hector narrowed his eyes; then a calculating grin curled his fleshy lips. "go ahead. say what you like. these men all know that you're the sentinels' pawn. you're only going to prove my case."

he held up his fist and the men surrounding her quieted. "the girl here has something to say."

the men laughed as if he'd just told a joke. then again, maybe her speaking out at this point was funny. ridiculous.

"i know you all think i'm brainwashed, but i'm not." they laughed louder, but lexi ignored them. "i've been inside those walls and i know what kind of people the sentinels are. they're the kind of people who shelter orphaned children. the kind of people who lay their lives on the line every night so that you can all sleep safer in your beds." the men's laughter died. "and even though every one of you here would rather kill them than speak to them and learn the truth, if it was one of your kids at risk, one of your kids who had been orphaned, they'd take them in and keep them safe. no hard feelings. no grudges."

the men started looking at one another uncomfortably, shifting from one foot to the other. she lowered her voice and watched as these men moved toward her, straining to hear what she had to say in her last moments. "we do have enemies. we do need to fight, but you're fighting the wrong war. the synestryn are our real enemy. they're the ones who want our blood. our children's blood."

they were close enough now.

her fingers gripped the cold metal disks lining the front of the vest. she shoved her fingernail between two of them, feeling the magnetic tug that held them locked together tight. all she had to do was twist her fingernail and pull and it would all be over. she'd take all these men down with her, freeing the sentinels and those they protected from the threat the defenders posed.

i love you, zach. she had to tell him once more. make sure he knew.

her words pushed through the barrier easily this time, melting it away. power roared into her body like a tidal wave, making her rock on her feet. her body seemed ready for it, craving it. her cells soaked it up, making her feel stronger with every passing heartbeat.

there was no more room inside her for fear or indecision. she knew exactly what she needed to do, and thanks to her love for zach, she had the power to do it.

she felt zach's love wrap around her, warming her, sliding over her skin like a caress. the tingling heat soaked into her and she was sure, if she looked, she'd be glowing.

her voice rose up, loud and strong, resonating with the energy that pulsed inside her. she pulled in a deep breath, praying she could channel that power and control it. "every one of the sentinels would sacrifice his or her life to save one of you." she scanned the crowd, looking each man in the eyes. "and i am one of them. remember that when you tell your kids what you've seen here today. remember that a sentinel once held the power of life and death over you. and let you live."

with that, she used her newfound power to create a wall strong enough to hold in the force of the explosion, to channel it up into the sky. then she ripped apart the magnets, triggering the bomb strapped to her chest.

giant hammers slammed into her from every side, crushing her body, but there was no pain. an instant later, a searing wave of heat swept over her, burning everything away. in her last brief, flashing moment of life, all she felt was zach's love holding her close, surrounding her, cradling her, staying with her to the very end. just as he'd promised.

zach had finally managed to free himself from the ropes, grab his sword from the main cabin of the motor home, and go racing after lexi when he felt the barrier between them melt away.

power surged out of him, driving him to his knees in shock. rocks cut into his flesh, dug into his joints, but he hardly felt it. his body was still numb and tingling from being bound for so long, and although he'd nearly scraped the skin from his forearms escaping the ropes, there was no pain.

instead, he was surrounded by a soothing warmth as if lexi held him in her arms.

i love you, zach, she whispered to his mind. the words were tinted with acceptance of her decision. courageous resignation.

zach felt her emotions trickle through and knew what they meant. she was going to detonate the device early. take as many of the defenders down with her as she could. he'd seen her plan glowing in her eyes-heard it in her voice as she asked hector if he'd be willing to die for his people.

so would i.

zach tried to shout a warning that he'd escaped and was coming for her, but it was too late. light flashed, brightening the morning sky and thunder rolled out over the land.

"no!" shouted zach as he raced toward her-toward the last place he'd felt all that love flowing from.

a column of smoke and fire spewed up as if all the energy of the explosion had been shoved into an invisible tunnel.

he reached out with his mind as his feet flew over the dew-soaked ground. the echo of her love flowing through the luceria had not yet died off, but that was all that was left: a hollow echo dying to morbid silence as he ran.

chapter 25

zach scrambled up the ridge until he could see the gathering of men below.

anger and grief warred within him, leaving no room to breathe. she was gone. his sweet lexi was gone.

his limbs were heavy and clumsy as he climbed, his frantic rage pounding hard in his veins until it vibrated his bones. blood seeped from his torn skin, making the rocks slippery.

the only consolation he had was that he'd be joining her soon. whatever life held for them after they left this world, they were going to go through it together.

but first, zach was going to kill every one of those fuckers for taking lexi from him. he wasn't sure how long he'd have before his time was up, but he was pretty sure it would be long enough to get the job done.

with his sword in his bloody hand, zach stalked down the ridge, the metallic taste of vengeance on his tongue. the defenders were packed around her, staring at the starburst of scorched earth and the crater that cradled her body.

her body? surely after an explosion like that there wouldn't be one.

the urge to gather what was left of her in his arms burned strong inside him, but not nearly as strong as his need for blood. he wanted to feel the blood of these men splatter over his face, still hot with the life he was cutting from them. he wanted to feel it drench his arms until it dripped from him. he wanted to watch as it pooled on the ground, wetting the earth with his rage and grief.

the defenders hadn't noticed his approach. a satisfied smile stretched his lips and bared his teeth.

