The cornfields were a stone’s throw from us. But there was a light shining from the house in that direction. If Roman was by the window, he would see us or even hear our hearts beating. Hell, mine was racing like a horse at the Kentucky Derby.
I lost any sense of caring about Roman finding us when a baby’s cry had me darting around Sam.
He caught me and shook his head.
I gritted my teeth. Our children were so close yet so fucking far that I was about to be sick.
He pointed to the cornfields and opened a telepathic connection.Regroup. We’ll get in there, but we need to be smart.I don’t want to put Orion and Luna in any more jeopardy.
I responded telepathically as a panicked mother to the calm father and soldier.If we don’t act now, we could lose them.
He ran across the front yard with me tethered to him. I had no recourse but to follow since he was moving at breakneck speeds.
Agnes, brave and courageous, followed us, only she was slower.
Our children are in that house, I complained.
Baby doll, I know how you’re feeling. Please, trust me.
Sam and I ran down the path between two rows of corn, leaves brushing against us.
“Sam, this way,” Agnes said in a low voice.
We backtracked and followed her.
I was becoming dizzy, angrier, bordering on hysterical.
“We’ll have a direct view of the house over here,” she said, not sounding alarmed.
The more I learned about my grandmother, the more I liked her.
A voice peppered the air nearby, causing the three of us to stop cold.
Sam walked backward to the juncture where two rows converged amid the stalks that were twice as tall as Sam.
In a blur, someone lunged out from the cornstalks and tackled Sam. The two flew deeper into the vegetation in a cacophony of grunts and growls.
We were far enough away from the house that I doubted Roman could hear us. Though hewasa vampire.
“Sam?” Tripp’s voice carried on the breeze. “Thank fuck you’re okay.”
The two hugged before emerging from the corn.
“Man, did you not notice it was me?” Sam plucked leaves from his hair.
Tripp fixated on me with his eyebrows up near his hairline. “I’m still a little off-kilter from that witch throwing me earlier. My head hit a tree trunk.”
“That witch was Patricia,” Sam said. “The same woman who kidnapped Orion and Luna out of the nursery. She admitted as much. She also used a cloaking spell, which was why the guards outside the house that night didn’t see anything.”
The guards had mentioned there was a distinct odor in the air. “She was the one who smelled like eucalyptus?” I clarified.
Sam nodded. “That’s how I knew it was her. Anyway, Patricia is dead, and her mother Maeve is out of the picture. So the witches shouldn’t be a problem.”
Tripp was still staring at me, and if he had any questions for me, he didn’t ask them. Instead, he put on his military hat. “I managed to get a closer look through the window as I was heading into the cornfields. I saw Roman, two men, and your two children.”
Sam folded his arms over his chest. “One is a vampire named Ernie. The other is Warrick, Maeve’s husband. I believe he was in the basement when we escaped.”
“That leaves Roman and his guy upstairs,” Tripp said. “Perfect. Because Ernie is the only one alive among Roman’s men. Also, the second home on the property is empty.”
