Don’t shut down, Jess.  Not again. 

‘You’re back?’

Of course, dumbass. 

‘I thought I got rid of you.’

The monster only hides, never dies.

The demon travelled up my throat, dividing into the head and out my mouth.  Romane still held me in the lab room, his face cradled between my neck.  The monster inside blasted at full force and my eyes broke open, spine snapping upright as I rose with a large gasp. 

Romane jerked in surprise and his thumb flew under my cheekbone, stroking the skin.  “I’m surprised you didn’t faint like last time,” he chuckled.

I smiled back, it good to have control over my breakdowns for once.   “Times have changed,” I whispered.

“Times have changed,” he responded softly. 

“Ahem.”  Cray moved his hands around for an answer.  “So...is this whole flesh eating demon attacks, end of the rainbow kind of gold golden guns, fainting, waking up, and sappy romance thing normal?”  We gave him a bland look.  “What?  I’m serious.” 

The tips of my mouth curved inwards.   “You’re never serious.”

He waved his hand past his shoulder and blew his lips.  “Pfft.  Obviously.  Me?  Serious?  Best joke of the year.  But is this normal?  Because if it is, you should have told me to bring the fucking bazooka!”

“Bazooka?” I said dryly. 

“Bazooka.”

“Shall we stop this repeating thing?” asked Romane though it was more of an order.  He turned to me and his nose scrunched.  “Golden gun.  Jess...”  He reached for the 212 in my limp hand but my fingers curled around it.  “Where did you get that?”

“I had it with me at the bridge, before I arrived at Eagles,” I lied smoothly. 

But I was glass to him.  “No you didn’t.  Jess.  Where did you get that?”  I tried wriggling out of his arms yet they were steel, tightening the more I squirmed.  “Wildcat.” 

“You know you should stop calling me that,” I spoke under a hush.  I looked around, pretending to care if others were around.  “It sounds kinda kinky.   Plus, people are getting the wrong message.  They think you’re Troy Bolton.”  

“Who?”

Cray’s mental gasp was identical to mine.  “What?!  You’ve never watched High School Musical?!” our voices cried. 

“High School...Musical?”  Amusement died in his face.  “You’re fucking kidding right?  What kind of shitty movie is called High School Musical?!”

“’Kay, we’re done here.”  I lifted my palm.  “Talk to the hand.” 

Cray did the sassy snap and swerved his head.  “You tell him, Gabriella.”

“No.  Just no.”  Romane pointed to the door.  “Cray, get the Eagles out of here and wait in the helicopter.” 

“But sir, we’re all in this together—”

“No.  Out.” 

Cray made a childish pout and shoved two fingers in his mouth, making a sharp whistle.  “Eagles.”  All men halted.  “The leader instructed an evacuation of the area.”  Not hesitating, they lined up behind Cray as he ordered and quietly slid out.  “Eagles out!”  Yet I heard Cray’s faint voice singing, “We’re soooooarring, flyyiinnnggg...”   

Watching until they disappeared, I glanced at Romane and said, “I think Cray will make a great gang leader one day.” 

Romane boomed with laughter.  “Cray?  A gang leader?”

Enraged, I slapped his arm and stated, “Yes.  Cray.  He’d make an amazing leader!  Why wouldn’t he?”

“He’s a child.”

“He never runs out energy!”

“He sings songs from High School Musical.”

“He can kick ass.”

“Jess.  The boy owns a pair of butterfly slippers, uses crayons and drinks juice boxes.”

“Well so do I!”

“He’s nineteen.”

“I’m sixteen!”

“Therefore you both aren’t capable of being gang leaders.”

Crunching my face into a sour expression, I morphed it into a pleading look.  “Just promise me you’ll give him a chance?  An actual chance to be a leader?”  He was about to respond, but then I whispered lowly, “Please?” 

Staring hard, he broke into a sigh and rubbed his temples with his thumb and middle finger.  “Alright.  I promise.”  I lit up happily and moved to stand yet Romane pulled me back down.  “No, no.  You’re not going anywhere.  You have explaining to—”

“Was it all an act?”  His lips constricted into a stiff line of confusion and I simplified, “When I first met you.  You and Cray were bickering and threatening and pulling each other’s tails.” 

“Of course it was,” he smirked, quite proud of his work.  “Everything was planned accordingly.  The Snipers were with Cray and it was clear most would report their observations to Levi.” 

“Okay.”  I drove my fist into his face, cracking his nose back before it wobbled to normal. 

He cursed and clutched his nose, anger written across his body.  “What the hell was that for?!”

I boasted my nose to the heavens and said snootily, “For yanking my ponytail that day.  It hurt, okay?”

He pinched my nose and wiggled it, receiving another Jessie Slap.  “Whatever, Miss Complainer.  Now about that gun—”

“If you tell me what the children were all about, I’ll tell you about the gun,” I challenged.  I needed something out of this, not wanting to feel empty when releasing the information.  It seemed fair; answer for answer.

