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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ZAND

Teresa’s smoldering remains made small smoke clouds a few feet away. We needed to leave Belmont Harbor before law enforcement showed. Natasha appeared through the darkness. She was walking up to us from a grassy path of the harbor. She was alone, and I was alarmed. Where was Donté?

“Sorry King. Lonzo got away.”

“What happened?” I needed details.

She explained. “We chased him down Lake Shore Drive, going south. But the barrage of traffic made capture too difficult. We lost sight of him near the Shedd Aquarium. I made the decision for us to split up to cover more ground.”

“Where is my son?”

“I’m not sure, King. I went east toward the Adler Planetarium and Donté went west, in the direction of the Field Museum. After I made it to Northerly Island, I texted Donté, and he didn’t respond. I didn’t spot Lonzo, and I came back here to you.”

I was quiet, thinking. “Can you track his phone?” I asked.

My phone vibrated against my thigh. I reached for my cell. The text message preview made my vampire heart tighten with something I hadn’t felt in decades. There was urgency combined with hope. Donté, my son, had found Lonzo.

I swiped to open the text, and my eyes scanned the message from my son.

SON

Found Lonzo. Soldier Field North Garage. Level 3. Looks injured. Will keep eyes on him.

The second message arrived immediately after.

SON

Hurry.

OTW

I texted back.

“King.” Natasha called to me. “It’s a group text.”

Donté was smart enough to include Natasha in the text to me. The timer had started to tick. I turned toward my remaining team. They all stood silently watching Teresa’s ashes scatter across the lakeshore. My gaze found Morgan and Harlen first. The duo was still vibrating with the rush of vengeance.

“Harlen, Morgan, collect what remains of Teresa. Every ash, every ember. I want nothing left. Hurry.” My voice was eager and intentional. “Put her remains in the containment vessel. I’ll decide what to do with them later.”

Morgan’s eyebrows lifted slightly, but she didn’t question my order. Harlen soon returned from my Jeep with the specialized vacuum equipment we brought for just this purpose. The captured vampires were already on the highway with Marco and my men.

“Josh.” I continued. “I have a line on Lonzo’s whereabouts.”

Josh, ever stoic, inclined his head in acknowledgment. “And Ms. Taylor?” He asked.

Chanel stood slightly apart from the group. Her arms wrapped around herself against the chill in the air.

“You take her home first. You can meet us la—” I began.

“No.” Chanel interrupted. The single syllable boomed with authority. She took a step forward and her eyes met mine. “I’m coming with you.”

Josh shifted uncomfortably, looking between us. My jaw tightened. Sunrise was only a few hours away. I didn’t know how long it would take us to find, chase, and eliminate Lonzo. He had a personal vendetta against Chanel. Every instinct screamed to send her home, to protect her from what would happened next. But I had learned enough about my fiancée to recognize the futility of arguing against her determination.

“Chanel.” I said, keeping my voice low as I stepped closer to her. “This isn’t over yet. Lonzo is dangerous, more so now that he is a vampire.”

“I know exactly what he is.” She replied. “I was there when he tried to kill me the first time, remember?” She sassed me. “I want to see this through to the end. I want to watch him burn, just like his sister.”