The dewy grass soaks through my clothes and into my bones as I begin to stir, the cool of the forest morning clinging to my skin. I blink against the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy overhead, my head nestled in the crook of Kai’s arm. His body is curled protectively around mine, radiating warmth like a living furnace. Behind us, Dylan sits with his arms wrapped loosely around his knees, his eyes scanning the woods, ever alert.“Morning, doll,” he says softly, not even glancing back.“Good morning,” I murmur, my voice scratchy with sleep. I stretch, wincing slightly as my muscles protest, and Kai lets out a sleepy groan against my neck, pressing a lazy kiss to my collarbone. Despite everything that happened yesterday, the blood, the chaos, the brutal edge of battle, I feel… good. Better than I should. I glance down at my body, half-expecting to see torn skin or deep bruising, but there’s only dried blood, no pain, no wounds, nothing. The matebond must be doing more than b
LayahThe world blurs at the edges as we push through the forest. My legs are heavy. My magic flickers, unstable and wild beneath my skin, burning too hot one second, freezing cold the next. I try not to stumble, but I feel it when Kai moves in closer behind me, a steady presence at my back.“I can’t portal us,” I murmur, breath shallow. “I’m sorry.”“You’re losing too much blood,” Dylan says, voice tight with worry. His hand presses gently against the side of my ribs where the gash won’t stop bleeding. “You’re barely staying upright.”“I’m fine,” I lie. “I’ve had worse.”“Layah.” Kai’s voice is firmer, not scolding, just real. “We’re not asking you to prove anything. We just need to know how far you can go before we carry you.”I grit my teeth, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other as roots and rocks threaten to trip me. The pull of the Soulclaw bond is helping, Kai and Dylan are steadying me without touching me, grounding me with their presence. But even that’s not enou
My people start flooding in from every direction, drawn to the scent of spilled blood, magic, and the unmistakable vacuum of power. Their footsteps echo like drums of war down the stone corridors. My ears catch the sharp scuffle of boots, the whispers of shadows, too late. They’ve come too late. The fairy peels herself off the floor with blood on her cheek and defiance in her eyes. She spins on her heel, facing her people like a spark ready to ignite a wildfire.“We need to go, now.”I stare at her, memorizing the exact curve of her lips when she says it. Like she’s used to being obeyed. Like she's the one in command.The dragon, Dylan, I think, tilts his head toward me, voice tight. “What about him?”“Fuck him,” she spits without hesitation, already turning.She runs. Not from fear, I know what fear looks like. No, this is something else. Strategy. Disdain. Maybe heartbreak. Or maybe I just want her to be hurting the way I am. She disappears into the corridors, her wings flaring behi
It’s not entirely surprising that the males standing outside her door are guarding it like sacred treasure. That in itself is infuriating. I can hear the screams echoing down the corridor, bones snapping, blood splattering the walls, but I can’t see her. I can’t witness what she’s doing. She’s slaughtering my people, and somehow, I’m intrigued. I peel myself from the shadows, cloaking myself in movement so fast it blurs the world around me. My boots are soundless against the cold stone floor as I close the distance between us. Two of them stand like sentinels. One is taller, broad shoulders, bronze skin and a tattoos that hum with faint magic. A dragon shifter. The other, more wiry but radiating a different kind of menace, his dark eyes glinting with hellfire. A hellhound. I’ve known his kind. Dangerous. Loyal to a fault. But their presence here, guarding her, strikes a nerve. I step closer. Too close. And I’m rewarded when they tense, throwing small sparks of warding magic at me, chi
I'm just about to drive my blade through Jonathon’s heart, finally, after all the blood and games, when movement flashes at the edge of my vision. Instinct takes over. I pivot mid-strike, blade skimming wide as I counter with my elbow, narrowly blocking the oncoming blow. The force behind it stings. He steps out of the shadows, tall, composed, his black hair slicked back like he walked out of an old portrait, but those eyes, those glowing red eyes, scream hunger, control, obsession. He hisses low, almost gleefully, “You’re faster than the last one.”We clash. Metal on metal. Fist to flesh. He’s quick, sharp, calculated, every move trained for war. A predator in every sense of the word. But he’s not what I came here for. I snarl, summoning a pulse of raw magic from my chest and blast him backward. He crashes into the stone wall hard enough to leave a dent, but not nearly hard enough to keep him down. I turn for Jonathon, he’s scrambling through another door, but before I can take a st
JordanThe problem with ancient vampire estates? Too many damn hallways and not enough exits. Henry and I creep down a corridor lined with stone statues, each one bearing the same smug, angular face. Jonathon Vize really does love himself. Which means we’re close. I gesture toward a sconce flickering oddly against the far wall. “There. Behind it.”Henry nods, pressing a small rune-stone into the wall’s groove. The illusion blinks away, revealing a stairwell spiraling downward like the throat of some monster.“This the right path?” I ask.He tilts his head, listening to the air. “Wards are thinner here. If I were hiding a comm hub, this is where I’d do it.”I exhale, gripping my twin daggers tighter. “Alright. Let’s gut their eyes and ears.”We descend in silence, silent, but not quiet. Vampires might not breathe, but stone does. It groans. Settles. Watches. My hand brushes against the necklace tucked beneath my shirt. A tiny charm Layah gave me for luck. If there’s ever a day I need i