“Easy, bro,” he whispers. “Fucking rein it in.”
“I’m good,” I lie.
Black Eyes studies her closely.
Her pulse thrums wildly at her neck, but she’s not afraid—I can smell anticipation and excitement.
I flex my fists. My jaw ticks.
“Enough.” Calloway’s voice drops. “E-fucking-nough.”
My brother can tell I’m moments away from losing it. Though he doesn’t know why. His intentions are showcasing a need to remove me from the room because of what is happening here—the scene, the system, what this all stands for—but he hasn’t noticed her.
He doesn’t even know she exists.
But I do.
To me, she’sallthat exists.
I don’t look at Cal. I fear if I do, he’ll know something has shifted in me. I’m too fucking raw right now, too overcome by the pull, too far gone by her grip on my instincts.
The man’s hand skims above her waist, and she doesn’t pull away, letting the pulse of an almost touch move through her. If anything, she leans in, willing contact to happen.
And the urge to kill overwhelms me.
Mine.
The word isn’t rational, but it’s the only word inside my head.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
She shifts slightly, scanning the room for a second. Her eyes pass over the crowd—and land on me. The man leans down to say something low into her ear, and I just start…walking.
Toward them. Toward her.
But I only get a few steps ahead before I feel a strong grip on my arm, pulling me back.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Cal whispers harshly into my ear. He’s concerned. He thinks I’m unraveling.
He’s probably right.
My eyes are still on her and the other vampire, and when his focus goes back to her throat for another sniff, the urge to murder blurs my vision red.
Cal’s definitely right.
Wedding bells and a handsome groom and vampire babies and a big mansion with a happy family are her entire world right now. And all that guy sees is power.
She is so fucking naïve it’s killing me.
I want to cross the room, but I know I won’t stop at broken bones. I won’t stop at anything. I won’t stop until heads are literally rolling.
“Leave.” Calloway tightens his grip. “Now.”
My brother doesn’t ask questions, and he doesn’t give me any more chances. He steers me down an empty hallway in the mansion and toward an exit out a discreet side door.
And the whole time, behind us, the music swells and conversation chatters and her laugh floats over it all.
The pull doesn’t loosen. It only grows tighter.
