Evan’s eyes are lethal as he passes me, making my stomach sink. He must’ve figured out what this room is. Or more specifically, how I knew about it.
It was a shitty thing to do, bringing him here, but it’s the only room I knew well enough to get us inside. I just had to hope no one else was using it.
Thankfully, it’s empty. The air is stale and stuffy, like the room hasn’t aired out in weeks.
Screams tear down the hall. We chase after the wolves just in time to see a towering male vampire lunge. They collide with a wolf midair, tumbling to the ground in a swirl of teeth and claws. Another wolf leaps in, clamping its teeth around the vampire’s throat. A second later, the vampire goes limp.
Evan’s steps falter, his gun still poised to fire. “Thank God they’re on our side.”
“Come on,” I say, nudging him along.
As we make our way down the long corridor, I look in every room, holding my breath in fear we might run into Foxx. When we reach the media room where a large television is set up with a few couches, weget a few curious looks from the humans sitting in there, but none of them attempt to get up from the couches.
I want to tell them to get the fuck out of there. To run like their life depends on it—but I need to find Foxx first. He’s our main goal.
The closer we get to the stairs, the cleaner the rooms become. A few have beds and dressers, but not much else. And none of them look or smell like Foxx’s room. Is he living upstairs then?
We take the stairs leading up to the main floor. My palms are clammy against the metal railing, my mind burning with ugly memories. The last time I'd been here, I was a newborn vampire. Freshly turned and consumed with thirst. I attacked someone on the stairwell—a woman? Fuck, I can barely remember. I just remember another vampire ripping me off her and tossing me outside. Where I found another victim.
That one hadn’t survived.
Heat blooms in my chest, inching out down my arms toward my hands. Fire crackles under my skin like molten lava, threatening to burn anything it comes into contact with.
Evan coughs, yanking his shirt up over his nose. “You’re gonna give us away, babe.”
“I know, I’m trying.”
Not that it matters. Foxx probably already knows we’re here since the wolves are running loose.
Ireallycould’ve used another month to practice my powers, but we didn’t have time. Not when so many people are dying.
Stay calm, Jericho. You don’t want to hurt the wrong people.
Two wolves sprint past us when we reach the main floor, and a man on a computer stops what he’s doing to yell, “Hey, you know you can’t shift in—” He trails off when five or six more wolves whiz by,ears pinned to their heads and growling low. At the sight of their massive size, his eyes get wide.
He reaches for the radio clip on his left peck, but I snag his wrist and command, in a deep, smooth voice, “You’re going to forget all about us and lock yourself in a storage room.”
The man ceases his struggle. “I’ll lock myself in a storage room,” he repeats.
“Tell me where Foxx is.”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him all night.”
Tossing him aside, I continue on. The lights and music ahead tell me we should be coming up on the back corner of the dance floor pretty soon.
When we reach the end of the hall, Evan and I stand to the side to survey the room. Ivy’s wolf circles around Evan, guarding him.
A tiny, blue-haired woman sprints in front of me, carrying a tray of drinks. She clearly hasn’t noticed the fight about to break loose or else she wouldn’t be hauling a drink order. Her slim-fitted dress matches the company’s electric blue logo.
“Where’s Foxx?” Evan demands.
The woman whips her head around, gaze zeroing in on my hands, which are glowing red and smoking.
That's when I recognize her.
“Your boss!” Evan snaps. “Where is he?”
She points to the bar. “He’s not my boss! But last I saw him, over there.”
