“About Cora.”
All the fight left Saiden, and his body deflated alongside any remaining trace of hope. Slumping back against the wall, he slid down to the shiny marble floor. That was it, then. Game over.
“Who told them?” he asked weakly when Marquin knelt beside him.
“Anonymous tip,” his sire answered, taking the blood bag from Saiden and setting it aside. “Probably your blonde attacker wanted to twist the knife a little deeper.”
Saiden sat quietly for a moment. He should have known Bianca would try something. It was his job to anticipate his enemies’ next move, and while he’d known she would do something, it hadn’t occurred to him just how deeply she would bury the knife. Some enforcer he was.
“I knew the risk,” he stated, forcing himself to meet the sadness in Marquin’s eyes. “And I would do the same thing again a million times over. I couldn’t just let her die.”
“I know,” Marquin agreed solemnly. “I never told any of you, but when Eliana saved me as a rogue I was in the process of trying to end my own life. I wanted nothing more than to be spared this tortuous existence. But I was her mate, and she refused to let me go despite knowing how I felt about being a vampire. It was her love that changed my mind in the end. I owe her everything, Saiden. Perhaps someday Cora will feel the same.”
Someday. He’d spent so long clinging to the hope that someday they would get the chance to be happy. The problem with someday is that you rarely get to see it. The only thing you could ever count on was today.
“How much time do I have?”
Marquin sighed. “The Praetorians arrive Sunday morning.”
Shit. Less than a day and a half. Might as well be in twenty minutes for all the good it would do him.
“Options?”
“Plead your case, I guess. But you know the laws, Saiden.”
Of course he knew the laws. He was the one who enforced them. He closed his eyes and wondered for a second who the Coalition wouldbring with them. Andre was based out of Bucharest these days, close enough to their headquarters to easily join them. Or maybe they’d call in one of the other North American assets. Sanya always liked him since they’d worked a few high-profile cases together. Not that she would be any help. She knew the job the same as he did.
Didn’t matter. None of it mattered except Cora.
He pushed up off the floor, and Marquin followed suit.
“So what now?” his sire asked.
“Now, I’m going to see my mate.”
Chapter forty
Cora
And then the beast pounced.
The scream ripped from Cora’s throat, loud and guttural, as if it might ward off the creature intent on ripping her to pieces.
“Cora? Cora, please calm down.”
Words. Someone was saying words, but all she could do was throw her arms in front of her face. Words couldn’t save her from vicious teeth and claws.
“Cora, please, look at me.”
Saiden?
The sound of his voice slipped through a crack in her broken psyche and soothed enough of the terror for her to take a deep breath. Air rushed into her lungs, and her eyes popped open.
“Saiden?” she croaked out, recognizing the brilliant brown eyes in front of her. She tried to focus on him, but everything was bright. Too bright. And there were so many people, all shouting. Why was everyone shouting?
“It’s okay, Cora. Just breathe and focus on my face. Everything will be alright.”
She wanted to do what he asked. She trusted Saiden. Cared about Saiden. But the voices were so loud, and the harsh explosions of light fried her retinas. It was all too much. She had to get away from there. Get somewhere quieter.
