He wrapped his hands over mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze. “How could I honor her memory if I turned my back on you? On our home?”
“You’re taking a huge risk.”
“Yes.” He leaned in close, whispering in my ear. “But I’m fighting alongside the heir of Silversbane. I like my odds.”
And then he was gone, disappearing down the stairs that would lead him out into the alley. In less than ten minutes, Darius and I would follow.
I turned to Darius, taking a deep breath. We hadn’t spoken much since the staking, but he had mellowed out, just like Emilio had said. He seemed to have gotten past the bloodlust. He no longer needed the hawthorn sedative.
He was practically back to his old self.
Except for the part where he didn’t remember any of us.
Shoving down the pain inside, I said, “We clear on the plan?”
He gave me a stiff nod, as uncomfortable around me as I was around him. “Crystal, Miss Desario.”
I took out the comms device Elena had given me and pressed the button to check in.
“Jael’s moving into position,” I said. “Darius and I are ready to rock. Sunshine and Sparkle will bring up the rear.”
“Message received,” Emilio said. “All good here, too. Elena?”
“Ready and awaiting the signal,” she shot back.
I took another deep breath, trying to calm the nervous energy buzzing through my body. This planhadto work. Our friends’ lives depended on it.Ourlives depended on it.
Once Jael had temporarily neutralized the spell weave, Ronan, Emilio, Detective Hobb, and Deirdre would hit the front of the warehouse, taking out the hunters and fae guards stationed there, working their way up to the second and third floors. Elena, Detective Lansky, and a few other shifters from her local pack would cover the back entrances.
Darius and I would enter last, with an assist from Jael to disable any additional fae security inside. Our mission was singular: locate and liberate the prisoners.
The witches.
Asher.
My sister, Haley.
Fiona Brentwood, the vampire who I still believed wanted to help us, despite her earlier loyalty to Jonathan.
And every last one of the beings imprisoned and experimented on. Tortured.
I looked out the windows, watching the fae guard pacing across the alley, and my heart rate kicked up. This was really happening. Jonathan’s twisted, bloody legacy was about to come to an end.
I just hoped the rest of us survived the fight.
Thirty-One
Gray
The warm, gentle caress of a hand on my shoulder made my heart jump. Not because I didn’t know who it was, but because I was surprised he’d touched me at all.
“Darius,” I whispered, my insides already heating, despite the protests of my brain. I couldn’t deny our connection, even now, and being in his presence was unnerving enough without physical contact.
“Before we go into this,” he said softly, “there’s something I’d like to say to you. If you’ll hear me.”
I closed my eyes, unable to turn around. Unable to look into the eyes of the vampire I loved and not see that same love reflected back at me. I couldn’t do it—not tonight.
I nodded, bracing myself for whatever twist in this tale was coming next.
