-Gabriel-“Are you sure you’re okay, love?” I ask Katherine for the fifth time since we left Blutholz Castle. She’s been quiet, and if there’s one thing I know about Katherine, it’s that she’s not a quiet person. Ever.“I’m okay, I promise. She sighs and hugs her coat closer to her body as she says, "I just want to get out of this country." “I don’t ever want to come back here.”“We won’t have to after you gave the coordinates and codes to Kazimir this morning. I doubt we’ll see the council any time soon.” I say, noticing how she flinches when I mention the Pureblood cunt’s name.I get it. Most vampires would cower at Kazimir’s feet, but she stood her ground yesterday. Katherine is not weak, I know this, but I still want to protect her at all costs; even if she thinks she doesn’t need it. Taking her hand in mine, I kiss the back of it and bring the car to a stop on the tarmac. “Let's go home,” I say, opening the door and leading her to the waiting jet.We left the castle about three

-Katherine-It’s been three days and I can still feel Kazimir’s hands all over my body. I try to brush it off when everyone asks how I’m doing, try to make it seem like it’s not affecting me; when in all honesty it feels like I’m slowly being eaten alive.Gabriel has been nothing but sweet and caring; taking care of me and loving me right through it all. I wake up and he’s holding me; I go to sleep, and he's holding me… all this love and I still feel Kazimir’s touch.My bedroom door opens and Xenia walks in with the same concerned expression as before. She blames everything on Gabriel, even though I told her it's not his fault at all. When a vampire sleeps, nothing will wake him until the sun goes down - it’s like a literal hibernation.“Kat, please talk to me,” she says, walking over to where I’m standing at the window. “You haven’t left this room since you came back from Germany, and you keep saying you’re fine when we all can see you’re not.”I sigh. “You guys have been talking abo

-Gabriel-By the look Katherine gave me before storming out, I can safely say that I am in a world of trouble. I didn’t mention our visitors to her before knowing what he had planned, but now they’ve surprised me by arriving earlier than expected.“She looks peeved off, mate,” Aaron comments when Katherine leaves. “Perhaps we should plan this better, yeah?”“I didn’t expect you until later on this evening,” I say, before turning to Valentine. “Please see to Amara before joining us in the office.”He nods, then heads towards her and I gesture for the rest of the men to follow me. The things I discovered about Amara and her family have not only added to my fury, but now I have guilt coiling in my gut as well.She was exactly what I asked for and the council found her, ripped her from her family, killed her husband, and now holds her daughter captive. Her misery is all because of me, now it’s up to me to make it right.“So, what is this about using the Fae woman to get Kazimir here?” Gus

-Church-“They’ve just crossed the halfway mark and should be landing soon,”“I’ll be there before they arrive; let the others know,”“Yes, Pres,”I kill the call, and my hands fall to my sides, slowly balling into fists. This is the worst fucking thing that could ever happen; the entire council will be in town because of what Pres did. They’re all confident about this plan, but if there’s one thing that I’ve learned, it’s that once you get a slimy feeling about someone, no amount of sob stories will take it away.This Amara bitch is lying about something.Leaning over the stone balustrade, I watch as Valentine walks with her to his car and opens the door for her. There’s some hectic sexual tension between the two of them, and it fucking pisses me off. He’s tasted her blood, so he trusts her word, but I know a soul sucker when I see one. Christ, why won’t anyone listen to me about this?!“Deep in thought there, Beast,” Xenia’s voice comes up behind me just as Valentine drives off and

-Gabriel-I bring the Harley to a stop outside of the designated meeting point, but even as excitement courses through my veins, something feels off. Church should be here along with Valentine, but I only see Church’s bike along with the others’ vehicles. After Church’s apprehension about Amara, I decided not to let her in on this meeting so she’s not aware of the hidden Vasile. “Priest,” the twins greet me when I walk inside the abandoned warehouse. They both look pumped and ready for what’s about to happen, knowing that they will finally get their revenge. I nod in greeting, then see Gustav standing off to the side with a tall, blonde man - a fucking spitting image of Kazimir.“Gustav,” I call and walk over to them. Gustav nods, and the blonde gives me a once over, then takes a step towards me. “Gabriel Preutescu, the man who would have been my brother-in-law,” he says casually, dropping my heart right into my feet with ease at those words.“What? Brother-in-law?” I ask, shaking