Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Don’t do anything stupid,” said Claud, his grip steady on the gun still aimed at her.
Oh, he had “stupid” covered.
“We’d rather not hurt you, but we can,” he added. “We’re not without gifts.”
That was true. If she recalled correctly, two of the vampires were telekinetic, one could cause people to hallucinate, and Claud could drug a person with a single but very fatal touch.
Her monster rumbled a growl, eager to take the wheel. Wynter was hesitant to oblige it. She didn’t know how badly the bullets would affect the monster and she didn’t care to find out. So, needing it to wait, she sent it telepathic images, letting it know that she wanted to disarm the vampire first. It made a petulant grunt of complaint but didn’t push.
Another vamp, Enzo, pushed a button on his key fob. The SUV’s trunk softly whirred as it opened. “Get in.”
Wynter snorted. If they were expecting her to cooperate, they were out of their minds. “No.”
The corners of Claud’s eyes tightened. “Don’t make me shoot you.”
“I’m not making you do anything,” she said. “You’re choosing the path of suicide. That’s on you.”
A muscle in Enzo’s cheek flexed. “Get in the fucking trunk.”
She flicked up a brow. “Would you?”
“If I didn’t want to get pumped with bullets, yeah,” said Enzo.
“Low pain tolerance threshold, huh?” Her monster filed that little nugget away. “Sucks for you.”
“Don’t think dragging this out will give your coven or the Ancients a chance to get to you. You’re a long way from home.”
“That so?” Well, that was unfortunate. “Then here’s a question. Why didn’t you ask Shelia to teleport you all the way to the boundaries of Aeon?”
“We did. She doesn’t trust that the keepers won’t kill us on sight and just take you. And since she doesn’t know how far past the perimeter they patrol, this is as far as she’s willing to go. We’re an hour’s drive from the boundaries of Aeon.”
Considering the distance between Devil’s Cradle and Aeon would take at least two days of driving to cover, these dudes had been on the road for a while. “You really should heed Shelia’s concerns. I once lived at Aeon, so I can tell you two things—one, they patrol far and wide. Two, they’re not very friendly toward trespassers.”
“But they are expecting someone to turn up with either you, Cain, or both of you,” Enzo cockily pointed out. “That’ll make them a lot less hostile toward anyone who heads their way.”
“Only for as long as it takes to confirm that you brought them what they want. After that, you’ll be executed.”
“We’re done chatting,” Claud cut in. “Now get in the fucking trunk.”
“All right, fine.” She raised her hands in a gesture of peace. And then she let out a blast of toxic magick from each palm. The dark, ultraviolet-tinted force shimmered through the air like heatwaves as it rushed at the vampires.
They tried evading the blasts but didn’t move fast enough. The magick crashed into them like a wall. They hit the ground hard, sizzling deep welts appearing on their bare skin. Welts that swiftly began to heal. Fucking vampires.
She’d called to her sword just as Claud fired the gun. She angled her black glass blade, deflecting the bullet. And another bullet. And another.
A heavy surge of telekinetic energy slammed into her chest and knocked the breath right out of her. She skidded backwards several feet but remained standing, sending whips of crackling magick bouncing along the ground toward the vamps. They swore and yelped as the scorching hot power lashed at their bodies yet again.
Enzo blurred to her side and tried snatching the blade as he reached for her. He might well have dealt her a nightmarish hallucination before she had the chance to fight him . . . if the razor-sharp sword hadn’t sliced into his skin. Her enchantment went to work on him, making him jerk backwards as he was overcome with the sensation of beetles scuttling over his flesh.
Taking advantage of his distraction, she thrust her blade through his heart. Vampires could heal from a lot, but not that. His eyes went wide, a croaky breath crawled out of his throat, and then he burst into ashes.
More telekinetic energy rippled through the air toward her. She jerked aside unnaturally fast, dodging it cleanly. Thank you, immortality.
Yet another blast came toward her. She ducked—
An impact slammed into her head as blinding pain burst through her skull. She staggered backwards, blinking hard. The agony snatched the strength from her body, and her sword slipped from her limp hand. She dropped to her knees, feeling like she was fading.
Claud gaped at her, his eyes wide in horror. “Oh, shit.”
She slumped forward as the life left her body.
*
Cain looked up from the book in front of him as Maxim showed Seth into the ledger room. The aide left with a respectful nod toward Cain.