My heavy breathing fogs the windshield. Reed turns on the defroster, and as the glass becomes clearer, red taillights shine in front of us. Reed tries to pass the battered Aston Martin on the icy road, but the car in front of us swerves into the passing lane, blocking us.
Reed applies more pressure to the accelerator and our car lurches forward, crashing into Xavier’s bumper. Our white car shakes violently as it pushes against the black one, nudging it aside. Xavier’s car begins to spin out; it circles to the right as Reed moves the wheel to neatly avoid it on the left. And just like that, we’re clear of the Aston Martin.
I look out the back window, seeing Xavier’s car regain the road from the shoulder and pursue us. The fogged windshield of the Aston Martin cracks and shatters violently as Xavier’s booted foot kicks it away. When it bows out in pieces, he drops his leg and uses his arm to begin clearing away the glass.
“What’s he doing?” My eyes go to Reed who’s watching the rearview mirror.
Reed frowns grimly, “Evie, get to that ring as fast as you can. Don’t stop for anything. When you have it, find a safe place to hide and call me. I’ll find you.” He opens the sunroof with a touch of a button. “Here, take the wheel.”
“You’re kidding, right?” I ask with a squeak, my eyes widening.
“We have to stop Xavier from getting there first.” He grasps my limp hand and puts it on the steering wheel.
My eyes stray to the rear window again in time to see Xavier break the windshield out completely. He lunges through the opening onto the hood of his car, taking two running steps with his red wings spread wide. Leaping forward from the hood, he glides through the air and lands on the back of our car as his vehicle spins off into a ditch. The Lamborghini bounces hard upon impact, and then it decelerates rapidly. Xavier’s powerful wings beat the air, lifting the back tires off the ground. I have no time to protest as Reed climbs out through the sunroof. His dark, ashen wings open wide as he emerges from the car and lofts into the air. He catches Xavier around the throat with his forearm and yanks him off our car.
The tires swerve over the road when the back ones thump onto the ground again. I manage to hold onto the wheel, scrambling into the driver’s seat. I touch the brake, coming to a stop. Shifting the car into neutral and engaging the safety brake, I turn to look out the rear window. Snow drifts in anaconda patterns over the barren pavement. With both of my hands gripping the seatback, I watch Reed’s wings thrash. He locks arms with Xavier whose wings serrate to red dagger points, and it’s clear that both angels are trying to rip the other’s arms off.
Like a revolving door, Reed spins free from Xavier’s strong fists. He runs at our car, hitting the back end; it slides forward on the road despite the brake. “GO!” Reed shouts at me. Then he turns back, catching Xavier around his waist before he can move to my door. Reed throws him back. Xavier tumbles across the ground, skidding to a stop. Growling, he rises to his feet, running at Reed with weapons in his hands.
I jump out of the car as Xavier uses his spade-shaped blades to slash at Reed. He misses with the one in his right hand, but not with the other in his left. The razor edge connects with Reed’s cheek, cutting it from his lips to his ear. My wings eject from me as I scream. Reed rears back from Xavier. I lift my hand, making Xavier’s car rise into the air from the ditch; it crashes down on the pavement directly behind him. Before Xavier can hurt Reed again, his feet leave the ground as he’s thrust back through the empty windscreen of his car. He lands hard in the driver’s seat, staring at me with a murderous expression. The shattered glass on the pavement collects and finds its way to the front of the car, settling into place and smoothing to transparency.
Xavier pounds his fist against it trying to break it out again, but the glass holds. “Evie!” His muffled voice is barely discernible above the sounds of his thrashing. When it still doesn’t break, he slams his shoulder against the door. It doesn’t open either. He beats the window, leaving smears of blood on it from his fists.
I walk to Reed who holds his hand to his face to stem his blood. “Are you okay?” I ask worriedly, as I touch his other cheek.
“It’s not bad,” he says, reaching out and wrapping his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me to him. He hugs me in an attempt to comfort me. “We need to go.”
“Okay, just a second.” I pull away from Reed and go to the driver’s side of Xavier’s car. When I near his window, I bend toward it, steaming it with my breath. Using my finger, I write: UOY ETAH I.