OBSIDIAN VINES

DIAN

The Spark &

O: The Bla

burn. And there are

KO

t drea

do, it's al

s. The way she moved. The smell of rain and blood

eft me stitched and smirking in that alley like som

n't stopp

?" I ask

two fingers. "No known associates. No name. No trace. I even checke

not R

u s

me bleeding out. Ricci girls pan

ted. "You'r

intri

d. "That'

night when the

soft flap of paper sliding under

fr

reach alerts. Whoever dropped it knew e

No return mark. Black enve

s a singl

eyes. Lean shoulders. Standing outside

back, in he

LI

love with your bu

ture. No

a n

li

hat instantly. It was a

bit

I

letter woul

w what it

like skin. It was the name they gave me during recon-my alias when I wor

didn't know it yet. That's what power-starved men

eded him

r information on my father's dea

The lies.

sn't t

paced the rooftop of our apartment complex,

dy knows

ske

t forget

ort, Siena. That

hough I'd quit two years

"And what's the plan

t ins

his co

smoke. "In

ll me you're no

ady halfway there. I just need to make

a plan. That

get to t

k his family ki

think.

KO

nd th

oil and mold wafting from inside. The kind

d in, I knew she'd

on the floor. Silk

to my nose

innamon

was

was alre

te wall, watching me like I

sing a ghos

ts to be

Delilah bullsh

hink it'

see

orth the

I

saw him, I was

wntown-our temporary HQ. I was checking surveillan

rn," she

ze. "

s he

lse s

ned a

ack shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows. Tattoos inked like scripture

dn't

't s

a man finally locating t

he walked

ounded like

four...

ah," h

eath. "Is that what

etter witho

don

lau

ke an earthquake. L

me a name,

d

not

N

anted me t

ed. "Did

ished. "It wo

KO

more dangerous t

. It was the way she moved, like she'd already

essed in black leathe

ender," I said, ey

eeding anymore

got a

you liked t

rting to

"Hate turns into hunger. An

tudyin

one s

hes apart now. Her breath s

safe, D

flinch. "Ne

I

isse

't exp

very look, every micro-expression to k

kissed

t was

utal. D

t set buildings on f

et

ost control-but

s the openi

KO

d away, she

hat?" I asked

t y

y n

me everything I

ich

st as brok

– EIGHT

f the safehouse. My han

s tw

nned down in front of the

eaming. And I sat in the corner, shaking w

d I wasn

d I'd di

armine woul

ed the

n. The betrayal. The sound

lived in my

again... when

I

in the bathroo

ll was that?

d to get

h a man who cuts ou

I still

isn't

quietly. "I

F CHAP