Page 55 of A Steeping of Blood (Blood and Tea #2)

JIN

Jin heard the gunshots, and he knew. He knew that gun.

He moved in the direction of the sound, but he was slow, as if wading through water.

A fist connected with his jaw. By his side, Flick screamed.

He couldn’t fight back. The world slowed to a buzz, ringing in his ears, thrumming far away.

The man hit him again. Jin stumbled. And again.

Then Matteo was beside him. He cut the man down. He was dragging Jin and Flick away, pulling them to the shadows.

Where the familiar gunshots had rang out.

“Arthie!” Matteo shouted, and Jin saw the portrait in front of him.

His parents were slumped against each other, leaning against the gray stone wall. In some twisted way, they looked asleep, as though they had finally, finally found a moment’s rest after the years of mayhem.

But their eyes were glassy. Their chests unmoving. He couldn’t turn them. He couldn’t make them vampires. He couldn’t say goodbye.

He didn’t get to tell them that he loved them.

He could have sworn there were claws in his chest, tearing his heart to shreds, so great was the pain.

Not even three feet away, Arthie was surrounded by the Ram’s men. Calibore was clutched in her hand. Matteo ran for her, but Jin couldn’t move. You must . She was his sister, the last of his family.

Jin cocked the revolver and fired at the men charging her, then fired again.

Again. Again. He fired until the cylinder ran out and Matteo rose from the mess of limbs and bodies, blood dripping from his chin.

Then it was quiet. The world was roaring around them, but here in this moment, it mourned.

It wrapped them in silence. Then his tears fell.