Page 157 of Fallen Court

“Where is he?” Baptiste demanded, eyes pinned on the swinging doors as they slowed.

“On his way,” Dante said. “He’ll be here.”

“We don’t have time for this,” she grumbled as she whipped out her phone.

I closed my eyes, searching frantically for that bit of loose thread on the effigy before I ran out of time. But the door burst open, and my world stopped, restarting like a record scratch as Channing ambled casually in. His dirty-blond hair was tousled, and he was still laughing at some joke, but he fell silent when he caught sight of Ciara and me.

“What the fuck is going on?”

His surprise squeezed my heart, threatening to break it even further. He didn’t know. He wasn’t part of this. But he was with them.

Why?

“It’s my favorite human.” Baptiste sauntered toward him, my pulse ratcheting higher with each step she took.

Channing blinked at her, a muscle tightening in his jaw as his eyes flashed between us.

“Let her go,” he said, his voice low with warning.

I no longer cared if Ciara knew I’d undone her spell. Or about playing along with Baptiste. Because my brother was human, and there was only one reason the vampire had brought him here. “Channing, run.”

He cast a confused look at me, his muscles stiffening like he was going to finally listen to me.

“Oh, sorry!” Baptiste paused in front of him and tapped his nose. “That is not part of the plan.” She nodded once at Dante.

“Go!” I bellowed.

But Dante moved, the lines of his body blurring from his sheer speed. In an instant, he had Channing in a chokehold. “I’m sorry, but orders are orders.” Dante gripped my brother’s head, yanking it to the side to expose his neck.

“No!” My scream shattered the room as Dante’s fangs sank into my brother’s neck. Channing struggled as his friend drank from him, the color leaking from his skin. The vampire was draining him rapidly, his wild eyes already completely black.

Leaning Ciara against the wall, I pivoted to face Baptiste, shoving the effigy in my pocket. There wasn’t time to argue with her. To trick her. “Let him go,” I begged her. “I’ll get the ring. I’ll do anything you want.”

“That’s my dilemma.” She picked at her sleeve. “Because I do want you to die, but I can’t have that before we have the ring. Plus, you claimed that you don’t know where it is.”

“I can get it.” Not quite a lie. Lach would give it to me. He had to. Channing’s lips were wan. He wasn’t fighting anymore. “Please.”

Baptiste waved a hand. “Let him live. For now.”

But as soon as Dante released him, Channing swayed on his feet and fell. No one stopped me as I rushed to my brother. His pulse was fading, stuttering. Any second, it would stop. “He’s lost too much blood,” I told her. “If he dies, I will make sure you never get that ring.”

“So you do have teeth of your own.” Baptiste lifted a brow. “Normally, I don’t respond to ultimatums, but for some reason, I respect you.” She tilted her head at Dante. “Feed him.”

I bit back the urge to stop him as Dante knelt by Channing. His eyes held mine for a moment before he sliced open a vein on his wrist and brought it to Channing’s pale lips. My brother coughed, blood spluttering from his mouth as he barely managed to swallow. Color bloomed onto his cheeks, and he grabbed Dante’s wrist, sucking at the bleeding wound before the vampire gently pried him away.

“That’s enough.” Dante brushed the hair from my brother’s forehead, something tender and broken moving behind his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

Channing stared at him for a moment, covered in his blood, and then he turned away.

Dante stood, backing away from us, but his eyes, full of longing, never left Channing. I glared at him, wishing I had torn the threads from that effigy, wishing I could pounce, wishing I knew how sharp my teeth really were.

“Hey sis,” Channing grunted, drawing my attention back to him.

“I think we need to discuss your taste in…friends,” I whispered, a few pieces of my heart knitting back together.

“That’s complicated,” he admitted.

I knew a thing or two about complicated relationships. Standing, I helped him to his feet as the vampire blood continued to heal him.