Page 67

‘You made it,’ says Kian, his voice in that same firm tone he often uses, but I can sense the relief coming from him.

The man beside the girl looks similar to Kian. Tall, packed with muscle, he has a jawline that could cut glass and dark tattoos that line one of his arms, like they’ve been carved into his skin.

‘Hunter,’ Theo breathes, and barrels toward the other vampire.

Hunter reaches out first and Theo meets him halfway, grabbing him in a rough, rib-breaking embrace. The girls exchange eye rolls at the drama of it, but I imagine not seeing your best friend for a long time and thinking you may never see them again calls for a dramatic reunion.

‘It was weird not having you around,’ the girl comments, a soft smile on her lips.

‘Felt like a part of me was missing,’ Hunter says earnestly, and Theo chokes on a laugh, as if those words mean more to him than he could ever say.

The girl’s eyes land on me and she stills, surprise flicking across her gaze.

‘Tara,’ I say.

‘Raya,’ she replies.

Raya’s brows pull together as she looks at Hunter, and they do that silent communication thing that Kian and Cora do.

‘We can catch up later,’ Kian says tersely. ‘Let’s keep going. Did you have any trouble getting down here?’

‘No,’ Hunter replies. ‘The coast is clear.’

‘Let’s go.’

Walking near the middle, I’m surrounded by the vampires. Kian leads up front, silent and precise with his movements. Cora is a step behind him, her eyes scanning every shadow. Behind me, Theo walks with that calm, unnerving stillness of someone who is not human. Hunter and Raya bring up the rear, moving completely in sync, as if they are one.

Never have I felt more human than I do right now. I adjust the crossbow against my back, fingers twitching near the strap. My skin prickles uneasily. I still can’t quite process how I ended up here.

I shift the crossbow around and aim it low. Cora steps before Kian and leads the way. I find her confidence admirable. She’s already got a blade in hand, though I didn’t see her draw it. Her silver eyes flick from wall to wall like she can see something I can’t. Kian stalks just behind her, the very picture of control. His face is unreadable, and he never speaks unless it’s vital. There’s something about him that chills me more than this place does, but I trust him. I have to.

Hunter stays close to me, both he and Raya are quieter and steadier than the others, but I can sense they are just as powerful. Their presence makes it a little easier to breathe. The safety in numbers makes me feel better about the situation, but the hairs on my arms are still raised, like something is about to happen and I have no control over anything.

Kian stops, his hand snaking around Cora’s bicep, forcing her to also stop. He tilts his head, listening.

‘Something’s coming,’ he says, his voice sending a slither of ice down my spine.

No one questions him as weapons are drawn. I raise my crossbow, heart pounding so hard I feel it in my teeth. The first figure lunges from the dark. Cora meets it with a blur of motion, blade flashing once, then twice. The thing drops, landing with a sickening thud on the ground.

There’s a sudden blur of movement as a swarm of creatures emerges from the shadows. A scream gets trapped in my throat as I see the black eyes. Vampires, but unlike the vampires I’m with. These ones are different. There’s something wild and frantic in their movements. Desperate, even. Like they are starving.

Theo steps in front of me instantly, Hunter flanking his side. Raya moves to cover behind me, her movements light and graceful, which doesn’t seem to match the chaos around us. Kian doesn’t flinch. He moves like a machine. Each motion is controlled, calculated, his eyes scanning every possible angle.

I force myself to stay calm, even though it feels impossible to.

Theo throws a knife before anyone else moves. It whistles through the air and buries into the throat of the closest vampire. He shrieks, clutching at his throat as he stumbles back into the wall, dark liquid spurting out of the gaping wound on his neck.

A woman lunges toward Hunter. His forearm connects with her chest, smacking her hard into the wall as Kian rushes forward, his blade slashing across the neck of another vampire with brutal efficiency.

My hands are shaking so violently I can barely aim, but I manage to fire an arrow at one of the blurry figures. I’m shocked to see it connect as the vampire drops to the ground. My hands continue to shake as I fumble to reload. I’ve trained for this. I am ready, but it still feels like being in the middle of a nightmare, and my nerves are suffocating me.

Something cold grabs my arm. I spin instinctively, a scream leaving me as its nails bite into my skin. A prick of something jabs into my arm. A needle? It’s sharp, biting into me with a burning intensity. Raya pulls me behind her, and I feel my skin rip as the vampire tightens its grip on me. Raya’s foot lands squarely in the vampire’s chest, effectively knocking it out. My eyes scan her quickly, but I can’t see what she has in her hand.

‘I’ve got you,’ Raya says, pulling me to her, turning me away from the fallen body. Her hands are steady and firm, preventing me from toppling over.

‘Thanks,’ I manage breathlessly, sweat clinging to my forehead.

There’s a collective hissing sound as the vampires turn, eyes dropping to the mess of blood on my arm, painfully reminding me that I am the only human among these creatures. The mob tightens around us. We’re surrounded, and now they’re even more ravenous.