Before he could reply, a footstep from further down the tunnel drew his attention. The hair on his nape rose, and his upper lip curled. If someone had overheard Del’s revelation, he’d kill them, and he didn’t care who it was.
The shadows shifted around the tunnel, and some turned in the direction of the footstep. For a second, he sensed a shimmer of a connection. It was faint, barely more than the strand of a single spiderweb on a dewy morning, but it was there.
And then it was gone.
Am I connected to all these shadows and not just the ones inside me?
The possibility made his throat go dry at the same time it filled him with a rush of excitement. If that was true, and he learned how to utilize it, there were endless possibilities in this new power. And if he wasn’t careful, endless pitfalls.
He was about to go after whoever was in the tunnel when he caught a familiar scent. He relaxed, and a few seconds later, Sahira and Brokk emerged from the shadows. They both stopped when they spotted Del.
“Holy shit,” Brokk breathed.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Lexi didn’t knowhow to take the arrival of Sahira and Brokk. She wasn’t sure how to react to any of this.What am I going to do? Who am I?
She felt like she’d lost her entire identity. Just half an hour ago, she’d been so sure of who she was and her place in this world. And even if it was difficult, she was perfectly happy with it.
But now, things were a lot more difficult, and she wasn’t sure who she could trust or who shewas. She certainly wasn’t a powerless half human anymore, or at least she wouldn’t be powerless for much longer… if she continued not to drink the potion.
She took a deep breath and looked to her aunt, but Sahira’s attention was riveted on her brother.
“Del,” Sahira whispered.
And then she let out a small cry and raced across the space separating them. She laughed and cried as they embraced each other. Del hugged her back the best he could as she started talking at a hundred miles an hour, firing off questions as his face started to turn red from the strength of her embrace.
Despite her lingering confusion and distrust, Lexi’s heart melted as she watched them. The love and joy on their faces were evident. They were half-siblings, but they loved each other dearly.
“What is going on here?” Brokk asked as he cautiously approached them.
It wasn’t until he came closer that Lexi noticed Cole’s eyes were a brilliant silver color. Not only did she need to get away, but so did he.
“Orin captured Del and has been keeping him prisoner,” Cole said.
“What?” Brokk blurted before looking to Orin.
Orin smiled. “He was good leverage if I ever required it.”
“Then why is he here if he’s good leverage?” Brokk demanded.
“That’s a long story,” Cole replied. “Did you get the stone?”
“Yeah, and that was no easy feat. The crones dislike vampires a lot more than Sahira believed.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. The head crone was a little bit pissy when we arrived, but after some time to think about it, she gave us the stone.”
“Is that what took so long?”
“Yep.”
“How did you know we were here?” Lexi asked.
“The note on the counter,” Brokk replied.
“Oh,” she muttered as Del and Sahira broke apart.
