I dial Qinnu and instruct him to ready the special ops warriors. Dominik and I spent the early hours of the morning loading the SUVs with artillery after Demi refueled them onsite. Nearly depleted the armory’s stock of silver bullets by half to do it.
“We’ll have to set an aggressive pace if we want to make it before tomorrow’s sunrise,” Jabir states as he types away on his tablet. He’s right. Before daylight, we’re less likely to get caught tampering with their surveillance system.
My jaw clenches. A whole lot can happen in twenty-four hours. But we know the enemy we’re up against. My warriors and I are facing the cowards head-on this time. No games. No distractions.
Nell is right on my heels. "If Kiersten has confirmation that she's the one, the Blood Master is probably on his way. Preston and his family are probably dead. You don't know what you're walking into . . . he could already be there with goddess knows how many vamps.”
"I sure hope he's there. He has a lot to answer for.”
"I know you want justice, Axe, but please be smart about this. There’s still a great deal we don’t know and?—"
Fists curl at my sides. "Do you doubt me?"
"Not for a second. But I've seen you lose yourself to the bloodlust before. All I ask is that you don't lose sight of the real mission."
My rage hollows out as I register the fear in her eyes. The rain clouds gathering there. With a sigh of defeat, I lean down to hug her.
Nell squeezes me tight. "You give ‘em hell, you hear me?"
“Copy that,” I rasp.
Determination beats through me as I open my locker to retrieve my body armor, along with the rest of my tactical gear. My brother and sister wait at the top of the stairs, clad in bulletproof vests, mag belts, and automatic rifles strapped to their chests. Ready to roll out.
When I kick down those doors, I’ll be locked in on one thing only. Finding Vessa.
Vessa
I’ve been staring at the ceiling for hours. Maybe even days. How could I possibly sleep, knowing that the vampires are coming for me?
Eventually, Kiersten’s lover unlocks the cell door and escorts me back to her office. A floor-length shift with a hideous lace neckline is tugged down my torso. I sit upright as she unpacks her duffel bag full of cosmetics to mask my bruised complexion. I stare off into the distance as she applies ointment to my wounds, brushes my long hair, and tends to my fingernails. Once satisfied, she secures my hair with a pink ribbon and instructs me to eat.
I manage to scarf down half of a bowl of oatmeal before a blaring siren sounds from the dining hall below. Yvonne wrinkles her brows as she makes for the door. It swings open the moment she grips onto the handle. A fist throttles her throat, then her abdomen, causing her to curl inwards and collapse to the floor.
I’m scrambling to my feet, rummaging through the desk for a weapon when a harsh voice whispers my name. I look up and sure enough, Esmé stands over the body with a bloody pair of scissors.
“Come quickly!” she urges.
Hand in hand, we race down the hallway. With guards pursuing the disturbance in the opposite direction, we quickly duck into a maintenance closet, jamming the door with a small ladder. The lightbulb overhead flickers.
“What did you do, pull the fire alarm?”
She pants heavily. “Here, put this on.” She throws a spare lab coat over my shoulders and pulls off the pink ribbon that secures my hair, tucking it inside. Then, she takes a handkerchief and ties the ends under my chin. I feel her fingers press a warm liquid along my chin and neck. Yvonne’s blood.
“What the?—”
“That should cover your scent for the time being.”
Esmé presses the scissors into my palms. “I know it isn’t much, but this should at least hold you over until you can find yourself a gun. If you’re gonna use them, aim for the neck, the kidneys, or if you’re feeling frisky, the groin.”
I open my mouth to speak, but she immediately smushes a finger to my lips. Footsteps pound against the stairwell. Guards on the hunt. Whoever it is, they pass by without detection. Radio activity blares so frantically, surely even our pounding hearts can’t be heard. Finally, the witch drops her hand.
“Is it happening? Did Axe find us?”
“Not yet,” she whispers. “But he’s close. We just need to keep you hidden from the vampires until his men arrive.”
My stomach lurches in the dark. “The vampires are here?”
Esmé curses, grabbing what feels like a wooden broom. “They’re coming back. Be ready on my lead.”
