Page 31

“I much preferred the ‘tie you to the bed’ option,” Valen grumbles as he peers out into the street from the lobby windows.

All I see is darkness beyond the glass, a faint illumination glowing farther along Pennsylvania Avenue from a lone streetlight. I’m still tingling from our kiss, from the feel of his hands on me. “Anything out there?”

“Definitely.”

“Then why don’t they come in here?” I ask. “Wait, is it like the movies, do you need an invitation?”

He scoffs. “No. I’ve warded this building with my blood.”

I turn my head so fast my neck cracks. “Huh?”

“Only Blood Dragonis can enter this building. My blood marks every door, every window, and that goes double for your apartment. If I could bar everyone but myself, I would, but there is no ward for that. At least, not one I’ve been able to find.”

“That’s why Theo could get to me?”

He growls low in his throat, more animal than anything else. “Yes,” he grates. “But no other house can cross this threshold. They would’ve come for you in droves if it weren’t for the wards.”

“Jeez.” I scoot closer to him. “Vampire politics?”

“Power. You’re the key to Gregor’s grand plan—his scientist and his leverage over Juno. Take you out, and the entire thing topples.”

“Makes sense in a horrible sort of way.” I shrug.

He scans the street again.

“We have to go.” I bump him with my elbow. “Come on.”

He turns me to face him. “There are vampires out there. I don’t know what houses, but we can assume they aren’t friendly. If I say run, you run. Understand? I can fight them off, but if they get their claws in you—” His fangs lengthen.

“I’ll run. Not a problem. Happy to run as fast as I can.”

“Let’s go.” He pushes through the doors, and I follow.

The air is still and muggy, nothing stirring on the dark street. It seems longer now, the White House impossibly far away.

Valen takes my hand and walks quickly, his long stride spurring me to jog here and there just to keep up.

“Anything?” I whisper.

He squeezes my hand harder and pulls me along, his gaze sweeping the street.

By the time we get to the first intersection, I’m sprinting.

“Is there someone—” I gasp when Valen wraps his arm around my waist and swings me to his front.

A shadow sweeps low to our left, the deep sound of swooping wings rushing through the humid air.

Valen spins, keeping me at his back and pinning me to the front of a building. “Get ready to run,” his voice is rougher now, almost monstrous.

I look around, my eyes prying at every shadow, but I see nothing. “Where is it?”

In the next moment, Valen is gone. I’m so startled my mouth drops open. I take a tentative step sideways, scooting toward the street. He told me to get ready to run, but did he say run? I don’t know. He disappeared, and maybe he said it?

“Shit.” I swear under my breath and turn the corner, hurrying along the sidewalk. I want to call his name, but I don’t dare. Still, I search for any sign of movement. Nothing. There’s no one here but m—I scream as something slams into me, and then I shoot into the air, my stomach dropping into my toes. It steals my breath, the sheer speed at which I’m rising, and when I look down, the tops of the buildings are far below me.

“He’s been hiding you this whole time.” The man tsks. “But then, he’s always been selfish.”

“Coal!” Valen bellows from the roof below us.

I’m too scared to move, to do anything but dangle helplessly as the creature holding me moves gently up and down, the whoosh of his wings stirring my hair.

“She’s pretty,” he calls. “Smells good too.”

“Bastard!” Valen takes off running, his steps thunderous.

“Oh, shit.” The vampire chuckles. “I think he’s—Fuck!”

Valen propels himself from the roof, his body rising impossibly high and fast.

The vampire holding me jerks me against him and I feel his muscles flex as his wings push against the air, but he’s not fast enough. Valen wrenches me from the vampire, his arms going around me, and then we’re plummeting to the dark street.

I scream, my throat going raw at the sheer terror ripping from my lungs as we drop.

We land hard, my entire body jarred with the impact. The scream finally dies, and I open my eyes. Valen has me in his arms, his feet on the ground. Cracks radiate from the pavement.

“Are you all right?” He sets me down and runs his hands along my body, feeling and probing. “Does it hurt? Is anything broken?”

It takes a moment for my voice to come back. “I think—” I swallow to help the scratchiness in my throat. “I think I’m okay.”

“Are you certain, my Blood?”

“Um.” I shake out my arms. “Yeah.”

