Chapter 11 · The Kiss That Opens the Vault

"Take your hand off me, Carson." His fingers locked around my wrist before I could touch the vault panel. "Or I'll cut it off myself."

"You've already tried that."

His grip tightened. "The door still didn't open."

The cut across my palm burned where my blood had dried. Beyond us, the core chamber shook with every broken pulse of the city shield. Red light strobed across the metal walls.

Somewhere below, Noah's execution feed kept counting down.

Thirty-seven minutes.

Thirty-six if the shield lost another section.

I twisted against Carson's grip. "You said my blood would open it."

"I said your blood might open it."

"You dragged me into a sealed vault, put a blade in my hand, and watched me bleed on the lock." I shoved at his chest. "That's not a might. That's a very expensive lie."

His jaw tightened. He looked almost as exhausted as I felt, but he still stood straight in that black enforcement coat. One hand held me.