Page 48

“They said they didn’t do it,” Luna argues.

“They lie,” an elderly wolf says.

“They must go,” an unmated male demands.

“Kill them,” Rue screams.

A rock flies straight toward the oldest vamp’s face. She catches the rock midair and drops it on the ground.

“Do. Not do that,” her voice drops and for the first time, that neutral control slips, and I see the threat behind her words.

I’d never let her hurt a member of my pack, but I understand her anger.

“Michaela, it’s too much,” the youngest vamp whimpers behind her sister, still clutching her head.

The neutral stare slips back over the oldest vamp’s face.

“Fight it. I can’t help right now.”

I don’t know what they are talking about. But they have this conversation often. The oldest tells the youngest about a block and the youngest tells her it’s up.

“They have to go,” a wolf says. “Surrender the vampires.”

Everyone shouts those three words.

“Chayton,” Alarick says behind us. “You better get up there and get control of this.”

“If they killed that family, there is no getting control.”

“They didn’t do it,” I say, shocking myself.

Chayton turns to me. “How do you know?”

I look back at the youngest vamp. I take note of the dark shadows under her eyes. The way her skin looks dull and even the gaunt look on her face. The night I found them after they went to town, they both looked refreshed. Their skin was glowing, and the youngest looked so much healthier.

However, I didn’t know how to explain that to Chayton. So I tell him, “I just know.”

“They didn’t,” Alarick chimes in. “If a vampire drains a human, they will show signs of over-gorging. Their pupils will bedilated and there will be a red rim around their irises. They both look as if they need feeding, not like they’ve over fed.”

I didn’t know the signs of overfeeding, but I’d watched them long enough to know the signs of underfeeding.

Even though the crowd is in an uproar and shouting, I can still hear the whispered plea from the youngest vamp.

“Please,” she cries.

The oldest turns just in time to see the youngest collapse. She grabs her before she hits the ground.

“Marley,” Luna screams.

The crowd quiets. Chayton and I both make our way up the steps and onto the porch.

I don’t take my eyes off the two vamps. I don’t get much emotion from the oldest vamp. Every now and again, her façade falls and I can see anger, but never anything other than that. Looking at the way she’s cradling her sister, stroking her face so gently, I can read the concern over her face clear as day.

“Enough,” Chayton shouts. “It wasn’t them that killed the family.”

“Even if it wasn’t, they need to go. They have lured another vampire to us.”

Couldn’t argue with that.