“I was just having a little fu?—”

Valen disappears again, too fast for my eye to track. I spin when I hear a wrecking ball. Dust plumes from the side of one of the buildings across the street.

I back away until I bump into the curb and almost fall on my ass.

Valen’s voice comes from the wreckage. He’s speaking in a foreign language, but I get the gist quite well without understanding the words. He’s going to kill the vampire with the wings.

The other vampire argues back, then both of them walk out of the dust toward me.

I stumble backwards, unsure of what’s going on.

“It’s all right,” Valen calls.

“Is it?” I stare at the other vampire, his wings folded behind him. Tall with black hair and deep brown skin, he’s huge, and he’s coming straight for me.

Valen’s at my side in a single moment, his arm going around my waist. The other vampire stops and bows low, his black wings webbed like a bat’s and each tipped with a single claw.

“Corvidion?” I ask, breath trembling.

“This is Coal,” Valen glowers at the other vampire. “He’s your transport to the ship.”

I look up at Valen. “When you said I was going to fly from DC, you meant—” I snap my gaze back to Coal. “You meant fly as in he’s going to fly me?”

“I’m sorry about before.” Coal points to the sky, his eyes a deep amber. “I didn’t realize you were Valen’s?—”

“Don’t utter it.” Valen’s gone tense.

“Right.” Coal bows again. “My apologies, mistress.”

“It’s Georgia.” I scoot closer to Valen. “And it’s okay, I think. Just maybe give me some warning next time you want me to use my frequent flyer miles?”

“Of course.” He grins and looks at Valen. “I like this one.”

A low growl ripples from Valen. “She’s mine .”

“Not challenging it.” Coal holds up his hands, palms toward us. “Go easy, V.”

“Can we get off the street?” I scan the dark sky, wondering what else might be waiting for us.

“Yes.” Valen takes my hand and leads me toward the White House.

Coal keeps pace, and they converse in the foreign language again.

I jump at every shadow, every moment spiking the tension that has me speed walking.

We’re almost to the White House entry gate when movement catches my eye. Someone’s inside the guard shack. Crap, if it’s the guy from last time, there’s no way he’s letting us in.

I pull on Valen’s hand, about to explain, when someone steps from the shack. A woman, her red hair in a high ponytail, her fangs long and glinting.

“Portia.” Coal stops just ahead of us. “Fancy seeing you here. Last I heard you were sucking Gregor’s cock like a babe at breast.”

“Very amusing,” she sneers, her gaze flitting to me. “I’m here for this hidden treasure, now come to light.”

“You can’t have her.” Valen pulls me behind him. I peek around his arm to watch.

“I’m afraid it’s not a request.” She pouts, her red lips gleaming, her hip thrown out in an alluring pose. “I simply must have your little pet.”

“I simply must punch you in the tit,” I whisper.

Coal shoots me a grin over his shoulder. Damn, the vampire hearing is legit.

“Have you forgotten what happened the last time we met in battle?” Valen taunts and pulls a silver blade from inside his jacket.

Where the hell did that come from? I don’t know, but I’m glad he has it.

“Coal,” Valen says calmly.

Then all hell breaks loose. Coal has the red-haired vampire in the air, and Valen is rushing me forward to the White House gate. It’s locked.

“Wait, there’s probably a button!” I dash into the guard house as Coal slams into the fence. He’s up again quickly, but there are deep gouges in his wings, all of them oozing that horrible green goo. She must be Blood Tantun. Poison.

I look around, slapping a couple of clipboards to the ground before turning and looking at a small bank of monitors. “Where’s the button? There has to be a damn button!”

Valen is gone, and I hear an ear-piercing screech from somewhere close.

“Fuck!” I slam open a small metal box beside the door and find a console of switches, one of them lit up red. Beside it is a keyhole. I try to press the red button, but it’s just a light, nothing more. I need a key.

The shed shakes as something hits the pavement hard just out front. Through the barred window, I see the redhead rise to her feet, a hiss like the air leaving a tire on her lips. She turns, her gaze meeting mine, and then she throws herself at the guard shack.

I scream and flinch back as one of her clawed hands busts through the glass, but then she’s gone, flying through the air with Valen’s silver blade in her chest. “Door?” he asks, a deep gouge at the edge of his temple.

“I need a key!” I open the drawers, ransacking everywhere it could be.

“Forget it.” Valen pulls me through the doorway, wraps me tightly in his arms, then gets down low.

