Catwoman: Soulstealer (DC Icons #3)(94)

Across from her, tears slid down Ivy’s face as she silently watched. Luke lunged for the nearest power cord, opening up a panel on his suit arm to grab the small pair of wire-splicers.

Maggie’s shoulders shook as she resumed pumping. “You fought for me, even when no one else would. You fought, and I love you.” Maggie sucked in a shuddering breath, sitting back on her heels. “Fight back,” she whispered. “One last time.”

Selina’s chest did not move.

Luke sliced down the plastic coating on the wires, revealing the tangle of metal beneath. A hollow, aching void filled him, silence pealing through his head.

Maggie lunged, slamming a hand down onto Selina’s heart as she screamed, “FIGHT BACK.” Another slam of her hand, right over that silent heart. “FIGHT—”

Selina’s body arced off the floor, eyes flaring wide.

His helmet glowed with assessments and data that he ignored. Ignored as she gasped for breath, then coughed, curling on her side—

Maggie threw her arms around her, shaking with the force of her sobbing. For a heartbeat, Selina just lay there, and Luke looked then—at his helmet’s monitors.

To make sure the sudden stillness didn’t mean anything amiss.

But there was her heartbeat, hammering steadily. The wire tumbled from his hands.

Slowly, Selina’s arm rose, gently resting on Maggie’s back.

Her younger sister pulled away, and Selina stared up silently into Maggie’s face.

Those green eyes scanned over every curve and freckle, along every wild curl and plane of healthy, glowing skin.

Tears began sliding out of the corners of Selina’s eyes.

Maggie surged forward, hugging her again.

This time, both of Selina’s arms came around her sister—and held tightly.

Ivy asked, voice thick but clear, “Does this mean you have eight lives left?”





The oak-lined street was awash with reds and golds and oranges, the sky a crisp blue above the fall splendor.

Luke and Selina lingered in the shadows beneath one of the trees, monitoring the lovely white house across the way, the mums lining the path to the red-painted front door, the flower beds bursting with color beneath the wide windows and black shutters. As pretty a house as one could picture, on an equally beautiful street.

Quiet, yet humming with life. Families out and about, kids shouting as they played backyard soccer. Luke and Selina leaned against the hood of the black SUV of the League assassins that they’d taken here, and he brushed his fingers against hers as they watched Maggie run up to the door and ring the doorbell. Once, twice. Bouncing on her toes, curls bobbing with her.

Healthy. Healed. Whole.

The door opened, an Asian man filling the space.

He fell to his knees at the sight of Maggie. As she threw her arms around his neck and he grasped her tightly. A heartbeat later, a white man approached, tall and blond. He took one look at his husband, at the girl in his arms, and knelt, too. Wrapped his arms around both of them.

Luke glanced sidelong at Selina.

Silver lined her eyes, a smile, soft and yet full of joy, dancing upon her mouth. Full of life.

He’d removed his helmet, his suit—and stood in the black athletic gear he wore beneath. But Selina…She still wore her torn battle-suit. Clean, but they were still shadows in this neighborhood. Slivers of the night. They did not belong.

“You sure you don’t want to say hi?” Luke asked as Maggie and her dads rose to their feet, the men now looking the girl over with utter shock—and gratitude.

Selina shook her head, focus never straying from the family that moved inside, the door shutting behind them. She and Maggie had made their goodbyes in the SUV moments ago. Maggie had tried to convince her sister to meet her adoptive parents, but Selina had gently refused. Her return would raise too many questions, potentially bring too many people sniffing around Maggie and her family.

Maggie had cried, asking when she’d see her sister again. Luke had tried not to watch through the rearview mirror as Selina had kissed her sister’s cheek.

“I’ll surprise you,” Selina had told Maggie. He’d never heard that voice, the tone she used with her sister. The softness. The kindness.

“But when?” Maggie had frowned deeply.

Selina had brushed a curl from Maggie’s face. “So bossy.”

Maggie’s eyes welled again. “In a week?”

Selina kissed her brow this time. “Soon.”

“What about Friday night movies?”

Joy—that was joy in Selina’s eyes. “Get settled again, Maggie. Then we’ll figure it out.”

“Just come meet Hiroki and Peter. You’ll love them. Maybe they’ll adopt you, too—”

Selina had chuckled. “You should go in. They’re worried sick.” She’d held her tightly. “We’ll see each other again soon. I promise.”

With that, Maggie had reluctantly left the car. She’d taken two trudging steps before she sprinted for the beautiful house. Where she was now safely ensconced.

“She’s safer this way,” Selina said, staring at the now-shut front door.

Luke studied her. “And what about Holly Vanderhees? What happens to her?”

Selina faced him at last, mouth tightening. She said nothing.

“When did you figure it out—who I am?” he asked.