Chapter 47
Evie dropped to her knees in front of him, catching him before he could land face flat.
‘Cyrus!’ she called, her hands immediately coated in blood from his shoulder wound.
He groaned in response, mumbled her name. She took the corner of his T-shirt in her hands and ripped it clean off his back.
‘If you want me naked, you only need to ask,’ he hissed between gritted teeth.
‘Ha ha,’ she answered as she started binding the scrap of material tight around his arm.
When she was done she looked up at him. He was staring at her. His face was drawn, his jaw clenched, but his eyes were still glimmering with amusement.
‘It’s going to need stitches,’ she said.
‘It’ll be fine,’ he answered, his gaze holding hers. ‘Thanks,’ he added.
She stood up and held out a hand to help him up. He staggered to his feet with a grunt, trying not to show just how much his arm hurt.
Victor was helping Selena off the ground. She shrugged off Victor’s hand though and tossed her chin in the air, her eyes darting to the pile of clothing in front of her. She grinned as Victor slapped her on the back.
She must have made her first kill, Evie thought. That changed things ,she supposed, evened things out a little. She watched Victor disappear inside the house.
Ash was holding onto Vero. She was completely drenched in blood and for a moment Evie’s legs threatened to give way until she realised, from the way Vero was smiling and had started kissing Ash, that it wasn’t either of theirs.
Flic was busy scanning the garden, checking there were no more unhumans around.
The sound of a zipper made Evie whip around. Cyrus was fumbling with his one good hand inside his boxer shorts.
‘What are you doing?’ she shrieked.
‘You got any better suggestions?’ Cyrus asked, taking hold of himself. ‘These burns are stinging like – well, like acid rain. I either piss on them or you can.’
‘Here. Use this.’
It was Victor. He handed Cyrus a jar of bicarbonate of soda mixed with water. Evie smiled as Cyrus did up his zipper.
‘That got you off the hook,’ he grinned at Evie as he took the jar from Victor and started pouring it liberally over his arms and hands.
Evie winced in sympathy. She knew exactly how Mixen burns felt.
In the distance the high-pitched wail of sirens brought her reeling back to the moment.
‘Let’s go.’
It was Victor. He tipped his head at Selena who was still standing on the veranda staring at the spot where the Mixen had vanished. ‘Come on.’
‘Where to?’ Cyrus asked.
Victor paused, thinking it through. ‘The Getty.’
‘Yeah,’ Cyrus scoffed, ‘because a visit to an art gallery is just what we need right now.’
‘It’s open air, in direct sunlight and we can find somewhere to talk that’s out of the way. And, besides, it’s the last place any Mixen or Scorpio would think of going.’
Cyrus pulled a face at him.
‘He’s right. They won’t follow you there.’
They all spun around to stare at Issa who had climbed out of the car and silently appeared between them. Evie had almost forgotten she’d been with them.
‘Who are you?’ Cyrus demanded.
‘I’m Issa,’ Issa answered. ‘We have met but you don’t remember.’ She nodded curtly at Cyrus’s arm. ‘You need stitches and antibiotics; otherwise that arm’s going to get infected.’
Cyrus glared at her. ‘You’re a Sybll?’
Issa nodded.
‘And we really know each other?’ He looked to Evie for confirmation. She nodded.
‘How well do we know each other?’ he asked, cocking his chin and giving Issa a once-over.
Evie let out an exasperated sigh.
‘What?’ Cyrus asked, shrugging at her. ‘I’m only asking.’
‘You didn’t know her like that. She helped us break into the Bradbury building before.’
Cyrus turned and studied Issa. ‘Well, this is great timing. Where have you been the last couple of months though? We could have used your help.’
‘Look, are we going to get out of here or what?’ Flic suddenly demanded.
The sirens were getting louder.
‘Come on, she’s right. Let’s go,’ Vero said, running to one of the bikes.
Evie strode to the car and threw open the door. ‘Cyrus, get in,’ she ordered.