“What are—” I squeal as he bounds over the fence and lands with a hard thump on the grassy area beyond. “Holy shit.” I suck in a breath as he sets me on my feet. “Didn’t I just say I needed more warning!”

“Let’s go.” He kisses me, his fangs grazing my lips, then pulls me up the path to the White House. The guards from before lie in a heap in front of the open door. “Coal already did some recon, it seems.” Valen peers down the hallway.

A body bursts through the trees overhead, branches splintering and leaves scattering on the grass as Coal hits the ground. Portia is on him before he even sits up. He yells as she buries her fangs in his shoulder. Several more vampires appear, all of them jumping on Coal who throws off one but gets swamped by three more.

“Jesus.” I stare, wide-eyed and frozen.

“Fuck!” Valen says. “Wait here.”

He rushes off and rips Portia from Coal, then pulls his blade free from her chest and stabs it in again to the hilt. She screeches, and I have to cover my ears at the sound.

“Doc!” Someone grabs my arm, and I whirl and shove them off me.

“Gene? Is that you?” I rush forward when I realize it’s him and help him to his feet. “What the hell are you doing here? You should be on the road to Atlanta.”

“I got caught up in getting some more supplies for the trip and missed the convoy. I’ve been hiding in here ever since. There’s some—” He glances out the door. “—strange things going on out there.” He lowers his voice. “And in here, too.”

“Have you seen Juno?” I blurt.

“Yeah. She’s in bad shape. I came up from the kitchen and got lost, then had to hunker down when I heard screaming. I don’t know what’s happened here, but it’s bad. Real bad.” He points down the hallway I remember from last time. “I think I saw her down there, but I didn’t have time to help before I had to hide again.”

Is she still in the same room? Still in that goddamn chair?

When I glance out the door, I don’t see anyone. Valen, Coal, and Portia are gone.

“Come on. I’ll take you to her. Maybe you can help her.” Gene takes my hand.

“Okay. But we have to be careful. There’s a vamp—” I shake my head. “There’s a bad man here.”

“I think there’s more than one.” He grimaces.

We walk along the hallway until we get to the room I remember. It’s dark inside, but I can tell it’s empty. Nothing stirs, only the stench of rot remains. If someone’s in there, they aren’t alive. I try not to think about Aang, about what he might have gone through in here.

“This way.” Gene pulls me along, past several more sets of doors and then into the offices adjacent to the Oval Office. He keeps going, then pauses at the door. “She’s in here.” He pushes through, and I follow.

The lights are out in here as well, darkness covering the familiar desk.

“Where?” I whisper.

“At last!” Theo’s voice booms.

I scramble backward, but Gene’s grip on my hand turns painful. “Gene!” I try to yank my hand away.

“I’m sorry, Doc.” He pulls me forward with surprising strength, then tosses me on the floor.

My knees sting at the impact, and before I can even try to get back up, Theo’s cold hand closes around the nape of my neck. He lifts me into the air, pain radiating down my spine.

“You’ll turn me now. Right? All the way. Like we agreed?” Gene clutches his hands together. “Turn me, please.”

Theo lowers me to the ground though his grip remains. “You did well,” he speaks to Gene, but his eyes are on me. “But not quite well enough.”

“But I did?—”

Theo juts his arm out quickly, and when he pulls back, I see shiny red blood at Gene’s throat.

“Gene!” I can’t move from Theo’s collar, can’t do a damn thing.

Gene presses his palm to his throat. “But our deal?—”

“Our deal was for you to bring me the cure as soon as they found it. You failed,” Theo snarls. “This bitch is just the consolation prize. Something I can take to my father for him to work out his frustrations.”

Gene drops to his knees, his eyes finding mine. “I-I’m sorry,” he rasps. “I?—”

Theo kicks him in the chest. I hear his ribs break, his sternum crack as surely as if he were on the autopsy table. Gene falls, dead before he hits the blue carpet.

I scream.

Theo shakes me hard. “Enough of that. Save it for the Black Cavern.” He turns me to face him, his fangs long in the faint moonlight. “Or perhaps I should have my fun with you now. I can’t be sure Father will leave any scraps for me, and I do so want to get at least a taste of what Valen’s been hiding.”

“Get off!” I fight him, swinging my fists and kicking.

