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GRAYSON

What do I do with both the heart and the situation I created?

Without Viktor’s heart intact, Eloise can’t use necromancy on the witch and reanimate him. Sure, Eloise would have control over Viktor, but the spell on Holly wouldn’t break and he’d keep the same threat hanging over her.

I’ve watched the shitshow Viktor’s actions have caused—the effect on Violet as well as Holly—and he had to die. Every one of us knew the man couldn’t walk away this morning.

Dashiell killed him. I made a split-second decision to act and stop any chance he could return. Leif stopped Eloise from pursuing me; I guess the last one of us finally made it into the Blackwood bad books.

Dashiell. That was the move of a crazy person, or someone with a bond to another. Dash swore there’s no spell connecting him to Holly, but he literally signed his death warrant with his actions. Another death warrant? Because there must be several now, and all due to saving Holly’s life.

But what would’ve happened if Dash hadn’t acted? Would I have watched Holly die and known I’d brought the person responsible to the scene? If he had, Viktor’s triumph over Holly’s death would’ve led to me wanting to rip the guy’s face off too.

Viktor knew that whatever happened he’d win because his secrets would live or die with him.

I shove the heart into a jacket pocket.

Worse, what will happen to the others? Crap. No way can I turn back to the clearing in the woods to help them and face Eloise; all I can do is trust that Violet will solve or at least calm the situation.

Eloise wouldn’t have traveled to the woods if I’d kept my mouth shut, but I contacted her this morning.

Right from the first time Viktor asked to meet Violet, I decided she wouldn't face Viktor alone. The idea was insane, even for Violet. This morning, I fully expected him to bring the backup that worried me, but the witch was cockier than I thought. He believed the threat of Holly’s death would be enough to defeat Violet.

Eloise seemed the safest of Violet’s parents to contact and ask for help. She’s calmer. Level-headed. Cares about the world. But that’s the problem—she cares about her world created by the hybrids’ victory over a corrupt regime. Protecting that world ranks above a random human’s life.

I made a huge mistake by expecting Eloise would help Violet kill Viktor. I had no idea Dorian demanded that Viktor shouldn’t die.

My own heart beats loudly in my ears, as if the one in my pocket still does. Do I bury the heart? Destroy it further? Take it back? Ha. No way.

Where’s Dash? He ran a few moments before I did, but there’s no sight or scent of him. Although, I’m struggling to attune myself to anything apart from the smell of the witch’s blood on my hands. Nothing would top that.

The speed at which I travel blurs the world, blinding me to where I’m running, and I pull myself to a stop, shocked at how far I’ve moved. I’m almost at the edge of the lake, ironically close to where Violet found the duckling that now ‘lives’ in Scotland.

Across the water, the dark wood lodge stands out against the lake bank, the designer home’s exterior covering up the secrets and damage inside.

How apt for the Sawyers. The boat moored outside on that day we confronted the witch and shifter is missing.

In the boat shed where we hid Kai after the magical drugging?

I half consider running to the place to search for clues, once I’ve disposed of the heart in the lake.

If I found Sarah Sawyer’s suitcases, I’d soothe Violet’s fury at me for involving Eloise.

As if. Although that tactic works with Rowan, I doubt presenting Violet with much-needed evidence would help me against betraying her trust.

Again, I tune my senses into the surroundings, checking whether anybody followed or if Dash is nearby.

My pounding heart doesn’t rest, even though there isn’t a trace of Eloise’s presence.

Instead, my mind fills with images of how she reacted back there.

That woman was not the Eloise I’ve met in the past. Like the rest of the world, I’ve only seen the sweet and acceptable face of Eloise Blackwood.

Eloise was my ally against Dorian, willing to give me the benefit of the doubt, but I’ve helped kill somebody Dorian wanted alive. I won’t survive Dorian’s Petrescu hatred now.

Moving to the pebbled bank, I hurl the heart into the lake, the force sending the organ some twenty meters where it hits the water like a stone.

Maybe the heart is already useless, but I can't take the risk Eloise will find me and take it.

Crouching, I rinse my bloodied hands in the water and gaze back at the lodge.

When Eloise or Dorian, or both, pursue me, they’ll look everywhere I might hide, and the Sawyers’ partially burned retreat would be on the list. I can’t stay visible in the world, and there’s only one place I can go in the area where almost nobody knows the location.

Dorian’s power-based tendrils weave through the world, touching on everything, human and supernatural. Dorian claims he has full knowledge of both, but although that’s almost true, it’s the parts of the world his tendrils don’t reach that threaten him.

My uncle included. Dorian encountered the man through Sawyer, but no doubt watched and assessed Josef Petrescu for years. Unfortunately, the Petrescu behaved and, like so many supes, played his part in the new world. Dorian had no justification for touching a man he’d gleefully kill.

Dorian isn’t aware of every corner of Josef’s life, otherwise he would’ve found my uncle by now, and I know one of these corners all too well.

I haven’t visited the cottage since Dorian started tracking Josef.

Few know the place exists and is owned by a powerful vampire, but somebody sold the place to him.

How much else does Josef manage to hide due to the influence he has in the world?

How far does that influence spread? Or maybe he kills anybody who assists him before they can accidentally reveal anything.

Josef doesn’t visit the empty cottage unless he’s arranged a meeting with me.

Despite the memories the building holds, walking into those will be less painful than when I’m caught by the Blackwoods.

I could run farther, but the longer I’m out in the open, the easier someone could find me and the sooner I could die.

I need time to think.

Navigating the denser woods toward the cottage takes time, but within an hour, I’m staring at the hidden place of my nightmares.

The old stone building where I died and then spent days in the twilight between life and death, locked in that damn cellar.

How ironic that I choose to come here to consider my options before facing another possible death.

Would Dorian Blackwood kill me now that I’ve handed him the excuse he needs?

I interfered by tearing out a potential witness’s heart and prevented Viktor from giving up his secrets.

Dorian could easily twist that story: Grayson Petrescu works for his uncle, he’s a spy amongst a rebel group, he’s fooling Violet and betraying my government .

I haven’t got a chance in hell.

Rubbing an eye, I stealth around the cottage’s perimeter.

Nobody. My uncle disappeared after Kai’s party but stays in touch with the Sawyers.

I’d considered whether Josef might be hiding here, prepared to bolt if he is, but Josef wouldn’t.

The place needs more than a clean; it needs gutting.

My uncle wouldn’t lurk in squalor for long, if at all.

He’ll own much more luxurious, private bolt holes.

I sneak through the overgrown gardens to find a way inside the place. The lock on the back door is broken, and the moment I step into the small kitchen, nausea surges as memories flood like my blood did on this floor. More than once. What the hell am I thinking? Is this a mistake?

No. Because this could be one of the only places Dorian might not find me. Whatever. I can’t stay long.

I make my way through the house then drop onto the threadbare brown sofa, pulling my phone from a pocket as I do. Fuck. Blank screen. I stare as if the phone might miraculously charge the battery if I do.

How was I to know that Violet would drag us from the academy to the rental house to stay with Dash and Holly all night?

Then skip off to kill Viktor the next morning?

I snort to myself. Some warning would’ve been nice.

Y’know, since I could’ve charged my phone, because keeping in touch is pretty bloody important.

I take a ragged breath. What happened to the others? Where did they go? Has Eloise taken them? The questions move in a never-ending circle along with the biggest one of all. When, if ever, can I safely find Violet again?

I toss the phone onto the sofa beside me and rest my head back, staring at the flaking ceiling. Now what?