“Touch it and find out,” Hex dares.
“Nope. Enough,” I say. “We hit the Dominion. Spray Anathema. No heroes. Fight smart.” They nod, then we move.
Chaos erupts. I slam into Rahoul, head of the Dominion. “Surprised to see you,” I sneer. “Thought this was beneath you.”
“When I heard Lucian Vane broke vampire law,” he smiles, eyes ghost white, “I had to see it.”
“You’re wasting your time.”
He inhales deeply. Tuts. “Lying to a Dominion. I smell her all over you.”
“It’s me you desire. So why don’t you stop dancingaround it and come get what you want? Or are you too afraid you’ll lose against me?”
He lunges, and we collide. Bones crack, and the ground shakes as I drive him down, my boot crushing his throat.
“I may die today,” I hiss, blade raised, “but I’ll erase your ugly ass first.”
Agony detonates within me again. I scream as the burning tears through me. My blade drops, and I collapse to the ground as Anathema advances. Behind me, Dominion corpses litter the ground. A smile touches my lips as pride for my brothers fills my chest.
“You never did like authority,” Morbius says as he steps beside Rahoul.
“I thought I smelled a rat,” I snarl.
He grins and kills Rahoul in one smooth strike. “Nothing personal,” Morbius says as Rahoul’s ashes scatter. “Higher bidder.”
“You made a deal with Anathema.”
“Sure did.” He leans close. “After I erase you, I’ll claim your marked one’s corpse.”
Rage explodes inside me, but the pain wins. I hit the dirt, fists buried in the earth. I won’t scream; I won’t give them that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
EVELYNN
“Come on. Wake up.”Slap.“Wake up.” Another slap. A groan claws its way out of my chest as my hand flies to my cheek. “What the hell-.” My protest dies into a rasp, my head pounding like I’ve drowned myself in wine and regret. The world tilts, swims. It takes a moment too long for my thoughts to knit themselves back together.
Lilith is crouched in front of me, her sharp gaze softened with relief… and fear. She exhales when my eyes finally focus on her. I clutch my skull, my fingers digging in. “What did he slip me?” The words come out raw, soaked in hurt and fury. Betrayal burns hot in my chest.
“Something Hex concocted,” she says quickly. “But Hex gave me something to reverse it while you were all at the bar.” She presses a glass into my hand. I eye it, suspicion flaring.
“Just water,” she adds. “I promise.”
I down it in one swallow, my throat screaming with how dry I am. “How long?”
“About an hour.” Her jaw tightens. “I didn’t think you were going to wake up. Hex told me to be patient, but time is running out.”
“You know,” I say quietly, lifting my eyes to hers.
She nods. “Hex told me everything. He knew Lucian would try something, anything to protect you. That’s why he gave me the antidote.” She hesitates, then continues, voice thick with sincerity. “I don’t want to see you hurt. And as much as I’d love to wipe that arrogant smile off his face,” A faint smirk flickers, then fades. “I don’t want him destroyed. I don’t wantanyof them erased.”
My throat tightens. “Your soul needs to be there,” she says. “At the compound. And Lucian will do something stupid to protect you, I know it. Fighting the unknown means using every resource we have. You may be mortal, but there’s something different about you. And that difference might be the thing that saves them all fromAnathema.”
I shake my head, anger surging. “If he dies, I die. If he fights, I fight.” My hands curl into fists. “I’m furious with him right now.”
Lilith smirks. “Good. You can kill him yourself later.” Then her expression hardens. “Right now, we don’t have time. We’re going.” She hauls me to my feet. I drag in a breath, my heart splitting in two, one half aching to scream at him for drugging me and leaving me behind, the other shattering at the thought that I might already be too late.
Lilith presses two ornate blades into my hands. Iron handles, intricately carved with winding vines. Beautiful. Deadly. “Wow,” I murmur. “These are,”
