Chapter One
Elena’s fingerstrembled as she knelt by her father’s side and pressed them against his neck. She almost snatched them away when they fell upon his cooling flesh, but she refused to let anyone in this room see how much this unnerved and rattled her.
They would see it as a weakness and pounce, or at least his killers would, and she had no doubt his killer was standing nearby in the wreckage of her father’s office. Her dad had not gone down without a fight, but then she wouldn’t have expected anything less.
Blood streaked the top of his desk, the walls, and his bookcases. Artifacts had been scattered and broken across the tiled floor. Books littered the ground, as did papers. The pile of blood beneath her father had spread out from the wound in his chest until she nearly knelt in it.
Forcing herself to keep her fingers steady, she tried not to let the crushing grief choking her throat and squeezing her heart get the best of her. She had to keep her wits about her if she was going to get through this.
Not only was a hideous vampire standing nearby, but she wouldn’t be surprised if some of the hunters also saw her as a traitor for going against her father’s wishes. And now he was dead.
It didn’t matter that she’d left eight years ago or that they’d mostly healed the wounds her leaving created; she never should have left them behind.
But as she thought it, she knew it was never going to be an option. She couldn’t stay in the hunter compound without losing herself, and her father would never leave his people behind. But more than that, he never understood why she couldn’t simply follow her intended life and get married as he had, as her mother had, and as all their ancestors and friends had for thousands of years.
He’d seen her as selfish, and maybe she had been, and perhaps she still was for not returning, but that selfishness had kept her alive. If she’d stayed here, she would have died. Maybe not physically, but she would have died a gradual, inner death every day until her life ended.
When she first ran away, she hadn’t believed she would make it on her own. And there were many nights when she was certain she wouldn’t see the next day, but the sun always rose, and she always rose and carried on.
Whether it was stubborn pride, fear of being married off to someone if she returned to the compound, or her determination to prove she could survive on her own, she remained living on the streets even though she was lonely, terrified, and starving most days.
And her decision and determination cost her seven and a half years with her parents. She’d only reconnected with them less than a year ago, or at least with her dad after they moved their compound to Arizona, the state where she’d been living almost since the day she left.
She hadn’t talked to her father for all those years, but she did have contact with her mom.
And now, just as they were all starting to forgive and move on, he was gone. Elena almost shoved her fist into her mouth to hold back a sob, but she managed to keep it suppressed though her breath gave a little hitch she was sure didn’t go unnoticed by all those surrounding her.
Her father, the man who kissed her skinned knees, wiped her tears, and held her close while she cried, was dead. Things had been strained between them when they first reconnected, but they’d gotten better recently. He’d allowed her back onto the compound; they’d shared dinners, laughter, and drinks as they worked to move on from their pain and anger.
She’d been so sure one day they would be as close as they once were, but that day had never come, and now someone had torn it away from her.
She lifted her head, and her eyes clashed with the vampire standing across from her. When she glowered at him, he bowed his head before glancing at the hunter standing beside him.
Neitherthe vamp nor his hunter friend belonged here. She was aware of where theydidbelong as her father had told her they were coming. She’d informed him that she didn’t think it was a good idea, but he’d never listened to her before, and though they were repairing their relationship, she hadn’t expected that to change.
But her father had insisted the Alliance was a good idea and the only way they would bring down the Savage vampires. She had her doubts, but since her dad joined the Alliance after she left, she didn’t know much about it or the differences between a supposedly “good” vampire and a “bad” one.
It turned out it didn’t matter, as she’d been right. She was aware some of the compounds were now working with certain vampires, but to her, they would always be the hated monsters she had been raised her to believe they were. These two had proven her right by destroying her father, a man who had trusted them.
Logan felt the woman’s hatred as she glared at him. He tried to think of something to say, but“I’m sorry for your loss”seemed completely inadequate when anguish etched her face and shone from her black eyes.
The crisp scent of lemons she emitted intensified as tears filled her eyes before she blinked them away. Despite her obvious loathing of him, Logan had the inexplicable urge to wrap his arms around her and offer her comfort.
He’d probably be better off trying to hug a grizzly bear while skipping around with a couple of her cubs. He’d probably emerge less unscathed anyway.
Normally, he would leave to let the family mourn alone, but this was a murder, and it needed to be solved as the killer lived amongst them. Not only that, but the killer was a traitor and had committed the heinous crime of killing their leader.
He was still trying to figure out what to do when a murmur ran through the crowd gathered outside the room. It spread until those within the room lifted their heads and turned toward the whispers.
Unlike some of the other hunters, he’d spent most of his formative years focused on training. Schooling was never a strong point for him; he’d spent as much time skipping his classes as he had in them.
Which meant his foreign language skills weren’t the best. He’d learned some Spanish words from his previous visit with Declan, but he was far from fluent. To be fair, they weren’t allowed to be at the compound for extended periods, and Alejandro and his men always spoke English when around them.
He’d tried getting a book and one of those apps that taught how to speak another language, but he’d never caught on to it and grew frustrated after a few days. Books and school had never been his thing; that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.
He glanced at Asher, whose Spanish was slightly better than his, but his friend looked as confused as him. Logan didn’t know if Asher’s confusion was because he didn’t understand what they were saying or if hedidunderstand and was still lost.
“What is it?” Logan whispered to him.
