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He turns and runs into the house, shouting to warn the others, and my grin grows.
“The predator always loves for the prey to run,” I say as I stalk toward the house.
Chapter 21
ELLA
“These books are going to give me nightmares,” Dice says from beside me.
“Yeah, but if we understand more about Hannah—”
“Oh, I know exactly why we’re reading a Thousand and One Ways to Torture Immortals. Doesn’t mean I’m not still going to have nightmares,” he grumbles.
“The attention to detail is definitely stomach-churning,” I confess, bristling.
“Especially since our clan is stacking up with immortals who went through all this shit,” Dice goes on, paling a little. “How were they all not scarred?” he asks on a heavy exhale.
I stare at one of the pages I can’t read—things Hannah later did to Slade, even though his name isn’t in this book. I’m starting to wish Gavin hadn’t told Gage where to find these.
“They’re all scarred, Dice,” I say quietly. “You just can’t see all their scars.”
He mutters something about unicorns and rainbows, but I’m busy reading about werewolf claws dipped in the same widow venom as the lycan claws that tore open Slade.
“She preferred werewolf claws because they were slightly smaller and more concise for cutting,” Dice says, as though I read that part aloud. “And I hate that I know that.”
He slams the book shut. “So, I’m going to go watch some compilations of mortal men finding terribly stupid and painful ways to bust their nuts—and not in the kinky sense—just so I don’t feel as bad about my life for a few minutes. Then I’ll be back to finish the books of immortal horror,” he says as he stands.
My new phone rings, and I answer it absently, scanning the contents of this page a little closer.
“Yeah?”
“Ella, where are you?” Chaz asks in an urgent tone that makes my skin prickle with alarm.
“At the new house. Why?”
“Slade got his hands on all the rings’ ledgers. All of them. And his people have divided up into groups to go slaughter the names on that list. He took John Trout, Ella.”
My breath sucks in. “He’s one of the dark user council’s elders. If he kills him without any proof—”
“A lot of dark users will be coming after all of them. I know where he is. Kya found the paper he tore off. He needs to get a confession, Ella. Recorded. He might not be thinking about the future, but the rest of us are.”
“Where do I need to go?” I ask him.
“I don’t know. Right now I’m chasing Kya through the fucking woods because I’ve never seen her so…bloodthirsty. And I’m going to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”
“Chaz—” My next question is cut short when a man who looks vaguely familiar appears on our front porch, startling me.
He holds his finger over his lips, then gestures for me.
“Chaz, take care of Kya,” I say as I hang up. “Lokie,” I hiss, finally remembering where I’ve seen him before.
He’s Hannah’s favorite torture master in these books.
His eyes light up gold, and he nods. “I don’t have long before she summons me back. She’s found you again,” he tells me. “She plans to come tonight. Her blood oaths are strained right now because she’s spent days upon days rebuilding the armies you’ve felled the past few months, straining her strength to do so. She wants you dead. I have only minutes to get you to the scarred one.”
I’m walking out to him before I can stop myself, and he backs up.
“You’re stronger than me, so d
