft whoosh of air, the pain stopped. Feathers brushed
across her cheeks as she wrapped the large wings around Jacob to shield and
protect him.
    She heard the hollow ring of gunfire and felt the piercing
pain of bullets as she and Jacob fell to the ground together. But it all seemed
wrong somehow. Even Jacob gently pushing her off him seemed to happen in slow
motion.
    Lying on her back, she shifted from angel back to human as
she watched the battle play out around her. Alex’s groupies scattered for
safety when Jacob began to return fire. The guards weren’t so lucky. Jacob hit
one and then turned toward the other. His shots were quick and well aimed.
    The only remaining threat was Alex. Looking around, Izzy
found him taking cover under a table. He was crouched low to the floor and the
Glock in his hands was aimed at Jacob. Pushing through the blinding pain, she
crawled to her handbag and grabbed her 9mm. The cool metal of the gun was
reassuring in her hands as she quickly aimed and fired. She watched Alex’s head
rock back sharply then, unable to ignore the pain any longer, she slipped into
a numb blackness.

Chapter Seven
     
    Sunlight woke Izzy. At first she didn’t remember what’d
happened, but the sharp pains in her shoulder, chest and side quickly reminded
her. Visions of Toxic, Jacob and Alex flashed through her mind and brought with
them a feeling of hollow victory.
    Blinking rapidly against the light, she opened her eyes
cautiously. As the room came into focus, she instantly knew where she was.
She’d been at Angels of Mercy too often not to recognize the décor.
    “It’s nice to see you waking, child.” Bastion’s warm voice
was exactly the one she’d expected to hear.
    Staring up into his gentle green eyes, she smiled. “How did
I get here?”
    He gestured to a corner of the room where Jacob slept in a
very uncomfortable-looking chair. “He brought you. Four days ago.”
    “He did?”
    “You’re lucky he thought of us. Your injuries were
extensive.”
    “What about Alex?”
    Bastion smiled bitterly at the name. “Your aim was good.
Nothing could bring him back.”
    She