Page 49 of Grim’s Delight (The New Protectorate Syndicate #1)
“Stay in the car,” he commanded. She barely had time to open her mouth before he was throwing the driver’s door open, gun raised.
Her heart jumped into her throat as men poured out of the vehicles. They had more men and far more guns — all of which were aimed directly at Felix.
Fear hit her harder than the SUVs did. It was worse than when she woke up impaled. It was worse than getting the news in the hospital. It was worse than Devon barging into her apartment.
It was fear for Felix, and it seeped into every crevice of her being like bitterly cold ice water.
I can’t watch him die.
Through the open driver’s door, she heard him say, “You know, that was a fucking stupid thing to do, Tomas. I actually liked you, but now I have to kill you.”
“We don’t want anyone to die, Felix.” The voice that replied was smooth and lilting. A singer’s voice, maybe, in another life. “We just want my cousin.”
“So you ran her off the fucking road? You could’ve killed her!” Felix had sounded cool and composed before, but now his fury whipped out like a lightning strike.
Tomas didn’t seem to care. “Unlikely. I’m a very good driver.”
It was hard to tell what was going on or how many men there were when Felix blocked most of her view. She didn’t need to see, though, when he growled, “Take another step and I shoot.”
“Kill me and my uncle will take out every Amauri in that ugly house.” Tomas sounded more exasperated than concerned, but the threat didn’t feel forced. It had real weight to it.
Her heart stopped as the faces of Sonia and Will and all of the other children snapped to the forefront of her mind. It wasn’t just them they had to protect, either. They were responsible for Nash and Genevieve. Marietta. Luis and Milo. Even freaky doctor Alvin.
If something happened to them, it was because they failed.
And Dahlia couldn’t imagine existing in a world without Felix. He’d become more than just her boogeyman. He was her everything — as annoying as that was.
“Do you really want that, Felix? Just hand Dahlia over and we can end this bullshit before it gets any worse.”
Dahlia’s breath shortened as the sound of tires squealing around the corner reached them.
It had to be their security, but she knew instantly that they’d only make it worse.
There was no way Felix would back down, and if it devolved into a shootout, everything she’d hoped to avoid would happen in the worst possible way.
She’d started the night with the intention of ending the conflict. Now she really had no choice.
Unbuckling her seatbelt with trembling fingers, Dahlia called out, “Felix, stop! Just stop!”
“Dahlia? This is your cousin Tomas. I’m going to bring you to your father. Can you get out of the car or do you need help?”
“You stay in the fucking car, Dahlia,” Felix snarled. “Put your head down and cover your ears.”
“No, no. I’m not doing any of that. Both of you, just listen to me.” She had to jam her shoulder into the door to get it open. There would be time to be pissed about her beautiful new car getting totaled, but it would have to come when she wasn’t trying to save her husband’s life.
He bellowed something else at her. She ignored it as she stumbled out of the car and onto the grassy shoulder. Her heels sank into the dirt, but it didn’t stop her from rounding the front of the severely damaged car.
The scene that greeted her was nightmarish.
Felix stood facing off with a dozen armed men.
Their two security guards had their own guns aimed at the group, but were hopelessly outgunned and in a terrible position.
Between them was a lithe, golden-skinned man with neatly styled black hair and a model’s face.
His features were almost too refined, his nose too straight and his mouth too full.
He looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine, not aiming a rifle at Felix’s head like it was just another chore.
When they locked eyes, Dahlia instantly recognized something of Alastair in him.
“Dahlia,” Tomas greeted. “It’s great to finally meet you. Please get in the car.”
“She’s not going anywhere.” Felix moved to step in front of her. A series of high whines filled the air as all the Bowan men released the safety on their bolt guns.
“Felix, stop!” Cursing the rough terrain more than her footwear, Dahlia hurried onto the road. Dodging his swipe at her arm, she stepped between the men. A cold sweat broke out over her body as she held her hands out — one to him and one to Tomas.
“Everyone just stop. No one is going to die tonight. For Grim’s sake, put the guns down.”
Tomas looked genuinely regretful when he said, “Can’t do that, cousin. I’ve got orders. And he’s kept you from your family long enough.”
Trying not to sound as pissed off as she was, she demanded, “What are your orders?”
“To kill him if he won’t let you go.”
Dahlia turned her head to look at Felix. He stood rigidly behind her, his face pale and his eyes bright with the kind of fury she knew could tear Tomas apart. But he was only one man, and even if the full force of the Amauris came down on them, a blood bath was inevitable.
The universe moved in predictable patterns and so too did vampires. All the signs were there. If she didn’t stop this, someone she loved would die.
I’m not prey anymore, she thought, sucking in a deep breath of the muggy summer air. I’m one of the predators, and I’ll be damned before I let someone take what’s mine.
Meeting his eye, she murmured, “Don’t be mad, okay? I love you.”
The skin pulled tight over Felix’s skull as her intent registered. “Do not ? —”
Turning back to Tomas, she took a step toward him. “I’ll go with you.”
Tomas’s dark eyes flicked over her shoulder, no doubt taking in the rage painting Felix’s expression. “Will he shoot?”
“Not if I’m with you,” she answered, passing him stiffly. “He loves me too much to risk it.”