Page 129 of Blood as Sweet as Roses

“Can you tell them I’m busy?” I answer, handing a towel to Lily soshe can wipe her forehead.

Alin puts my phone to his ear. “Hi, sorry, she’s actually delivering a baby right now…could you call her back?”

“I finished my picture!” Eli declares, holding up his colouring book for Lily and I to see. He’s drawn little stick figures of himself, Lily, Renata, and a tiny egg-shaped baby, beside a yellow square that I assume is the Respite hotel.

“That’s beautiful, honey,” Lily pants.

“She can’t, because the hotel we’re staying at is being attacked by vampires,” Alin explains, still holding my phone to his ear. “And witches, but we’re not sure which ones. Probably Artemis witches.”

“Alin!” I shriek, putting down the scissors with a clank. “Who are you taking to?”

“I don’t know, you told me to answer the phone!” Alin says defensively, handing it back to me. “This is averyoverwhelming situation!”

I put the phone to my ear. My stomach drops when I hear Miles’s frantic voice.

“Paige? What’s going on? Is someone having ababy?”

“Miles, I can explaineverything,” I tell him. “I just need to…”

Lily moans again. “Paige, I think I want you to call Renata!”

Alin points to the largest monitor, opposite the desk. “The vampires have breeched the hotel lobby!” he shouts.

“Did he sayvampires?” Miles gasps.

“Miles, don’t worry, I’ve got it all under…” I start, but I’m interrupted when all of the lights in the room, including the monitors, turn dark.

The phone call disconnects.

CHAPTER 45: HOLD THE LINE

Crimson

The hotel lobby is plunged into darkness as the power cuts out.

But I don’t mind.

I take advantage of my sharp night vision, lunging forward at one of the attacking vampires. He wears a dark hood with a mask over his features. Without hesitating, I go for his heart, plunging my stake deep into his chest. He twitches, and deanimates without a sound.

Emergency lights flicker on in an eerie, orange glow, along the two front desks. They illuminate the battle scene raging through the lobby.

It’s mostly vampires, locked in combat in a fog of supernatural motion. The shifters took the courtyard, the witches took the skies. Oana and Cedric managed to force us back from the hotel’s entrance into the lobby, but I don’t know if they gained any ground elsewhere.

We seem to be holding things well here, but I don’t know how long that will last. Vampires have good endurance, and can keep fighting indefinitely if evenly matched. If we can last to the dawn, the intruders will have to retreat.

My mind goes to Paige, alone on the holding floor. If we make it to sunrise, I can see her again. I have to keep her safe, at all costs.

I position myself directly in front of the emergency staircase, prepared to take down any vampire that makes it this far. I’m the strongest, the final guard between the attackers and the rest of the hotel.

Celine and Damien fall back from their positionsin front of me. Celine’s black blazer is drenched in blood, her fangs down by her lips. Damien’s shirt is in tatters, his long locs falling over his bare shoulders.

“Whywould Oana attack the hotel?” Celine says furiously.

“Because she hates us, and she loves chaos,” Damien answers bitterly.

“Because she knew we wouldn’t be expecting it,” I suggest, watching carefully for any movement. If anyone gets past me, they could make it up to Paige. I won’t allow that to happen. “It’s an impossible plan.”

“She wants to rattle us,” Damien sighs. “I don’t think she really believes she could take the hotel.”