I rolled my eyes. “Why do you hate Sam so much?”
Revulsion swam in the deep depths of her brown eyes. “Hate is too weak a word to describe how I feel about that asshole vampire.” Disgust was stamped on every word. “He doesn’t deserve you. You’re too good for someone like him.” Her voice softened. “That day he compelled me into a vegetative state, I vowed I would kill him. Then, after I found out you slept with him, I knew I’d lost you, and that only confirmed what I needed to do.”
I could feel my eyebrows squishing together. “But you came around after he saved your life from the explosion at our rental house. If I remember correctly, you even threw yourself at Sam and thanked him.” My voice hitched.
“None of that changes the way I feel about him. But if we’re laying our cards out on the table, then here’s the truth.” She flashed a softer look my way. “I loved you once, Layla. I would’ve died for you. You, me, and Jordyn could’ve changed the world. But you and Jordyn and your desire to live with and fuck vampires is wrong. Jordyn’s excitement to work alongside the Vampire Navy SEALs was revolting. While you were sick, she wouldn’t shut up about them. She kept talking about Sam like he was a god and saying how you were in love with him. And when Noah overheard Jordyn one day, he went nuts. So I told him everything. Noah didn’t brainwash me. Granny isn’t doing that either. I am my own person. You and Jordyn go against everything the Aberdeen name stands for. It’s just wrong for you to love a vampire.” Her face had turned red.
The more we argued, the more a nagging pain in my chest intensified. “If you had known Mom’s family history while she was alive, would you have murdered her?”
She stuck out her chin. “But she isn’t alive.”
I blew out a breath, hoping to ease the chest pain. “That’s not an answer.”
“Here’s one for you,” she said. “As long as you’re with that bloodsucker, you’ll never be my sister. And you can’t have that baby. The world doesn’t need another Mason. They have too much power and arrogance, and I’m going to stop that.”
I was stuck on “you can’t have that baby.”
“You want to kill an innocent unborn child? Because it’s Sam’s?” I flew at her and got in her face. “Over my dead body.” I would become the Queen of Death if she or anyone dared to try.
She practically pressed her nose into mine. “Save your energy, sister. You and I will have our chance in the ring. But first, you’re going to witness my rebirth. I want you to see a phoenix rising from the ashes. It’s time the Aberdeens ruled humanity. It’s time to show the vast population of bloodsuckers that they can’t kill humans for sport or hunger. Either they bow down to us or we eat them for breakfast. Once my rebirth is complete, I’ll watch yours. Afterward, we’ll be sisters again, fighting side by side.”
“Layla, did you hear what I said?” Conrad’s deep baritone voice jarred me back from hell.
I quivered. “Rianne isn’t human.”
“What?” He slowed, veering the SUV into a gravel lot across from the diner.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
“That’s why she’s here. She wants to show me she isn’t human anymore. And she has the serum with her that has my name and Jordyn’s on it. She thinks that’s the only way we can be sisters again.”
A muscle ticked furiously in his jaw. “I’m turning around. There’s no way I’m allowing you to go into that diner. If she injects you with the serum, you’re as good as dead.”
My nostrils flared as I lasered a narrowed gaze on the handsome vampire. “Look, I can handle Rianne. I have to save Jordyn. And if I know Rianne, there’s another reason she’s here. If her goal is to also kidnap me, she would’ve brought Intech goons and not just the journalists. Maybe she wants my help. I suspect Carly came to us in need of assistance. Rianne can be too proud to ask for anything. And she certainly isn’t the type to admit when she’s wrong.”
“She’s sick,” Conrad said.
“No argument from me. But the other question is how did she know where I was?”
“I’m sure Adam and Roman have their spies, but we can’t rule out a mole within the SEAL organization either.” He wheeled out of the gravel lot, crossed the road, and parked in a space near the edge of the road. “You have five minutes to talk her down, then I’m coming in.”
“Fair enough.” I climbed out of the SUV, wiped my sweaty hands on my skinny black jeans, adjusted the dagger strapped to my leg, and felt for the other weapon at the small of my back.
My stomach fluttered with nerves, my heart was beating quite fast, and sweat glided down my spine. I hadn’t physically fought in… I couldn’t remember when. The night my sisters and I commandeered a vampire nightclub, intending to capture Sam, we’d used drug-filled darts. I didn’t consider that a fight. Nor had it been a brawl when Noah and Rianne had Sam strung up over a firepit on that stormy day in Montana. The most I’d done that day had been tackling Rianne and throwing a rock at Noah. Not exactly a fight. Nevertheless, it was time to discharge some nervous energy.
Several townsfolk, men and women, exited their vehicles. Some had guns. Some had swords, and others had axes. I stood up taller, knowing I had my own small army. I felt like a Viking about to go into battle to save my kingdom. That alone gave me a much-needed dose of courage.
The group surrounded me like a swarm of bees as the sheriff pushed his way through the circle, setting dark eyes on me. I’d finally met the tall, skinny vampire when we’d first arrived. I’d never had the chance the other two times Sam and I had stayed at Jo and Webb’s house.
Stan peered down at me from his six-foot height, the shiny silver badge on his chest glinting in the afternoon light. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“One hundred percent,” I volleyed back. “How many patrons are inside?” I sounded like I was a cop. I’d almost signed up for the police academy.
“To my knowledge,” Stan said, “there are ten in total, and that includes the media and your sister Rianne.”
“The building was built to withstand enemy vampires,” a brunette woman said. “If your sister realizes it, we might not save anyone.”
I silently laughed. Of course it was. “What does that mean?”
