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And then Mab let out a primal, furious screa snarl I wanted nothing more than to race back down the hallway, throw myself on top of her, and pound her with ain until she was nothing but a s red smear on the carpet

But the eleain, building and building and building as she prepared to take another shot at me

I turned and ran, and this ti My eyes locked on to the Exit sign up ahead, even though I could hear Mabforce with every step that we both took

Mab let out a screaain The elemental flames roared down the hallway toward me with all the force of a supernova

I forced s pump harder, despite the burns and blisters that sent continuous waves of agony throughmy vision, and screams of pain slipped froh it felt like I was running in place instead offorward, I finally reached the end of the hallway and barreled through the double doors Mab’s Fire hit the the hot, jagged shards at me The pieces sliced into my back, even as the force of the blast threw ain, from the pain and frustration ofbut keep running So I forced ered off as fast as I could into the cold, welcoh the darkness,and not caring, as long as it ay from Mab and her elemental Fire

After about thirty seconds, the cold penetrated ered steps had taken me away frolance overfists held high, ready to unleash another blast of ic But all I saas the fiery outline of the ballroom The elemental Fire that Mab had created had already spread to the roof, and a second later, a loud, ear-shattering groan ripped through the building Sparks, sht sky as part of the structure caved in on itself No, Mab wouldn’t be co after et

My stuish path had taken me out into the open, into the dead space between the tennis courts and the edge of the golf course Everyone ht now, but it wouldn’t be long before Mab rallied her giants to start searching the grounds If I was still here when that happened, I was dead

I’d made Owen promise me earlier that he’d slip out of the club and wait by the car while I went after Mab The plan had been to s didn’t go well I didn’t want to be anywhere near the fla the curve of the structure was the quickest way to get to Owen So Ias close to the eleed past it Even from ten feet away, I could still feel Mab’s power in the fla at my skin like red-hot needles I hissed at the sensation and hurried on

Another piece of the roof caved in The s roar momentarily drowned out the startled shouts and screams of those who’d been inside the country club No ht, no one in Ashland would ever forget this party Fire and Ice ball, indeed I gri

Mab had blocked the exit on this side of the building with her last burst of Fire, so I didn’t see or pass anyone as I hurried on A sht

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but couldn’t have been , and the snow gave way to s like talons on the concrete Already, I could hear the ly sounds that whispered of fire, heat, death, destruction The stone wouldn’t forget what had happened here tonight either

I sprinted through the parking lot as fast as I could, consideringtoward the space where the valet had parked Owen’s car Hopefully, he would be there waiting, and we could at least get away clean-

Thwack-thwack-thwack

The steady sound of fists pu flesh dashed that hope Up ahead, shapes moved back and forth, backlit by the flaiants had found Owen already My heart twisted in ht that I couldn’t breathe, but I forced myself to run as fast as I ever had into escape Mab’s ele happened to Owen, I’d just-I’d just crumble inside What little there was left ofnothing behind but aching, bitter eed ahead, le in front of et would be Despite h the snow, I’d soed to hold on to my silverstone knives, one in either hand Good I didn’t want to waste even half a second reaching for theer

Owen stood fifty feet in front of one to his car like we’d planned-he just hadn’t gotten to it quite fast enough to drive away Four giants surrounded hiainst the car I didn’t knohen the giants had spotted hi for a while now, because blood and bruises covered Owen’s face like a second skin

But my lover was deterripped a blacksht before, and I hadn’t spied hi the hammer in the car earlier But he used the solid, heavy, black ha it first one way, then the other, with easy, deadly skill, his raceful as those of any dancer Two giants already lay cru like oil slicks on the pave fro up anytiiants ere left eased in toward Owen, but a couple of cracks of his ha back They all stared at each other, hesitant to step forward and take the full force of Owen’s assault One of the giants was a little bolder or perhaps just a little stupider than the rest because he rushed toward Owen, intending to overpower hith and then let the others pile on Fool

Oaited until thehis haiant’s temple That side of his skull collapsed, and blood squirted out of hiiant never h his body hit the pavement with an audible thump

"Come on!" Owen roared "Come on! Which one of you bastards is next?"

The three reed uneasy looks, but none of theet their head bashed in like their buddy just had In that regard, they were s as siry hiss, I leaped out of the shadows and slaiant closest to ht just before they ripped into his broad back One cut, then two, and he was dead The giant gurgled out a weak scream before he went down, and the others’ heads snapped around at the surprise attack from the rear

I didn’t hesitate, and neither did Owen

He iant’s knee, before whipping around and plowing his weapon into the ered back, and did a header onto the paverabbed his hair, yanked his head back, and cut his throat before letting hiiant, who started backing away from us, eyes ith surprise and ed after hiht Not when Mab and Jonah McAllister had both already seen rip on his harabbed his aret hi "We need to get out of here Now!"