Chapter 24 · Blood on the Glass

The terminal screamed red, and Lucian's hands were still on my wrists.

Neither of us moved. His breath hit my cheek, hot and ragged. My pulse was slamming against his thumbs.

"That's Mia," I said. "That's her band."

"I know whose it is."

He let go. Just like that. Two seconds ago he'd had me against the wall like I owed him my skin, and now he was across the room, jabbing at the screen.

The east wing feed popped up. Mia's suite, third floor down. Her door was shut. The lamp was on.

Then the camera angle swapped to the window.

Blood. A long, wet smear down the inside of the glass, still running. One guard slumped under it with his face turned to the wall. The window latch hung open and the curtain was whipping in the gale.

No Mia.

My knees went. I caught the edge of the desk before he could see it.

"Who?" I said.

Lucian didn't answer. He was already yanking his jacket off the chair and checking the clip on his pistol. His jaw was a hard line.

"Lucian. Who took her?"

"Stay here."

"The hell I will."

"Bianca." He didn't turn around.