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Jericho’s chest swelled—fierce female.

“Fuck, she smells good,” Ryder snarled, baring elongated fangs.

“Feed from her, and you’ll share her fate,” Helen snapped. “You know Jericho tainted her when he claimed her as his Chosen. You’re no good to me if you’re curled on the ground puking the little whore’s blood. And if for one minute you suspect she’s poking around in your brain, kill her.”

Given Alex’s head injury, Jericho doubted her ability to retaliate. Regardless, he needed to draw their attention away from her. “What do you want, Helen?” he bit out.

“What do I want?” She pressed a hand to her chest. “It’s been a long time since someone’s asked. Those I serve only care about what I can do for them.” Her tone softened, and her gaze grew distant before drifting away.

She shook her head and straightened, wrenching her shoulders back. “Regardless, the question isn’t whatIwant, but what Zion wants. It’s what he wants for all of us, to free us from these pathetic human constraints.”

She reached behind her neck and unlatched a gold chain, tugging the medallion from the front of her dress. Wings inlaid with three intersecting blades gleamed on its surface—Zion’s insignia. She slid bony arms around Jericho’s neck, taking more time than necessary to clasp the chain.

“There.” She patted the emblem. “Attention to every detail.”

Thrusting her arm behind her, she snapped her fingers. With a roll of his eyes, Ryder reached into his pocket and passed her a syringe.

Black ice.Jericho’s heart stuttered before plunging into his gut. It was just as he feared, his worst nightmare.

“You see, it’s men like Victor and Marcus”—her smug expression faltered—“who keep us from taking what is rightfully ours. For centuries, they’ve clung to their rules and traditions and demanded the rest of us do the same. For too long, they’ve forced us to suppress what we are, to blend in with the humans. Demons cut off their horns, Mages practice dark arts in cellars, and vampires hide their fangs, feeding in filthy alleys. Zion plans to change all of that. To set us free.”

Her eyes took on a maniacal gleam. “Don’t you understand? Traditionalists like your clan leader are a dying breed. History has shown, time and time again, species that don’t evolve are doomed to extinction. Formality and ancient bloodlines have no place in the modern world. Zion is our future.”

The look of adoration on Helen’s face chilled his veins. He had to find an opening to get Alex out of here.

There was no point in reasoning with a mad woman. Perhaps he could provoke her. “Funny how your noble leaderlooks like all the other drug dealers at the end of the day,” he taunted.

Helen smiled like a true believer instructing a child. “Black ice is simply a tool. It gives Zion’s supporters a glimpse of what they can truly become. What we were meant to be.”

“It’s a tool that lines Zion’s pockets,” Jericho spat.

“The profits further our cause. If there is one thing my dearest Marcus taught me over the years, it’s that without money, there is no power.” She fluttered her hand. “But none of that matters right now. We all have our roles to play. Yours is simple. Tonight, you will become Zion’s messenger.”

She held the syringe to the light as though admiring a fine gem. Inside, black sludge oozed from side to side. “Decades of development and ingenuity, all in the palm of my hand. The new formula is even better than the last,” her voice resonated with pride. “In a low dose, it’s a taste of freedom. Virtually uncut, it will transform you into your purest state.”

She reared back and stabbed the needle into Jericho’s heart. Unable to escape, he jerked, slamming his head into the concrete.

“No!” Alex’s scream filled his ears while Helen darted to a safe distance.

Jagged shards of ice pierced his chest, shattering outward like a rock thrown into a frozen pond. Despair threatened to break him. After all these centuries, all it had taken was the single prick of a needle to destroy him.

Worse than a death sentence, the drug would strip away everything he held dear, his control, his honor, his sanity. And he could do nothing. Nothing to stop its creeping decay. Nothing to free himself. Both his mind and body would no longer be his own. Memories of Sivanah’s brutal dominion over him surfaced. He shook his head, banishing the image.

Not even Liam could save him this time.

Icy claws scraped beneath his skin. Razor blades sliced through his extremities.It’s spreading.Pain consumed him, rolled through his system in a frigid tidal wave, and pulled him under. He writhed in the chains, sawing metal into his wrists. No escape. Just bone-wrenching agony.

As the fracturing cold spread, a white-hot fire blazed in its wake. He tried to swallow it down, push it back. Failed. His mouth opened, and a roar tore from his throat.

Helen clapped with glee, excitement gleaming in her eyes. “Think of the scandal you’ll cause. Can you imagine Victor’s reaction when he realizes his most trusted general is a monster?” She pressed her fingers against her lips, holding back laughter. “Better yet, I’d love to see his reaction when he discovers his little spy on his doorstep, her body dismembered by the one man who’d sworn to protect her.”

Jericho’s sluggish mind recoiled.No! She couldn’t mean…But he already sensed the drug breaking down his defenses, snuffing out his humanity. Jericho would be completely rogue.

And Alex would be his first victim.

“Clever. Victor sending a sympath in his place tonight. But I really couldn’t allow her to poke around in my head.” Helen shrugged. “Fortunately, Marcus has horrible taste in art. It took a mere phone call to get the artist to the opening. Without lifting a finger, I short-circuited the great clan leader’s spy. Still, I hate last-minute surprises. Our informant barely gave me enough time to plan.”

The rancid burn of betrayal coated Jericho’s tongue. Bones popped in his clenching fists. For a while now, they’d suspected they had a mole in their midst. Somehow, Zion’s informant discovered Alex was a sympath. To Jericho’s knowledge, only three people outside of Victor knew Alex’s secret: Doc, Colin…and Slade.