Echoes (Dance With My Demons, #2)

by Steph Macca

Theo smiles, huffing into a laugh. "I would have killed him. I would have gutted him without hesitation. But that would have meant leaving you. And I'm not prepared to do that.

"You're fucking perfect, Avery. Don't ever hide this from me. I want to see all of you."

"I could die right now," I growl, looking into her gray orbs. "It would be the best death. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else except in you."

If anyone lays a single finger on her, bruising her perfect skin, I'll soak them in gasoline and make a bonfire.

"You're not going to avoid me any longer, Avery. I don't care the reason why. Whatever it is, I promise that I'm the bigger threat."

I'm fucking possessive. I'm dangerous. I'll fucking kill for what's mine. And that extends to her.

"Who do you think killed Hallman, little killer? He didn't take his own life. No—I ended it. I ended that sad, pathetic excuse of a man because he touched you. He tried to hurt what's mine."

"You're fucking mine, Avery," he growls into my mouth. "This lifetime and the next one too."

"This is what you do to me," I breathe out, growling as her finger presses into my flesh harder. "You tear me apart from the inside out in the best fucking ways possible. You make me kill for you, you make me want to die for you. I'll burn this whole place down to ashes and paint you with them like the muse you are."

"You're the reason, Avery. For all of us." "What do you mean?" I breathe out. He leans down, brushing his lips against my ear. "You're my only reason for anything. And I think you're theirs, as well."

"When you go to heaven one day, I'll drag you back down to hell to join me. Because I'm never leaving you, Avery."

"That's bullshit and you know it," I scold. "If that were true, you wouldn't want to protect me. You wouldn't care for me." Theo lifts an eyebrow. "You're the exception, Avery. If I feel anything, it's because you put it there."

"I can't keep up with you guys." "No one can," Grey laughs, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "And you should be thankful I have the stamina of a fucking God."

Grey stills for a moment, deep in thought. Slowly, he looks over my head at Theo, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe you can join us." My neck lets out a small crack as I whip my head to the side, eyes-wide at Grey. "What?" He grins at me, lowering his voice. "What's wrong, little killer? Scared of the two big bad men?"

"I want to make one thing clear," I say to her, putting it down. "You're mine. I've made exceptions for Theo, but Damon will need to explain himself."

"My heart is only for you, little killer. I'll kill anyone that dares to touch you, hurt you."

Pulling back from her lips, I look her directly in the eye, our faces covered in little droplets of blood. "We're bonded by this blood. Together, the King and Queen of the Unhinged."

Mine. No one is going to take that away from me. I'll kill every last person until we're the last two left. And then we'll burn the world down together.