Page 98 of The Vampire's Seduction

“Why’s Bryan in there?” Blackmore asked in a deep growl.

“He tried to kill Olivia,” Marek replied, positioning himself between Olivia and Blackmore.

“Wait.” Olivia glanced between them. “You know him?”

“Yes. Bryan has worked in Vegas for the past century with us.” Marek’s expression hardened. “He was supposed to save you, not kill you.”

“Julian, kill her,” Bryan urged. “If you want to save your mate, save Vegas, she needs to die.”

Olivia shivered as Blackmore studied her, his expression blank.

“You’ll have to kill me first before you touch a hair on her head,” Marek hissed.

“You’ll have to go through me as well, Blackmore,” Andrea said and shoved in front of Olivia, her entire body sheathed in the same earthy light as the barrier.

Olivia’s heart skipped a beat. Could they defeat Julian? Julian’s aura was bigger than Marek’s, but how much did that matter? Especially if Andrea helped and if she could somehow use her own finicky magic.

“No one is killing anyone,” Blackmore announced after a heavy silence.

“Tell him that.” Andrea pointed to Bryan.

Blackmore’s lips thinned in displeasure, but he glanced to the side as Rowan arrived carrying a set of thick chains.

“You dare!” Bryan roared and smashed his body into the walls. Dark, purple-black shadows engulfed him and filled up the prison. When Andrea stumbled again, Olivia caught her. Impatiently, Andrea swiped away her nosebleed.

“Whatever you’re going to do, hurry it up,” Andrea muttered as cracks appeared in the barrier.

“Can we go in?” Blackmore asked and took the chains from Rowan.

Andrea nodded. “It only stops him from getting out.”

“Good.” Blackmore swung the chains and threw it around Bryan. His form blurred, moving too fast even for Olivia’s enhanced eyes. When he stopped, Bryan was wrapped tight in the chains, his body held up by Blackmore. His skin hissed and smoked from where the chains touched him.

His face was a murderous mask as he sneered. “This is what centuries of friendship earns me?”

“Only until we decide what to do with you,” Blackmore said and turned to Andrea. “You can take down the shield. He won’t be able to escape.”

Andrea nodded. The glowing walls around Bryan dropped. Blackmore expanded his midnight wings.

His commanding voice was indisputable as he said, “Meet me in the Central Tower. This isn’t over.”

Man’s greatest invention is the shower. Not sliced bread. Not television.

Nope. The shower.

Olivia sighed happily as hot water washed down her body, rinsing away the dirt and blood and fear.

She could’ve stayed there forever without facing the outside world again. A week ago, her biggest worry was her condescending and thieving coworkers. She missed that. Missed the normality and the predictability.

Now she didn’t know what to expect. Today, she’d gone on a girls’ shopping trip and ended up getting kidnapped and then almost killed by a supernatural fae monster she hadn’t even known existed.

Olivia sighed, this time depressed, and turned the water hotter at the chill invading her blood. Marek had bought them time to clean up while Andrea set up a permanent ward to imprison Bryan.

I should’ve known your bloodline wasn’t extinguished,the fae had said. Her bloodline. Olivia touched her bracelet. Would she finally understand why her parents had abandoned her? If only Blackmore hadn’t arrived, she would’ve gotten some answers.

Alas, real life wouldn’t wait any longer. Olivia got out of the shower begrudgingly and dried off. When she entered the bedroom, her cheeks flushed at the clothes laid out for her on the bed. A matching set of lacy, emerald bra and panties with a silky blouse in the same color and a pair of black trousers.

She dressed quickly, ignoring the embers of desire sweeping through her. Her senses were back to normal, though she could still hear Marek’s heartbeat if she tried, a sturdy thump thump matching her own, so different from when he’d lain like the dead.