Page 24

CHAPTER 24

Carolina

Carolina’s mind reeled with more and more questions the entire ride back from Orilla del Río. What had Alma done? More importantly, what were the exact terms of the deal she had made with Tecuani?

Her mind scoured over what she knew of the day Alma’s body was found. The Fuentes familia had been the ones to lead the charge into the forest. They found her on a trail they’d crossed a few days prior. Her skin was ghostly pale. Her eyes had rolled back in her head. She appeared emaciated.

They covered her in veils and flowers as was the tradition then. But on the second day of mourning, Alma awoke. Her eyes were blood-red, and she had fangs and claws. Un diablo had taken her place, or so they thought.

Lalo said Tecuani was a trickster. Perhaps bringing back her lover only to have him kill her had been the god’s cruel joke.

“Shit,” she said, shaking her head.

Her great-great-great-grandmother accidently created the first vampiro in Abundancia.

The sun was cresting over Basilio’s Point. Carolina shouldn’t have stayed near the grave for so long. But she and Lalo had to cover the empty coffin back up. She’d told him to run back to his home as soon as she thought they’d be safe to check on Fernanda.

Carolina pressed her legs into her horse’s body, urging him to move faster. Her family would be too busy hunting sedientos to worry over her. But Luz Elena was always sneaking about.

She rounded the bend of granite that stood as a marker she was nearing home. She needed to get through the cattle grounds unseen and then she could slink in through the rear of the hacienda.

Something massive cut right in front of her. Guapo reared up so suddenly, Carolina had no time to correct herself. Her hold on the reins faltered, and she tumbled back through the air. She landed hard on her bottom, her palms scraping over dirt and pointy shrubs.

Ignoring the stinging nipping at her hands, Carolina unsheathed the first weapon she could reach, the blade from the grave, and clambered to her feet. But a sword was already waiting for her. The point of it landing on her shoulder.

“What. Are. You. Doing?”

Carolina’s stomach dropped to her knees. The voice dripping with fury was her papá’s. His face was red. His eyes were bloodshot and swollen.

“Where have you been? Where? Where, mija?”

“I…” She couldn’t tell him the truth. Not all of it, at least. “I went to hunt for the sediento who killed our men.”

“You thought you’d take on a beast who could suck the life out of you? Without a single person to assist?” Spittle flung from her father’s mouth. “Give that to me.” Papá gestured toward the rusted dagger in her hand.

She held it tight against her chest. “But…”

“Now!”

With shaking fingers, she thrust the handle toward him. He jerked it out of her grasp and shoved it into his belt.

“I thought you were dead.” His voice cracked. Fresh tears filled his eyes. “I’ve been looking for you since we found the felled sedientos in town. I was so scared. I…” He pulled her into his massive form. He crushed her in his arms. “Never do that to me again.”

Even now, he did not believe her capable of surviving on her own. She had been the one to kill the monsters, but he would never believe that. Or he’d use this as the last straw and truly send her away for good. Yes, she knew he loved her with his whole heart. But why could he not love her as she was? Why could he value her as a woman but not as a fighter?

The sound of hooves thundering came from behind the boulders. Papá spun, pulling Carolina behind him, and thrust out his sword. His tension eased when two guards rounded the bend on horseback.

“Se?or!” one of them called. “We believe we found something. Tracks going into the woods toward la casa del Alicante.”

“That’s where Lalo is staying,” Carolina blurted out.

“And you think they were inhuman?” Papá asked.

“We cannot say for certain, but the strides are longer. Lighter. Something incredibly fast ran through there. And not so longago.”

Could those tracks have been Lalo’s?

“Do you believe it was a lone sediento?” she asked, ignoring her papa’s glare.

“It looks like several.”

She had cut down two vampiros last night. There could have easily been more. If they were traveling toward Lalo, he could be in danger.

Carolina grasped her papá’s arm. “We must go there, Apá. Right now!”

“Show me,” Papá ordered his men. He turned to Carolina. “Go home. I don’t want to even think you are outside the gates. Do you understand?”

“But…”

Papa’s eyes narrowed with another heaping of fury.

“I understand.” She would not waste time fighting him, not if Lalo and Fernanda were in peril.

“Please, hurry,” Carolina said.

He ran to his mount and climbed onto the saddle. Papá and his men set off, pounding in the direction from which she’d come.

Carolina sighed and let her shoulders slump. She rubbed her bottom, which was sore from falling off Guapo. She was tired from her misadventures. And she was thoroughly confused.

She clicked her tongue and her horse stopped munching on the dried grass underfoot. He trotted over and bumped his snout against Carolina’s back.

“Don’t try to apologize now,” she grumbled. “You threw me on my ass.”

Guapo sighed into Carolina’s hair and nuzzled in closer. Grinning, she scratched his jaw and nose. “All right,” she said. “You’re forgiven. But my apá is not.”