He laughs and shakes me again so viciously I think my spine might break. “A little fight is fun. Too much, and I get bored.” Without warning, he slams me against the wall and buries his fangs in my neck. Fire rushes along my skin, his bite burning and tearing me apart.

I push against him, but I may as well be pushing against bedrock. He growls and bites down harder, my vision going woozy, my hands falling to my sides. There is no pleasure, no euphoria. Only a sinking dread, the blackest horror.

A roar snaps me back to full consciousness, and then I’m sliding down the wall. The pain in my throat remains, but the vicious pressure is gone.

A whirlwind of destruction rages just outside my hazy vision. I wipe at my eyes and realize they’re flooded with tears. Something splinters, and I duck and cover my head with my arms.

“Angry, brother?” Theo’s laugh is followed by the sound of something exploding.

The room is still for only a moment before Valen roars and bits of ceiling and wood crash down, littering the entire room with debris. I crawl to one of the upended sofas and cower there as the two of them fight. Claws and fangs and blood, they wreck everything they touch. I press my palm to my throat to try to staunch the bleeding.

“Never fucking touch her!” Valen yells and choke slams Theo on the floor. The beams beneath shatter from the impact, and they fall out of my sight. The carnage continues anew somewhere below me.

I crawl away, seeking shelter anywhere but here. Another door is ajar just ahead of me, but I have to clamber over chunks of furniture to get there. When I do, I fall forward and roll, then lie still for a moment and try to blink away the black spots that float in my vision.

“Hell.” I groan and maneuver onto my side.

“Georgia?” a voice whispers.

I sit up, going lightheaded as I do. “Juno?”

“It isn’t you. It can’t be you. They killed you.” She mumbles incoherently as I get to my knees.

She’s against the wall, her arms pinned out beside her. Crucified. Her head lolls forward, her once beautiful curls thin and stringy, covered with gore.

“Juno!” I stand up, swaying on my feet, and go to her.

“You’re dead. I’m sorry. You’re dead,” she whispers.

“No. I’m not dead. I’m here, Juno.” I keep one hand pressed to my neck and use the other to gently grip her chin and lift her face to me.

I choke on a sob when I realize one of her eyes is gone. Only a bloody, black gouge remains. The other eye is swollen completely shut.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Tell Georgia I’m sorry. Tell her I thought it … I thought … I …”

“I’m getting you out of here.” I move to her right arm and pull back the bloody sleeve. Underneath, a metal stake has been hammered through her wrist, pinning her. “No.” I grip the head of the stake and try to yank it free.

Juno wails in agony, her head lolling forward again.

I let go. “Juno, I have to try. I have to get these out.”

“No,” she cries.

“Please, let me help. I have to—” I yank again.

Her scream pierces my heart, cutting me open. I stop. Realization is a cold stone in my gut—I can’t free her.

“Tell Georgia I love her. Tell Georgia …” Her words die off in a moan. “Georgia’s dead, you worthless fool. You killed her. You killed your own sister.”

The room shakes, and I cover Juno as Theo flies through the wall across from us and lands in a bloody heap at our feet. He has to be dead. White bone protrudes from his skin in several places, and there isn’t a spot of him without splatters of blood. Even so, I take a step back and keep myself between him and Juno.

Valen follows Theo in, his fangs and claws long as he stalks his brother.

“Valen, help!” I cry. “She’s bolted to?—”

Fast as thought, Theo grabs my ankle and yanks.

I fall as he rises, pulling me into his arms and grabbing a handful of my hair.

“Stop!” he yells. “Stop or I’ll tear her fucking throat out!”

Valen stills.

Theo’s throat works, blood gurgling as he speaks. “She’s yours, isn’t she? Your mate?” He laughs, the sound like broken glass. “I should’ve known.”

“Let her go.” Valen’s voice is low, steady. “Let her go, Theo.”

“What a prize she’ll be for Father.” He giggles, his arm going around my ribs and squeezing. “He’ll rip and tear and feast.”

Valen snarls, but he doesn’t take a step.

Juno moans, and Theo reaches back and does something to her. I hear a crack, and she goes silent. Cold fear eddies inside me.

“Juno?” I call.

Theo continues as if I said nothing, “I’ve tasted her, your mate.” His cold tongue slides along my throat.

Valen’s claws curl.

