“Violet,”he warns.
“I won’t do it.”A loud yelp sounds as the wolf flies through the air. His back is clearly broken, and his heart is barely beating. “Bastard,” I say loud enough for him to hear.
“Useless,”he scoffs.“I was right to sell you. Cyrus was wrong about you.”
His words anger me.“I’m leaving. Figure this out on your own.”
“If you leave, I will kill you.”
“You don’t scare me, Harrison.”He roars through our connection.“You’re obsessed with Amelia. So obsessed thatyou killed two of Edon’s children. I will not be a part of your insanity.”
I turn to leave when his voice turns me back. He’s at the front door, knocking, and pretending to be me. What the hell? “Amelia,” he says through the door, sounding more like me than I do.
I stare at the spectacle in front of me. I’ve gotten to know Amelia over the past few months. She’s become my only friend. “Amelia, I know you’re in there. Let me in, please. I left Harrison and Thomas in the city. I’m here to help you, and I’m hurt,” my maker continues, using my voice. He calls her again, this time slamming his hand against the wooden door. “Dammit, Amelia. I need your help. Don’t you want to help me? I thought we were friends.”
“Don’t open that door, Amelia,” I say aloud.
“I can hear you,” he continues. “I can smell you.” He breathes heavily. “Your wolf is still alive, but won’t be for much longer.” He picks the body of the wolf up, slamming it on the porch next to the door. “He needs your help. I know how you like to help everyone, Amelia. Like you helped me the other night.”
Oh, my God. Ewww…
“Remember how it felt to have me inside you?” I stare at the spectacle in front of me, not sure if I should intervene or leave it alone. “Come to me, and we can be together every night.”
Vampire energy rushes me as a familiar form lands on the grass in front of the steps. “Harrison!” Viktorshouts. “Get away from my home,” he warns. His voice is low and threatening.
“She’s mine, Viktor,” my maker responds. “I made her. I saved her. She belongs to me!”
“She belongs to no one. She makes her own decisions,” Viktor retorts. “Get off my land before I make you get off my land.” His threat feels ancient and powerful.
“We both know you’re not strong enough,” Harrison answers.
Three wolves appear from nowhere. I have no doubt that the largest of the three is Edon, Alpha of New Orleans. Thomas appears from nowhere, joining my maker at the door. “Kill them,” Harrison orders Thomas.
“No!” I shout. “He’s not strong enough.”
“Then kill your maker,” Harrison orders my only child, Thomas.
Thomas turns toward me, moving full speed in my direction. “Stop!” I order. “I will not harm you, Thomas.”
Ignoring my words, he rams into me at full vampire speed, knocking me back several football fields. My body slams into a thick live oak tree before sliding down to the ground below. How the hell is he so strong? I lay there, unsure what just happened.
“Kill her,” my maker orders.
Thomas is standing over me minutes later. “Don’tmake me hurt you,” I whisper with the small amount of air left in my lungs.
“I have to do his bidding,” Thomas answers.
“No, you don’t. I am your maker.” I stand, moving away from the tree. “I command you to go home.” Through magic or luck, I’m not sure which, Thomas turns, walking away from Viktor’s home. I don’t know what just happened, but I’m not questioning it.
I run full speed back toward the home, finding the door bashed in and Viktor unconscious. “Viktor!” I yell, shaking the ancient vampire.
He’s awake and on his feet moments later. “He’s inside,” he says, running toward the house. I follow him inside and down the stairs to the basement.
“Sarah,” I say, finding her headless body. “He took her head, and, oh, my God…her hands.”
The look on Viktor’s face changes from anger to panic. “He’s trying to get into the safe room.” He flies through the basement, knocking down priceless antiques along the way until we find my maker. Sarah’s head and hands are lying on the ground, and he and the immortal child are battling at full force. The girl is fighting harder than an adult vampire.
“Celeste!” Viktor yells, stopping the girl in her tracks. He grabs her, pulling her up the stairs and away from the insanity that is Harrison.
