AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A shriek echoed from the house. The flames came at them again.
“Grim has himself one hell of a guard dog,” Dee groused as her breath heaved out.
Simon’s gaze scanned the yard. Three vamps came out, claws and teeth ready, but they didn’t attack. They just watched.
Ready to watch us die.
“This is the way it ends for you.” Grim’s taunting voice. He walked from the shadows of the house. Blood dripped down his chest. “For both of you.”
Simon caught Dee’s hand and held tight. They were surrounded by fire and vampires.
He looked at Dee. Shoulders back, chin up. Eyes blazing black. Not afraid. Not his Dee. Never afraid.
No, not her and she was?—
Smiling?
“I know what happens next,” Dee said, and her soft voice carried easily over the crackle of flames.
“Me, too,” Grim snapped. “You burn. And you scream. Then you die. Right in your lover’s arms.”
“You believe in prophets, don’t you, Grim?” The flames were so close that the heat seemed to graze his skin, but Nina was holding back now, watching Dee. Why?
Because Grim had his hand up, and like the good lapdog that she was, Nina wouldn’t strike without his order.
“After all, you set all this into motion.” Dee’s right hand—which looked broken—lifted to indicate the flames and vampires. “Because a demon had a vision and told you that I would be your killer.”
Grim’s lips thinned.
“You killed my family,” she continued. “Everyone I ever loved because you thought a fifteen-year-old human girl would one day kill an all-powerful Born.”
“The demon was right! You would have come for me!”
“I came now for vengeance. Because of you. You are the one who set this in motion. You.”
He shook his head. “No, no, I wasn’t dying again. Those bastards— they betrayed me before. I wasn’t going to die like that again!” His eyes darted to the vampires who stood so still and silent. “My men won’t turn on me this time. They’ll stand by me.”
“This isn’t about them,” Dee said.
Simon had no idea where she was going with this, but he caught movement from the corner of his eye. Slow, careful movement. His nostrils flared, just a bit, but he couldn’t smell anything but the smoke and blood.
“I won’t stand by you,” Simon called out. “I won’t be your fucking puppet anymore.”
A muscle jerked in Grim’s jaw.
Simon turned his stare on the line of vamps. “Sure you’re on the right team?”
One of the vamps cut his eyes toward Grim. Hesitation there. And anger in the man’s eyes.
He hates Grim’s control, just as much as I did. “What did he make you do?” Simon demanded, aware of that shadow slipping ever closer. “Kill your lovers? Your family? How did you prove your loyalty to him?”
Because that was Grim’s way. Loyalty could only be shown in blood.
“And if you didn’t kill them, he did, right?” Like the bastard had taken out Simon’s family. “None of us signed on for this shit, but we can get out. He just has to die!”
Grim took a step back. His hand rose again to trace the side of his back. Always checking for the wounds he’d had so long ago. Now, Simon understood.
“I know what’s going to happen,” Dee said and she was so close to the flames. He wanted to haul her back, to force her behind him, but this time—this moment—was hers. And he’d follow wherever she took him.
