The vamp licked his fangs, leaving a pink stain behind. “Well, ideally, I want for you all to just give me and my children something to eat. They’re going to feast on the beast in the woodshed, for sure.”
Yarrow. He growled deep in his chest. “You’re not allowed in here.”
“Idiot. I was invited in long ago. I’m quite put out with the way this situation is all unfurling. And I think it’s time for that to stop. So what you’re going to do is take us to the Land of Summer. Dragons are pleasant enough. And don’t get me wrong, at some point, we will infiltrate their land. But I acquired a taste for fae blood, you see. It is luscious.” He got a cold, reptilian stare. “I’ll make you a deal.”
Corbin didn’t want to hear about any deal. He had no intentions ofdealing. But he had to keep the son of a bitch talking. “I’m listening.”
What? He has my?—
Shut UP.
“You lead me into the Land of Summer. Let me feed, let my children grow, and I’ll allow you and your progeny to survive. Otherwise, I’ll kill these four, and then I’ll just take you.” He pointed to Corbin. “You’re close enough to popping. I could feed off them for weeks. What do you say?”
“Who the fuck are you?” Cullen shouted.
The vampire’s eyes flashed a harsh red. “What do you mean ‘who am I’?”
He’s a DiMarco.He knew this had to be related to Anton DiMarco, even though he’d never seen the vampire had killed. He knew it, not because of any sort of fame, even though Devon and Brand had spoken of the fucker many times.
No, he knew it because this evil bastard had bitten his mate. Had hurt his family. His little Tisi. More than that, he knew because this was the one of vampires who had desecrated his home. Myk’s home. Jon and Luuk’s home.
I’ve got this.Cullen rolled his eyes. “Who? I mean, obviously, you’re a bloodsucker, but you know, we’ve gone through so many…”
DiMarco shook Isabelle in his hand, and Cosmo screamed in a wild, pure panic as she flopped. “Let her go, you fucker.”
“Or what?”
Little Isabelle’s cheeks were pale, and her cries were nonexistent.
Corbin, what do we do?
He had no idea.
That wasn’t exactly true. He did have one idea, but none of it involved letting anyone feed on anyone. That wasn’t how this was going to work.
“I suggest you figure this out quickly.” That hand clenched around Isabelle again, and Cosmo screamed, the sound of absolute agony.
He forced himself forward, hoping that he could do something, get to Isabelle in time, but he knew he couldn’t. He was huge and slow, and his magic didn’t want this to happen for whatever reason. Maybe it was too busy growing babies.
That was when wolf cub Blaze popped up from between DiMarco’s legs with a howl and bit the living fuck out of the man’s balls.
Chomp.
DiMarco screamed and dropped Isabelle and Elliot at exactly the same time. Just before the baby hit the stone hearth. Lare popped up, caught Isabelle and disappeared again. Elliot landed, though, with a crashing thud and slammed right down onto DiMarco’s foot, causing the vampire to scream again.
Between wolf and Lare, that was all the distraction they needed. Cullen swooped in to get to Tisi and Serena. And Cosmo and Corbin ran for Elliot and Isabelle. He could feel Evander. And Hawk. Orion. All of them heading straight for the house.
Corbin grabbed DiMarco’s arm as he reached for Blaze. “Leave my family alone!”
Cosmo snatched his son even as the vampire grappled with Corbin, who knew if he let go, even for a second, this monster would kill him and his babies.
Or worse.
Keep them alive.
I’m coming, lethean! I’m coming!
Cosmo! Mate!
