Chapter 68

• ZARA POV
• The air hung heavy, thick with the metallic tang of blood. Even before I saw him, the scent assaulted my nostrils, a jarring counterpoint to the usual sweetness that always clung to him. I didn't flinch, didn't react. Instead, I turned calmly, a practiced ease settling over me. I waited.
• He was catching up quickly, his long strides eating up the distance between us. "I sent Jeremy to escort you," Hero said, his voice a low rumble. His brow furrowed, a deep crease marrying his otherwise flawless features. "Shouldn't he be driving you? Why are you walking instead?" He scanned the deserted street, his gaze sharp and alert.