CHAPTER 57
Breaking the hush, murmurs of uncertaintyspread through the crowd. Some of the immortals edged toward theopen doors as the shadows on the walls and floor slid towardCole.
As the air around Cole swelled with darkness,the blade bit deeper into Lexi’s neck. She bit her lip to keep fromcrying out, but the sting of it made her wince.
“What is going on?” Maverick asked.
“I don’t know,” Malakai said. “But whateverit is, it had better stop soon, or I’m going to kill her.”
“That is enough!” the Lord thundered acrossthe room. “Whatever you are doing, stop it now.”
But one look at Cole told Lexi he had nointention of stopping this. Whatever he was about to unleash wouldmake Hell look like a vacation spot.
***
“Cole,” Maverick murmured from beside him.“What are you doing?”
Cole didn’t bother to answer his uncle; hisattention remained riveted on Malakai and the blade against Lexi’sthroat. This man had deserved to die so many times before, buttonight, he would finally meet that fate.
He wouldn’t walk out of this hall afterhurting Lexi. He’d spilled her blood, and because of that, Colewould see this roomdrenchedin Malakai’s.
The vamp had a very limited number of breathsleft, and they were rapidly dwindling to zero. The shadows swelledwithin him as more gathered around Malakai.
The shadows seeping out of him begged to beset free. Whereas he couldn’t stop Malakai while he held Lexi, theshadows could. He thrived on that knowledge as he smiled atMalakai.
He’d meant to keep the shadows hidden fromthe Lord, but that wasn’t going to happen. Everyone in this roomknew something was happening; none of them were quite sure what,but they knew it washim.
His secret was out, and now it was time toplay.
“Cole,” Maverick said again.
“I’m going to kill him,” Cole stated. “If youwant to make it out of here alive, then stay close to me.”
“Shit.”
“I saidstop!” the Lord yelled, but hewas nothing to Cole now.
It was all about Malakai as he kept the bladeagainst Lexi’s throat while he edged further away. When Cole metLexi’s eyes, the love and terror radiating from them warmed the iceflowing through his veins, but it also unleashed something lethalin him.
Through his connection to the shadows, hepulled them closer to Malakai. Like hornets knocked free of theirnest, the shadows swarmed Malakai. They darkened his legs and torsobefore rising to his arms.
“Stop it!” Malakai hissed. “I’ll kill her. Iswear I will.”
His hand tightened on the blade. Cole had nodoubt he was about to slice into Lexi’s throat, but before hecould, a shadow swooped down from above, enclosed on Malakai’swrist, and ripped it away from Lexi’s throat.
Malakai shouted as the dagger hit the floorand spun across the room. The immortals closest to the blade dancedaway from it like it was a poisonous scorpion.
More shadows wrapped around Malakai,encircling him like a boa constrictor on its prey. They tore hishand free of Lexi’s waist and pried his arm back into an unnaturalangle that finally gave way with a snap.
As Lexi staggered free of Malakai’s hold,Cole roared as he charged across the distance separating them. Hegrasped her arms, pulling her further away as he turned her towardhis uncle.
Maverick grabbed her and pulled her swiftlyaway. Once she was safe, Cole raced toward Malakai and leapt intothe air. With the power of the shadows building around him, he camedown with his fist aimed at Malakai’s face.
His punch slammed into the vampire andknocked him off his feet. He hit the floor on his back, and Colecame down on top of him.
Kicking and screaming, Malakai thrashedagainst the shadows embracing him in a cocoon of death. Colerelished Malakai’s screams as he battered the vamp’s face again andagain.
“I said stop it!” the Lord shouted. And then,like a toddler denied their toy, his shouts became shorter and moreincessant. “Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!”