“So sweet. Pretty, too. Though, I do wonder what she’ll look like once Father turns her inside out.”

I slowly ease my hand along my side.

Theo’s grip tightens, my ribs aching under the pressure.

“If you release her, I’ll do whatever you ask. I’ll kill Father for you, make you king. Isn’t that what you want?” Valen asks, worry twisted around his words like filigree.

“Already turning traitor?” Theo tsks. “Then again, you’ve always been a traitor, haven’t you?”

When I slide the syringe from my pocket, Valen’s eyes widen just a hair.

“Father has tolerated you for far too long. But I won’t. I’ll tell him you intended to usurp his throne, that you kept this human bitch hidden because she’s your true mate. He’ll destroy her while you watch.”

“Anything you want, Theo. Anything. It’s yours.”

“What I want is this bitch flayed alive and you dead,” Theo says matter-of-factly. “And I’m the only one who can give me that.” He takes a step toward the Oval Office, dragging me with him.

Valen moves closer.

Theo raises his hand to my throat, squeezing hard. “Now, now, dear brother. Don’t make me kill her right here. Step back.”

Valen obeys, his entire body practically vibrating with tension.

Theo minutely eases his grip.

I stab the syringe into the back of his hand and depress the plunger.

He hisses and throws me forward. I try to catch myself and feel something in my arm crack.

“The fuck?” Theo lifts his hand and stares at it.

Valen grabs me and pulls me behind him, his silver dagger at the ready.

“What did you do?” Theo thunders as his fingers begin to go black, his thumb turning to ash and the others following. The flakes float away, misting into shadow. “What did you do?”

Valen backs me up, one of his hands at my hip as he slowly moves away from his brother.

Theo’s wrist turns to ash, then more quickly now, his arm. He steps toward us, rage in his eyes, but his shoulder disintegrates, and he falls on his next step, his leg crumbling beneath him.

He screams, but the sound goes dry and raspy as his tongue turns to dust, the rest of his body following until nothing is left but ash.

“What the fuck was that?” Coal limps in, one of his wings torn almost off.

Valen spins, his gaze going to my neck. He uses a fang to rip open his wrist, and he swipes his blood across the wound. “Drink.” He presses it to my mouth, and I take a few swallows. When I pull away, he forces me to take more until my body goes warm and my blood hums with awareness.

“What did you do?” Valen asks, his hands cupping my face. “The injection. Tell me quickly.”

“It’s a combination of proteins used in cells?—”

Juno groans.

“Holy fuck. She’s alive,” Coal says.

I try to push past Valen to get to Juno.

“No.” Valen holds me still. “You made this?”

“Yes. In the lab.” I grip his wrists. “I need to help Juno!”

“You know the formula for it?” he insists. “How to make it?”

“Yes!” I struggle against him.

“My mate, you truly are brilliant,” he says, awe in his voice.

The entire building shakes, a loud boom rattling the glass in the windows. Outside the world goes black, wind whistling along the eaves and debris smashing against the walls.

“He’s here,” Coal intones.

“Who’s here?” I ask.

“Gregor.” Valen looks at Coal. “Can you fly her?”

Coal looks over his shoulder at his ruined wing. “No.”

“Then leave now while you still can.” Valen turns back to me. “If he finds you here, you’re dead .” He says the words as if it’s acid on his tongue.

Coal gives me a sad look, then disappears into the Oval Office.

The building shakes again, and a wailing shriek invades my mind. I cover my ears, my head pounding from the force of it.

“Gregor knows his heir is dust. He felt the connection sever. He will eviscerate anyone who had a hand in it.” Valen’s eyes are stark. “You have to trust me, Georgia.”

“What?” I still try to get past him, to help Juno.

“Be still, my Blood,” he whispers.

I stop moving. It’s as if my limbs are stuck in glue. I stare at him, my disbelief at him using his power on me changing over to anger. I would tell him to go fuck himself and let me go, but my mouth won’t move.

“If Gregor discovers you did this—if he discovers you have this power—” He stops, and I could swear fear passes over his face. Fear for me. “You must trust me.” He kisses me, his lips feverish and wild against mine. Then he tears his wrist open again and puts it to my mouth.

First, he says, “Drink.”

I do.

I have to.

I can’t refuse him no matter how hard I try.

Then, with a gentleness to his voice that breaks my heart, he says, “Forget.”

* * *