Page 96 of Vameer

But it’s not.

“It’s him,” I whisper. “I don’t know if it was a targeted attack on the infrastructure or just some side effect.”

“Explain. Quickly.”

I back away from the window and lower onto the couch. “Like I said, about thirty minutes ago, the woman ran out of her house. She was wearing what appeared to be pajamas and looked… upset.” She looked slightly possessed, but I doubt that description will go over well. “I didn’t see him right away. I was following her attention to a group of men at the end of the block. Drunks or something.”

Sweat beads on my forehead at the fresh memory. I’d been freaking out thinking I was about to witness an assault. I’m a tech. Not a gunslinger. There was nothing I could do to help.

“They get the woman?” He asks it so casually. Like it doesn’t matter what the answer is. And my hate for him grows.

“No.” I try to keep the disgust at him out of my tone. “They were… stopped. And I didn’t notice the vampire until he was standing right behind her.”

“What happened then?” Excitement tinges his tone now. And a bad feeling rolls around in my stomach.

Humanity’s truce with Alts has lasted decades. It’s what keeps us all safe.

And with the brand-new revelation of godsdamn shifters, that truce is more important than ever.

I fear this man is forgetting that.

But I’m working. Following orders. So I tell him what I saw.

How the human men were dragged away by some invisible force. How the woman reacted to the vampire. How every photo I tried to take turned out blurry. And not just out of focus, but so blurry you can’t discern the fact that there are two people in the photo.

How they flew into her apartment.

How that was when the shaking started.

The walls. Floors. Buildings.

Car alarms blared around the city. Streetlights burst.

The power and internet went out.

I didn’t tell him about hiding under the dining table.

“Are they still there?”

Another rumble rolls through the building, and I swallow. “Yes.”

“Good. Send me the photos you took and get out of there.”

“You sure?” I reach for my laptop even as I ask. “They could leave at any moment.”

“Go. My team is ready. They’ll be there within fifteen.”

I hesitate. “Watchers?”

The man huffs. “We’re done watching.”

That sinking feeling in my stomach intensifies.

Chain of command tells me to shut the fuck up, so I do. But my gut tells me this is going to go very, very badly.

Chapter 47

Vameer