Something about the panic in his voice broke through the fog in her mind, and when she blinked, it was as if she were seeing the scene for the first time. She remembered watching it all, but that had been like a dream. This was real, and Daniel was in trouble.

Acting quickly, Harper grabbed a huge stick from the side of the path. Penn was too focused on Daniel, opening her mouth wider as if she meant to swallow him, so she didn’t notice Harper coming up behind her.

Using all her might, Harper swung, and the stick cracked hard against the back of Penn’s skull. She howled in rage and pain, the monster roar mixing with her voice and sounding totally inhuman.

Daniel arched his back and threw Penn off, and she landed in the brush nearby. Before Harper could ask Daniel if he was all right, he’d sprung back to his feet. Penn was back up, too, seething as she stepped toward Daniel and Harper.

“Penn!” Thea snapped, and Penn jerked her head back to look at her sister. “What are you doing? Why are you messing with those two?”

“I was looking for Gemma, and things got out of hand.” Slowly, Penn’s face shifted back, looking more human again.

“We don’t have time for that. Sawyer’s down at the docks with Gemma, and who knows how long he’ll be able to hold her there,” Thea said. Penn looked reluctantly back at Daniel and Harper, like she still really wanted to kill them both. “Penn! Let’s go!”

“Fine,” Penn relented, and stepped back from them. “I have some business to attend to, but I’ll be back for both of you.”

Penn turned around, hurrying after Thea, and Harper took a second to catch her breath before turning back to Daniel.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He nodded. “Let’s go get your sister.”

Harper swallowed hard, wishing she had more time to inspect Daniel and make sure he really was okay. But she didn’t have time, so she took Daniel’s hand, and the two of them started running toward the docks. They had to go all the way across the beach to the other side, while everyone stared up at the light show above them.

THIRTY-THREE

Iniquity

Lexi pushed Sawyer off her arm, his body, sliding over it, making a sickening slippery sound before he fell face-first on the dock. Almost casually, she kicked his body, and it rolled off the dock and splashed into the water.

Gemma had wanted to scream, to do something, but she merely watched in shock and horror. Some of his blood had splattered on her, and it still felt warm on her skin. She’d been trying to save him, and Lexi had ripped out his heart.

“That bitch means business,” Alex said, sounding almost as dazed and horrified as Gemma felt. “We need to get out of here. Like now.”

“Right,” Gemma agreed.

Lexi was busy licking the blood off her hand, so Gemma thought this would be the perfect time to make her escape. She grabbed Alex’s hand, and they turned to make a run for it.

But Lexi rushed around them, moving at a speed so fast it would’ve been impossible for Gemma to match. She ran so quickly, it was like a blur of color, and then she was standing in front of them.

“I’m really fast,” Lexi told them, smiling brightly. “That’s what happens when you eat a lot, Gemma. You get faster and stronger and just plain better. Too bad you didn’t take my advice when I told you to eat, huh?”

“It doesn’t make you smarter, though, does it, Lexi?” Gemma asked. “Or if it does, you must’ve been really stupid before you became a siren.”

“Those are big words coming from someone who’s about to die,” Lexi said. “Here. Let’s make it fair. You eat this.” She held out Sawyer’s heart toward Gemma, who struggled not to gag.

“I’m not going to,” Gemma said. “I’m not going to be one of you.”

“I don’t really have time to eat it, either.” Lexi stared down at the heart and sighed. “Oh, well.” She tossed it over her shoulder and it landed on the dock, bouncing once before splashing into the water. “It’s probably time for you to die anyway.”

Alex charged at Lexi first. Gemma wasn’t sure if he’d heard what she’d said, or if he’d just had enough. He swung at her, but Lexi knocked him down, and he fell back on the dock.

“You know what would be so fun?” Lexi sounded excited as Gemma ran over to help Alex. “Since you two like each other so much, it’d be way fun if he killed you. Or at least tried to. I doubt he’d be able to finish the job, but it’d be fun to see him try.”

“You are so messed up, Lexi,” Gemma said. “Like, seriously. You are one sick bitch.”

“Aw, thanks.” Lexi winked at her, and when she spoke again, her voice came out as a song: “Alex, my weary wanderer, my voice is the way. Alex, my young love, do as I say.”

Alex, in an apparent daze, let go of Gemma’s hand and walked toward Lexi. Gemma called his name, but he ignored Gemma, following the song into Lexi’s arms.

She smiled at Gemma as she embraced Alex. One of her arms was around his shoulder, and the other was stroking his hair back. She leaned in to him, like she meant to kiss him, and when Alex leaned closer, she pulled away and laughed.

“Oh, this is almost too easy to be fun,” Lexi said, watching Gemma from the corner of her eye.

“No, Alex, don’t listen to her,” Gemma said. He’d wrapped one arm around Lexi’s waist, and she saw him reaching into his back pocket for something. “Alex. Don’t listen to her. I love you.”