“Who knows how many, and they will be feral vampires,” Scorch mutters. “Plus Viktor himself, who’s had centuries to hone his killing instincts.”
“Vampires who are about to learn why you don’t fuck with an Original’s family,” Rogue says, and his eyes flash gold as his lycan nature rises to the surface. “Even if that Original is temporarily…” He pauses, searching for a tactful word.
“Mortal,” I finish for him. “Say it. I’m mortal right now. Vulnerable. Killable. All the things I haven’t been since the night I was born from evil itself.” The admission should taste like defeat, but instead it tastes like something unexpected.
Truth.
For millennia, I’ve hidden behind power and immortality, using them as shields against connection, against caring, against the vulnerability that comes with giving a damn whether I live or die.
But standing here, surrounded by my brothers, by Rogue’s fierce loyalty, Scorch’s burning determination, Dread’s terrible protective instinct, and holding Sloane’s hand while her Bloodfire sings through our connection…
I realize I’ve never been less alone in my entire existence.
“I’m tired,” I say quietly, and the words surprise even me. “I’m tired of being alone in my immortality. Tired of centuries stretching ahead with nothing but hunger and shadow for company. Tired of pretending I don’t care whether I survive because survival was the only thing I knew how to do.”
Sloane’s hand tightens on mine, and her understanding flows into me. Her acceptance. Her absolute refusal to let me face another century of bone-deep loneliness.
“Then don’t be alone.” Rogue’s voice carries the weight of pack law, of bonds forged in blood, and loyalty that transcends species. “You’ve got us. You’ve got her. You’ve got a family worth fighting for.” He gestures to the clubhouse, to the brothers gathering in preparation for war. “We’re not just your club. We’re your pack. Your pride. Your family. And family doesn’t let each other die alone.”
“Damn right,” Scorch adds, his fire flaring in agreement. “So, here’s what’s going to happen. When Viktor shows up at any minute with his army of mindless scions, we’re going to remind him why the Eternal Sins MC rules this territory. We’re going to show him that power isn’t just about age or strength… it’s about who you fight beside.”
“And when the Coven watches…” Dread says, “… they’re going to seeexactlywhy they should have left well enough alone. Because we’re not only fighting for survival anymore. We’re fighting for each other.”
The door swings open again, and the rest of my brothers file in. Hades, death energy crackling around his fingertips. Oracle, phoenix flames dancing in his eyes. Grizz, stone-solid and unshakable. Hex, standing amid walls layered with runes with routes and kill zones etched into every surface. Ronan and Jet, prospects eager to prove themselves. Eden, Seraphine, and Reyna, the club girls who’ve become warriors in their own right.
One by one, they take their positions around the room, and I see it written on every face.
We fight together.
We survive together.
We burn together.
Sloane’s emotions surge into me—love, terror, and determination so fierce it makes her Bloodfire flare beneath her skin. I pull her closer, wrapping my arm around her waist, anchoring us both.
“Viktor’s coming,” I say, addressing my family. “He’s bringing everything he’s got. Vampires. Witches. Demon-possessed humans. He thinks I’m weak. He thinks he can take what’s mine.”
“He’s wrong,” Sloane says, her voice carrying that dangerous edge of power. “We’re going to show himexactlywhat happens when you threaten this family.”
Rogue grins, fangs glinting. “Wolves protect the pack.”
Scorch’s fire blazes brighter. “Dragons incinerate threats.”
Dread’s shadows writhe hungrily. “Fear breaks armies.”
And through it all, the truth crawls up my spine, ice cold, seeping into my core.
I’m vulnerable.
I’m killable.
But I’m not alone.
Not anymore.
Never again.
Dawn is approaching, and with it, war. But standing here, surrounded by my brothers, holding the woman whose blood and fire have become as essential as my own heartbeat, I understand something I’ve never quite grasped before.
