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Caleb freezes as the sound ricochets up his legs, through his torso, then slams through his mind. He draws in a sharp breath as he jerks back, but it’s too late.
The narrow staircase crumbles beneath him.
Twisting frantically, he scrambles to get back to the solid floor, but his fingers merely brush the solidness that could save him. He drops, falling through the air, splintering and shattering wood the soundtrack of his doom. He squeezes his eyes closed, unable to summon any kind of magic at all.
Unable to save himself from the unforgiving cement he’s shooting toward.
“Caleb!” Maddy screams behind him.
Hands wrap around his wrists, yanking back onto the first floor.
Maddy's sweet smile fills his vision. “You’re not dying today,” she says, the words light with humor, yet firm with promise.
Caleb’s chest heaves as he sucks at the air. “Thanks.”
Cora arches an eyebrow. “Now how are we going to get out? Is there another way into the basement?”
Caleb grimaces as he gets to his feet, his pulse still out of control. “There’s another staircase…” Hopefully it’s sturdier.
“Where is it?” Maddy asks, her gaze flickering to the one that’s now little more than firewood a story below.
“At the front of the building,” Caleb says heavily, knowing what he’s suggesting is taking impossible to the next level. “Near the entrance.”
Cora curses. “So, it’s jumping down into the dark basement or out the front of the building?” She considers Caleb. “I don’t think I can jump down while I’m hanging on to you.” She gestures toward Maddy. “And I know she can’t. What’s that leave?”
“It leaves strolling out the front door,” Caleb says.
Maddy shakes her head. “There’s no way.”
“Well, look what I found,” a familiar voice echoes down the corridor. “I thought we made it clear you’re unwelcome here.”
The three of them whirl to face Mason who stands at the end of the short hallway. A group of vampires stand behind him, glaring. Curling his lip, Mason turns and marches back into the council hall as the other vampires enter the corridor and surround them.
With grim faces, they shuffle the three of them into the main hall.
All the council members are in the great hall, lining the perimeter. A handful of bodyguards are also inside. Each vampire wears a ferocious expression with eyes glittering with malice as their footsteps echo down the hall.
Maddy lifts her chin and refuses to be cowed by their situation. She throws her shoulders back and shows no sign of weakness despite being caught.
But Caleb shivers as the hate of the council washes over him, imagining the scents of negative feelings he can no longer sense. The place must be full of it. They all stop in the middle of the council hall in what feels like a set up.
Mason faces them with his arms crossed. He tsks as though they’re the biggest fools he’s ever met. “You’ve never been interested in making vampires as strong as you can, have you, Caleb?” He gestures to the great hall. “We’ve all seen the evidence of it. You’ve sided with the Faeries not the vampires, and you’ve repetitively weakened our position.”
“You’re wrong, all of you,” Cora snaps. “Caleb never—” She bites back the rest of whatever she wants to say.
Slowly, Mason turns to her. “My, my, Cora, you love to pretend you’re a real vampire, don’t you?”
“What the heck are you talking about, Mason?” Cora snaps.
“You’ve never valued your vampiric gift. Not since the day you turned.”
Cora’s face twists. “Because I have different ideas on what it means to be a good vampire?”
“Nevertheless,” Mason continues, waving a dismissive hand. “I’m not going to let any of you leave with the book.”
Caleb tightens his hands on the plastic bag. Now that they have the book, there’s no way he’s letting it get back in the hands of vampires.
Especially with Mason at the helm. He was always loyal to the Council, but never this blind.