"zach, no!" for a second, zach thought it was lexi calling him, and his steps faltered as he turned to find her.

but it wasn't lexi. it was helen. she was clinging to drake's arm, weaving on her feet with fatigue.

she and drake walked toward the defenders, who were now looking from them to zach with wide, frightened eyes.

zach readied his blade and braced himself for the bullets that would no doubt be biting into his skin any moment. but rather than fire their weapons, the defenders started to scatter like roaches cast into sunlight.

"no!" shouted zach. he wasn't going to be able to reach them all.

helen lifted her hand and a ring of fire spewed from the earth, locking them inside a hot, crackling embrace. even with the barrier preventing their flight, they all managed to stay well out of zach's reach.

he stalked toward them, hungry for their blood, and ran into an invisible wall.

rage surged inside him and he sliced at the obstacle, making it waver and shimmer like heated air.

"you're not getting through it," said andra. her feet were braced apart, her long, lean body housed in leather and denim.

paul stood at her side, weapon bare, his eyes on lexi's body. "you might as well not waste your strength."

where had andra come from? zach hadn't seen her approach. or paul's.

"let me through," he ordered between clenched teeth.

"nope," she said. "not gonna happen."

paul strode forward toward lexi, and zach felt a searing possessiveness scald his insides. he ran for her, unwilling to let another man touch her. paul knelt at her side, reached out a hand.

"no!" shouted zach as he reached paul's side, shoving the other man away from her. "don't touch."

paul held up his hands. "i was just checking for a pulse."

pulse? why would there be a pulse?

there was a grating metallic sound that zach knew meant danger, but he ignored it. lexi absorbed all of him. his attention, his emotion, his hopes and dreams.

she was everything to him, and she was gone.

he should have found a way to save her. his job was to keep her safe, protect her. he should have been the one lying there in a blackened crater. he should have been the one whose hair was singed and flesh scorched.

"drop the guns or lose a testicle," said andra in a warning tone.

zach didn't care if they shot him or not. even his need for vengeance was fading away, losing importance as lexi's body grew cold.

the urge to keep her warm for as long as he could swept through him, taking over. he gathered her limp body in his arms and cradled her on his lap. her head landed against his shoulder, smearing his clothes with soot and ash. her eyebrows were mostly burned away, her eyelashes short stubs. her pointed chin was no longer thrust up in defiance, but tucked against her chest.

zach's fingers traced her face, memorizing the soft curves and gentle lines. soot blackened his hand, making the swirling jade green of his ring stand out in contrast.

movement? if she was gone, there would be no movement in the color. they'd be fixed at the time of death. immovable.

a faint breath of hope washed over his skin. zach pressed his fingers to her neck. her skin was warm, a bit too warm, even. and beneath the silky softness the faintest pulse of life thrummed through her veins.

lexi was alive!

joy tore through him in a vibrant surge of light and color. his head spun with shock and a jubilant cry rose from his soul, echoing the morning air. he kissed her lips, and although she didn't respond, her breath filled his lungs. he sucked it into himself, cherishing the proof of life that expanded inside him, warm and sweet and perfect.

there was some kind of commotion around him, but zach ignored it. his total focus was on lexi, on the minute vibration of her stubby eyelashes as she tried to lift her eyelids, on the subtle tightening of her mouth as if she'd felt his kiss, on the pale streaks of skin where his tears had washed away the soot covering her beautiful face.

god, he loved her. so much, he thought the ferocity of it might tear him apart, and yet it didn't. somehow, it made him whole.

"wake up, honey," he coaxed her. his voice was tight with emotion, strangled by tears.

he smoothed her hair from her face, feeling the coarse bits of burned strands breaking off under his palm, leaving only softness behind.

gilda knelt beside him, heedless of the ash blackening her gray gown. she reached toward lexi, but zach shifted away, shielding her with his body. no one else could touch her. only him.

"i mean her no harm," said the gray lady, her voice steady and calm. "i simply wanted to offer my aid as the sanguinar cannot help her here, under the sun."