Chapter 15 · Taming the Monster

"Don't breathe." Cain's hand slammed flat over my chest, right on top of the red dot.

His palm was huge. Hot. Covered the whole laser like that would stop a bullet.

"Are you insane?" I hissed. "Get off me! He'll shoot through your hand!"

"He won't," he growled. "Not if he wants me alive. Stay still."

We were frozen in the middle of the blown-out corridor. Dust still falling from where he'd ripped that hound apart. Blood everywhere. And that little red dot just sitting on his hand now, right over my heart.

My heart was going crazy under his palm. Thudding so hard he had to feel it.

"Cain, you're bleeding," I whispered.

"Not my blood."

His eyes weren't normal. Still gold. Still blown wide, the black taking over. The veins in his neck were standing out, dark and pulsing. His whole body was shaking like he was holding back a seizure.

"Hey. Hey, look at me," I said. "You need to calm down."

"I am calm."

"You're not calm! You're vibrating like a fridge about to explode!"

The dot slid off his hand. Jittered up to my throat. Then back to my chest.