Page 71

Centering my mind, I stare at the building.

For what they’ve done, they deserve a reminder of who they’re fucking with.

Calming the fury that threatens to overwhelm me again, I look to Asher and focus on our own connection.

The blood link between Sire and Childe.

It’s still there, strong as ever.

The soul bond with Alena, though, is thin and fragile. And the faint echoes of pain and anguish I feel coming through it are all my fault.

If only I could strengthen the bond with my love alone.

I love her. I’ve always loved her.

Yet the wordloveseems pale and unworthy of what I truly feel. What I feel is so much more. Something my brain can’t find a word for…

Trying to push the emotion across our bond, I hit the block again. Something is keeping me separated from her.

And someone must pay for this cruelty.

Why not the fuckers who did it?

“They need to fear us again,” I say to Asher, and nod toward the church. “I want to see the dread and realization that they’re going to die on their faces.”

Asher frowns in thought. “It’s been a long time since we’ve done something like that.”

“It’s time to remind them who we are,” I growl viciously. “No better time than during the day when they think us vulnerable.”

Examining the massive iron doors at the entrance of the church, I’m reminded of the castles that existed during my youth.

“How long has it been since you stormed a castle?” I ask.

Turning to face me, Asher gives me a toothy grin. “Centuries.”

Racing as fast as my feet will carry me across the asphalt, I lower my shoulder and slam into the left door of the church.

Asher is not far behind, slamming through the right side.

The iron doors we burst through aren’t as weak as I originally thought. No, they’re quite dense and meaty.

It makes little difference, though, as I watch mine fly into the room and shatter a couple rows of wooden pews.

The door Asher hit flies even farther into the room and hits a praying parishioner.

“Fucking showoff,” I grunt at him.

All the commotion we just created is bound to get the attention of everyone inside the building.

I smell something so fucking familiar in the air, though.

I smellMotherhere.

Or at least something very similar to her.

Asher freezes. He must smell her, too.

“It’s Chloe…” I say.