“You don’t think I fucking know that?” I broke out of Kai’s hold and turned toward Thaddeus, poking a finger into his chest. “You didn’t tell me what was going on!”
“You’re not part of the clan until tomorrow,” he said with a solemn tone.
“That’s a bullshit excuse like always. If I’d known Viktor was hunting me like a damn animal, I wouldn’t-I wouldn’t have left, and-and Corbin would still be alive!” A sob wrenched from my throat.
He grabbed my wrist with a growl. “You knew the whole reason you went on the hunts with us was to draw him out.”
“But I didn’t know it’d worked. Communicate with me, you pompous, dumbass vampire!” I jerked away from him as Jax rubbed up against my leg, soft fur providing as much comfort as possible. “I thought it was because of what Blaise and I—” I snapped my mouth shut.
Blaise stepped forward. “Why would you think what we had done had anything to do with us not taking you on hunts?”
“Because I thought you didn’t...I just..” I let out a frustrated cry, the scent of Corbin’s blood overwhelming me. I needed to get the fuck out of there. “Why did you start ignoring me?”
“We weren’t ignoring you,” Kai said. “We were worried about you.”
“All of us had been looking into sightings of Viktor and his lackeys. We weren’t avoiding you, just proper busy,” Thaddeus explained.
“I knew that bitch Ayla said something to you,” I seethed.
“She told us other vampires had been talking about the new vampire Draven clan turned.” He rolled his eyes. “She’d been telling everyone, so it eventually got back to Viktor. We caught a few of his lackeys, but they didn’t know where he was.”
I furiously swiped at the tears that continued to stream down my cheeks. “There was an older vampire here with the abandoned. He worked for Viktor and was planning to take me to him. Also, he had control of that purple-eyed abandoned.”
“Where is he?” Thaddeus looked around.
“I killed him.” I swallowed hard. “If only I could’ve killed the abandoned before it…”
“How did you kill him?” Kai asked.
“I made him rip his heart out,” I said numbly.
“That power is a lot stronger than I thought it was,” Thaddeus muttered. “We could’ve gotten information from him.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Well, it was kill or be killed, and I was trying to avoid people dying. Clearly, I failed.”
“Can someone please tell me what the fuck just happened?” Hunter asked, getting to his feet with wild, bloodshot eyes.
I did a quick mental assessment of everyone. Mom was quiet, Hunter was pissed, and Dean was in disbelief. The one thing they shared was that they couldn’t take their eyes off me.
How could I have let this happen?
THIRTEEN
“I can’t! Then all ofthiswill be for nothing.” Tears blurred my vision as my shoulders shook, holding in a sob.
Thaddeus and I spoke with hushed whispers in the kitchen as Jax sat between us on the countertop, glaring this way.
Blaise and Kai were with my family in the living room, trying to calm my hysterical family members the best they could. Dean had passed out when Corbin was killed. Thaddeus pulled me away before I could do or say anything to them, and the sense of urgency to get back to them was high.
Corbin’s mutilated body was still crumpled in the living room.
“I’m not telling you to do it to hurt you, love.” He worked his fingers through his black locks. “I’m telling you because this world will get them killed.”
I shook my head and leaned against the counter, tears dripping down my face and hitting the counter in droplets. “I know, okay?Ialmost got them all killed tonight. Ididget Corbin killed.”
“Bloody hell.” He sighed, reaching out and brushing my fingers with his before linking them together. “I’m going to tell you something, and you better listen closely because I won’t talk about it again.”
Tilting my head, I took a moment to study him. His usual schooled expression was in shambles. He’d drawn his eyebrows together, and his lips slanted into a harsh frown as he let out a shaky breath. “You have to hear what happens when humans are a part of our world.”
