“Blood is blood,” he says casually. “And I’m going to take what I came here for. Dimitry will happily take your father’s place in New York and work with me.”
He says it like it’s meant to sound like a favor. Like I should begrateful… but I know better. He’s not trying to get on my good side—he’s trying to tell me something.
And then it hits.
My eyes snap open.
He chuckles. “So you’re not completely brainless after all. Good.”
Dimitry betrayed my father.He’s been working with Ivan from the start.
“Why?” It’s all I can manage.
He steps closer, the smug grin stretching wider as his hand wraps around my chin.
“You’re the first one to survive his drug for years and still keep your sanity,” he says, voice low and deliberate. “I’m going to figure out why.”
I try to shake my head out of his hold in surprise, but his grip tightens.
He knows I take that drug.
“He gives it to me every two weeks. That’s all I know. I can’t help you,” I say honestly—and instantly regret it. I may have just signed my own death sentence.
“You think I don’t know how clueless you are?” he scoffs. “We’re going to start testing on you. Starting with your next dose.Today.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the familiar vial—the same one Ibeggedto see days ago, but now… it just makes me want to vomit.
I’m going to be his guinea pig.
Shit.
I open my mouth to speak. To scream. To dosomething.But all that escapes is a broken groan of pain.
My neck burns—blazes—like someone poured fire across my skin. Tears blur my vision. Ivan’s cold blue eyes smear into the glow.
My skin feels like it’s peeling from the inside out.
And the only sound that fills the room now is my own scream.
Malec
“She’s close,” Onyx says.
No.Morvakar. It hasn’t been Onyx for the last forty minutes—just that ancient beast wearing her face, barking strange directions and lashing out like a wild animal.
I exhale in relief when he finally says those words.
Myko’s clearly not happy with any of this, Bay keeps fighting him while driving, and I’m stuck trying to decode Morvakar’s cryptic orders while keeping us from crashing into a tree or road sign.
“Where now? It’s either right or left,” I glance back at the hellish red eyes in the rear seat.
“There.” Onyx’s hand points right, and Bay follows before I can say a word.
“I don’t care about this useless human’s life, but if you do—we’d better stop for a moment,” Morvakar growls. And I hate how natural his voice sounds now. Like it belongs.
“We can’t stop. You said she’s close,” I snap.
I’m bringing her home. Now.
