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Even Kian, who has only spent minutes in Alena’s presence, punches Jeffrey in the throat. “Fucker.”

Asher walks forward and my brothers fall back.

Gurgling on his own blood, Jeffrey tries to curl up in a ball to protect himself, but he’s still chained and can’t do shit.

Face a stoic mask, Asher simply stares down at Jeffrey for a few long seconds. Then he uses the toe of his shoe to nudge Jeffrey until he’s lying flat on his back.

Asher grins viciously. “Guess I’ll join the party.” He slams his foot down, right on top of Jeffrey’s balls, and crushes them beneath his heel. “This is for hurting my daughter.”

We all hear the pops of Jeffrey’s balls bursting and cringe.

Drifting forward, her eyes shining with rage, Chloe spits in Jeffrey’s face. “You will be the one who burns in Hell!”

When Asher steps back, I finally approach. Kneeling down in front of the hunter, I take in all his injuries.

He’s clinging to consciousness. The beating caused some serious internal damage.

But I can hear his body working to repair itself. His blood rushing through his veins like a vampire’s would.

“He has that prophet’s blood inside him,” I remind everyone. Then I place my hands on both sides of the hunter’s head. “Only one way to make sure this fucker dies for good.”

Asher nods at me.

“Any last prayers, Order boy?” I ask Jeffrey.

“His army marches as we speak,” he slurs between his bloody lips.

Twisting Jeffrey’s head all the way around, I hear everything in his neck crunching and snapping.

Then I rip his head off his shoulders.

A fountain of blood erupts from his torso, and I quickly step back.

I don’t want any of that diseased shit getting on me.

Dropping the decapitated head next to the corpse, I look at Caden. “Burn this motherfucker to cinders. Then we’ll separate his remains into four lead boxes and drop them in different parts of the ocean.”

“Sounds good to me,” Caden says. “No one fucks with my sister and gets away with it.”

From across the house, I hear Alena yell, “Why are there so many birds circling above us?!”

Birds?

At first, I think her hearing must still be fucking with her.

But then I listen closely to be sure.

Something is slicing through the air above the house, but no bird sounds like that. No bird I’ve ever heard.

A pit of dread forms in my stomach and I race into the house.

“Gargoyles!” Matthias roars in fury before I hear the metal of the garage door crumbling like tinfoil behind me.

“Raphael! Help!” Alena screams into our bond.

Through her eyes, I watch as a stone creature breaks through the window of the bathroom and grabs her.

I’m moving as fast as I can, but Alena is pulled out into the night before I can reach her.