Page 75 of Claimed By Fangs and Darkness

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “So… I may have killed the Whitfields because they killedyou.” I shrugged.“The decapitation was an accident,” I quickly added.

Idris’s mouth dropped open. He stared at Kylo. “Like I said, amonster.”

The instinctive shame I’d cultivated for the past decade fell away, and in this moment, I was only grateful to be seen in my entirety by those I loved most.

“Thecutestlittle monster,” Kylo said, leaning back in the chair as he gazed at me adoringly.

“Ew,” Idris said. “I think I’m entering bloodlust,” he said flatly, his lips a thin line. “You two should probably leave.”

“You better get used to it,” Kylo drawled. “I plan on being nauseatingly in love with Evie for an eternity. Whether she ever forgives me for murdering the whiny man-child or not.”

Idris squinted at me. “Evie is horrible at pretending. No matter what she says, her forgiveness is obvious.”

“You don’t know anything!” I grumbled.

Kylo chuckled. “She just wants me groveling for as long as possible. As if I was ever able to saynoto her before.”

“You two make me feel incredibly single,” Idris muttered.

That was the first time I’d ever heard him mention romance, as he was usually cagey and private about these matters.

“Any vampires catch your eye?” I fished. I twirled a strand of hair around my finger and pretended to examine its end, feigning nonchalance.

“As previously stated, the bulk of my thoughts have revolved around blood and violence.” He sighed, his features softening. “ButI guessyou will be the first to know if that changes.”

My whole face lit up, and I couldn’t help but grin.

Idris looked away. “I already regret saying that.”

Kylo laughed. “Too late now.”

The conversation continued to weave through every mood as we discussed what happened yesterday on campus and the reality of war on our doorstep. Higher than the grief and rage and fear for each other was the love—the reason we were here, the reason we would fight.

It was a privilege to have so much to lose.

25

EVIE

Ipaced back and forth in my new garden space Kylo had created for me in one of his countless romantic gestures these past few weeks. This morning was spent crafting more poison, planning for the turning ritual, and fortifying my spiritual allies with offerings and prayer. Unfortunately, creating the new vampire poison—I called it violet bane, due to its nature and ingredients—was a time-consuming and laborious process. It had the potential to be mass produced, which the clan desperately needed for war, but I would need more witches for that.

Kylo told me Princeton was well-connected in the witch communities of Etherdale, and I was beginning to see why. Powerful chaos witch or not, I couldn’t do all of this myself.

The afternoon consisted of instruction and training from Kylo on both strategy and combat. We still hadn’t decided what my role would be in battle, as I was now the backbone of the clan. There was a reason that in the centuries since Rune’s war for Valentin, no one outside of his clan had a clue how they’d been made or by whom. They’d kept their chaos witch entirely concealed and out of the public eye.

The born were either entirely aware or reasonably suspected that I’d taken Princeton’s place, and that put me at a stark disadvantage. Not to mention I lacked vampire speed and strength, which meant all of my magick was most effective from a protected area or at a distance. But no matter what my role would be, I knew I would inevitably end up drawn into violence in one fashion or another. I had to be prepared for anything.

Kylo obviously wanted me nowhere near combat, but he taught me everything he knew, regardless.

Because that was the man he was.

Now, I paced. I put my overthinking brain to good use. I was learning that most character defects could be wielded as strengths under the right circumstances.

A tiny spirit moved in the corner of my eye, a wisp of light that clung to a pink rose bush.

“Not now, thank you,” I whispered.

Kylo appeared with a glass of water. “Talking to the nature spirits, baby?”