The drive back is wordless. Rain slashes against the windows, gray light breaking into shards across the windshield. I can feel Asher's frustration radiating beside me—the way his hand grips the wheel too tightly, the way his jaw stays clenched. Frustration about Kayden, about himself, about how nightshade took him out of the fight when we needed him most.
And Kayden… we still don't know where he is.
Thewhat iffeels more certain after Darlene's words:Unless you want to lose your second husband as well.
She could've said it just to twist the knife. Or maybe she meant it… Either way, if Kayden's alive, he's a dead vampire for the chaos he set loose.
When we step inside the house, my phone pings. My heart lurches, hope rushing in like a fool.
But it's not Kayden.
Darius.
The attack was unsanctioned. I will pay for the damages and the funeral.
I read it out loud, my voice thin.
Asher crosses his arms, brow furrowed. "Do you think it's true?"
I shrug helplessly. "I can't say for sure. Darlene's always followed his orders. But for Johnny… maybe she broke rank."
"Were they close?"
"Yes, they were. Not romantically. But, you know, they were a team. There's history. He mattered to her."
Asher pinches the bridge of his nose. "What a mess," he mutters.
"I know." My voice is small. I glance down at our clothes, caked with dust, dirt, and streaks of blood. "We should get changed."
He nods. Before either of us moves, the front door slams open.
Kayden steps inside, and he's chaos made flesh: eyes wild, hair tangled, clothes torn to rags.
My first reaction is visceral relief—he's alive. They didn't kill him.
My second hits like fire—pure, unbridled rage.
"Kayden!" My voice cracks sharp as a whip. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
He grins. It's sharp and feral, like blood's still fresh in his mouth. Leaning against the doorframe, he drawls, "Ah. So you've heard about my little adventure. Yes, I went there. And yes, I showed them what happens when they think they can mess with me."
"How could you—" Rage trembles through me, but he cuts me off.
"How couldI?" His smirk vanishes, replaced with raw fire as he storms closer. "Me? You're the one who went off for a cozy dinner with your ex-fiancé while we were busy risking everything to keep you safe, sweetheart. How doesthatwork in your head?"
"We had a truce!" I snap, voice breaking.
He snarls, closing the gap. "I don't give a damn about handouts from your ex-lover. And it wasn't just about you. Those first kills? They had it coming. The container, remember? Our delightful first meeting."
His teeth flash, words spilling fast, like he's been rehearsing this in his head, stewing on it for hours. I want to scream at him, but my chest is clamped so tight with pain and fury I can't breathe.
He doesn't stop. "You knew exactly who I was when you married me, so if you don't like the monster you unleashed, maybe you shouldn't have said yes. Maybe now you'll realize you made a mistake, Sage.I am your damn mistake."
Crack.
Kayden's head jerks sideways. He stumbles, crashing into the doorframe with blood on his teeth.
Asher's fist is still raised. His voice, though, is low, controlled steel. "Shut up, Kayden. Winston is dead because of what you did."
