Page 25 of Claimed By Fangs and Darkness

His smile still held notes of pain that I traced with my expanded witch sight. My own lips twitched in spite of myself.

“I think I know what might cheer you up.”

I nodded. “Me too.”

“Let’s go kill the Whitfields. Neatly and tidily.”

He finally got me to smile.

9

EVIE

The Whitfields had hired guards. Loyalist shifter vampire hunters, to be exact. While the majority of mortals detested the born and stood on the correct side of this impending revolution, there would always be those who ignorantly fought against their own interests. Whether because they thought they were preserving their place in the wealth and power hierarchy, or they’d succumbed to the borns’ asinine propaganda machine, it was hard to say. Usually a mix of both.

That had never been me. Though, after the widespread, unspeakable cruelty Hekate had me witness, I still felt a thick layer of shame from my own complacency.

Shame is wasted,a shadow whispered.It will only weaken you. You did the best you could with what you had at the time. Move from devotion now.

“I don’t feel good about killing the guards,” I admitted to Kylo from our spot on the outskirts of the Whitfield estate. Kylo’s shadows protected us from prying eyes, though we were also concealed by meticulously manicured shrubs. The moon was the thinnest crescent above.

It was the middle of the night. Tomorrow was the new moon and the night I would dedicate myself to Hekate and the clan,lest I be consumed by shadows. It was the night Kylo would tattoo me, which he wasfartoo excited about.

“They’d feel just fine about killing you,” Kylo said. “I am certain the guards are fully aware that the Whitfields offered Idris as bait to lure you away. And I guarantee they were fine with that too.”

That second point was enough for me. I gritted my teeth. My shadows were starving, my rage a delirious, intoxicating buzz.

Because now, I could actuallydo something about it.

“But won’t people suspect this was me? If their hired help knows, wouldn’t they have told their friends?”

“It’s possible, but I doubt it,” Kylo said. “That’s not how powerful people operate. They don’t show their weaknesses and open themselves up to more attack. Especially not a businessman like Roger. They’re both well-aware that their high-class circles are filled to the brim with snakes, and they certainly don’t want the clan or our allies after them. Even if a few people suspect you…”

“Like Jacob’s friends and Kailey, the woman he cheated on me with,” I interjected.

“Remind me again why I’m supposed to feel sorry for eliminating that rodent?”

I elbowed Kylo, and he grabbed my arm, turning to tower over me. “Careful, angel. I bite.” He inhaled deeply. “Even if they suspect you, they’re humans. They’re not going to do shit. They will have seen what happened to the Whitfields after they targeted you, and they’ll have even more reason to keep their mouths shut and avoid getting on our bad side.” He lowered his head, his lips close to my ear. “Onyourbad side.”

To say the Whitfields were on my bad side was putting it mildly.

“Okay, we’ve scouted and discussed, I’m ready to move,” I said impatiently.

Kylo groaned. “You have no idea how sexy it is to see you as starving for violent retribution as I am. How many couples can share this intense, intimate bonding activity?”

He stroked my cheek, and I yanked back. Kylo smiled.

“Ismurderthe bonding activity?”

I shook my head, even as my lips threatened to form a begrudging smile.

“No, baby.” He looked like he wanted to reach for me again but refrained. “It’s revenge.”

He tilted his head, wordlessly indicating for me to follow him. It took him a couple seconds to remember that my shadowed powers didn’t include super speed or strength. My short legs were no match for his.

He shot me a sheepish, apologetic look as I glared at him for almost leaving me behind.

We must’ve set off a magickal trigger, as the guards began hissing orders the moment we crossed a certain threshold.