AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The thought of losing you—” My throat tightens, and I lose the ability to speak without completely and totally blubbering like a terrified child.
“I feel the same.” She reaches out and grabs my hand, threading her fingers through mine. Together, we look down at them, watching the shadows embrace us as though we were one of them. “But I can’t live my life constantly looking over my shoulder. And I won’t die on my knees.”
Her expression tightens, and I know she’s reliving the memory of her mother’s death. I squeeze gently and force a soft smile. “If we go down, we go down together.”
She smiles. “Together sounds nice.”
“It really does.” I lean in and press my lips to hers, silently sending up a prayer that this isn’t our last evening together.
* * *
The night isheavy as I step into my pub. After flipping on the light, I stare at the empty space, wondering if I’ll ever again serve drinks from behind the bar.
This place was my first real business, something I built from the ground up—literally. I watched it be constructed, pitched in by working beneath the blanket of moonlight. I chose the fabric of the booths, the dark tables, picked out every single glass I’ve been serving drinks in for the last few decades.
This was my place.
My home away from home.
The door behind me opens, and Brad strolls in, yawning and glaring at me as he slides onto a stool. After tossing my keys onto the bar, I move around it and start prepping the coffee pot in complete silence.
Moments pass until he speaks. “I’m assuming you didn’t call me here at four in the morning because you needed a coffee buddy.”
“I received a summons to appear before the councils.”
Brad doesn’t say a word for a moment so I turn toward him. He’s staring at me, cheeks red with anger. “Who the fuck ratted you out?”
“No one. We were already on the council’s radar. And it’s not just me. Bronywyn, Rainey, Elijah, Delaney, Cole, and Willa all received notices as well.” I toss my folder on the counter, and he lifts it, slipping the sheet out. His gaze flickers back and forth as he reads the words that are now branded into my mind.
“What the fuck is this?”
“An attempt at executing us.”
“Then why the hell are you still here?”
I swallow hard, the scent of coffee bringing me no joy in this dark moment. “Because we’re going to accept it and appear.”
“Appearing before the Vampire Council is suicide.”
“It’s not just the Vampire Council.”
He gapes at me.
“Check the bottom.”
His gaze drops, and his free hand tightens into a fist on my bar top. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
“We were summoned by all four of the councils.”
He tosses the paper down and pushes up from his seat so quickly the barstool topples to the ground. “Why the hell are you going to show up? You’ll be massacred!”
“Probably. But if we don’t at least try to take these bastards out, we’re going to always be running. You’ve seen the bounty hunters, what they’re capable of. How many messes of theirs have we been called to clean up?”
“This is different. This is you. I can’t be called to clean up your mess, Tarnley. I won’t do it.”
“If they ask you to, you will.”
“Why the fuck are you taking this on?”