Boosting an interested brow, he agreed, “Fine.”  Leaving my head cradled in his lap, he explained, “The children were kidnapped from the orphanage by the Snipes and were taken to this laboratory to be experimented on.  They have this alliance with the owner of the orphanage and he receives serious cash for the children.  This has been going on for a long time.”

My heart squeezed my lungs, cutting off the last quick breath.  I seized Romane’s hand, clutching it for dear life.  Experiments.  On children.  A darkness clouded over and I barely caught Romane’s yelp from his wringed hand.  “I’m going to kill every last Sniper,” my coarse voice growled. 

“We usually stop them,” Romane spoke, trying to close the shaking doors. 

Images of the children in the nurse rooms flashed along my mind, calming the monster.  They were happy.  They were safe.  The others...  “Then who took this batch of children?” I said, glancing around the massacre. 

I was starting to think the Romane still had secrets to unlock to, with that uncertain look on his face.  “I’m not sure.  I don’t know who would want the children.  It’s not confirmed that the children here were already tested, but whoever wanted them saw them as a significance; the children not murdered by their kidnappers.  If the children were dead, their bodies would be here too.”  He glanced at the corpses and I watched his Adam Apple bob.  “Someone beat us to the kidnapping.  And clearly stopped at nothing to get what they wanted.”

“Wouldn’t you do the same?” I word vomited, thoughts flying over my head. 

“I know my limits,” he said, frowning at the hanging scientists.  “They don’t know there’s.”

I knew the answer.  It was buried deep within the back of my system, piles of hope covering the inevitable.  But I asked anyways, “Who’s they?”

I was stunned by his answer, “I don’t know.  I’ve never seen one of those demons before.” 

The tables were switching again.  I had the right hand, I clicked something he didn’t.   I was finding out things before the leaders.  Which meant the gangs wouldn’t be prepared. 

Hell, I wasn’t sure if I was prepared. 

Because ‘they’ were the Cold Bloods.

My brothers and sisters were back, and thirsty for revenge.    

+++

There was no noise on the ride back.  We lost three Eagles.  Cray cracked no jokes.  I rested my head on Romane’s shoulder, his arm strongly holding my waist.  My muscles were still weak from the ego transaction and my eyes fought to stay open. 

Hitting the landing on the aircraft, Romane walked me to my room and stopped by the door.  Losing the warmth, I was thanking him until a small voice interrupted mine. 

“Jessie,” the Pale Beauty squeaked.  She swayed on her toes, the little white dress flowing back and forth. 

I tore my eyes from Romane and glanced down.  “Yes, pretty?”

She nibbled on her tiny pink lips, her face brightening as she spoke, “Can you and Ro-Ro sleep with us?”

I wasn’t shy to look up at Romane, knowing he too held a growing smile that was impossible to hold.  “Ro-Ro?”

He ran his hand along Pale Beauty’s bald head, down her neck to her cheek which he nipped at.  “They think it’s funny to call me Ro-Ro instead of leader.” 

“It is!” Pale Beauty laughed.  She tugged his sleeve, ushering him to the room.  “C’mon!  Please!” 

Romane gazed at me for a response, seeming open to anything.  I took the little girl’s open hand and grinned.  “I’d love to.”

We took separate showers before meeting in the foyer, Romane dressed in a cotton button down and white cotton pants while I was in the same coloured night gown.

The Pale Beauty was waiting and happily giggled.  She skipped down the hall, leading us.  Romane keeping his arm slung along my waist, he whispered low enough so she couldn’t hear, “She was already tested when we rescued her.  The drug gave her cancer and we had no choice but to remove her hair.”  He stared distantly at the jumping child.  “She was so brave when we told her about it.” 

The anger was immediately replaced by cold sadness, and a churn knocked into my control, a watery surface glistening on my eyes.  Blinking it back, I watched as she jumped onto her twin bed, wiggling between the covers to then pat a seat next to her. 

“She is brave, isn’t she?” I said. 

Romane gestured me to slide beside her first, him following after.  I was facing the young girl yet seeing her happy face was half the reason to why I was smiling.  Romane’s strong arm curled around my waist, his stomach nestled against my back and his lips brushed into my neck. 

“You smell good,” he murmured, nuzzling deeper into my neck. The child’s eyes drooped to a close.

“So do you,” I whispered to him.

I felt his smile pressing into my shoulder.  "Goodnight Wildcat."

"Goodnight Ro-Ro."

+++
Short simple and sweet

what do you think about the Cold Bloods returning? did they want Jess dead?

the book is coming to a close soon my readers. thank you so much for all your love and it's very much appreciated.

good news!! there's going to be a sequel!! I already made up my mind, the sequel being the closing of the Delores trilogy.

anyways hoped you enjoyed this chapter :) the faster I complete my goals the more I update <3

GOAL

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thanks so much for over 400 in the previous chapter. I was ecstatic and literally couldn't breathe

PLEASE VOTE!! one click will make my dayo!! have it raining clicks ;) sorry I'm weird
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