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The words were scarcely out of my mouth when my phone rang.

My hands sweated in my gloves as I checked my screen.

Sunshine—the name was barely visible through my cracked screen protector.

I swiped to accept. “Sunshine?”

“They’ve got his location,” Sunshine said. “You were right. He’s at one of Gisila’s empty factories—they’re waiting for you to arrive to infiltrate the place.”

I pinned my phone to my ear with my shoulder and clutched my potion with my left hand. Motioning for Orrin to follow me, I jogged for the front doors and started patting down my pockets, searching for the car keys. “Okay, what’s the address?” I asked, my voice shaking.

Hold on, Considine. I’m coming!

CHAPTER

THIRTY-TWO

Considine

Hungry.

I was so hungry.

The immobility was wearing on me, and the endless darkness was sanding away at my soul.

I was too hungry now to give into the temptation of sleep, which was a win. Even in my current mental state I refused to give up any second with Jade.

But my fangs ached and my throat squeezed with hunger pains that were slowly overtaking my brain so I couldn’t think of much else.

It was getting dangerous—or maybe I was already well into the danger zone and I could no longer trust my own judgment.

“Jade. Jade O’Neil.” I chanted her name as if it were a spell that could restore my mind.

Jade was the only thing I could think of besides my hunger and the need to drink.

Her benign scent that covered the secret of her burning blood, her rare laugh that I swear I could hear in the darkness ofmy box—which perhaps was another sign I was starting to lose it.

She’s coming.

I thumped the back of my head against my box, trying to use the sensation to drive out the consuming hunger.

Jade. Jade.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-THREE

Jade

Iarrived at the factory sometime around one in the morning. I haphazardly parked about four blocks away—the factory was well guarded, and I wasn’t going to risk alarming any guards since an ambush attack would give the slayers a huge advantage in the coming fight. I wanted to load our odds as high as I could for Considine’s sake.

I ran to the meeting point—Orrin kept up without complaining. I think he could tell I was barely holding myself in check.

I was so close to finally freeing Considine, I couldn’t stand it.

A Patel slayer was posted at the entrance of a small parking lot. She was armed with a rifle and stepped aside as Orrin and I approached.

“Slayer O’Neil,” she said. “They’re around the corner.”