Page 10 of Wicked Thirst
He gazed round the hallway. Confusion riddled his features. I could only imagine what he thought seeing the wall in shambles and the two of us looking like we’d battled it out. He scrubbed his hand down his face as if he didn’t know how or why he’d gotten himself to the Night Spawn headquarters. The hallway was oddly empty but for the two of us. It seemed like a lifetime since the ball happened, but it’d only been a few hours.
“Gray, look at me.”
His eyes snapped to me, and there was a flash of recognition in them. I tried to take a step toward him, but he backed away from me. He ran his hand over his face and gave me one last glance before sprinting toward the mirrors they’d set up at the end of the hall for vampires who lived with the Night Spawn. He paused when he reached the mirror. When he eyed my injuries one last time, his brow furrowed and the muscle in his jaw clenched. Pain crossed his face, and he dove through the mirror, leaving me alone and bleeding.
“No! Grayson!” I sprinted after him, but a vise-like arm caught me around the waist.
I was pulled back and held away from the mirror he’d just gone through. I threw my elbow back, connecting with ribs. “Let me go!”
I had to go after him. Something was wrong with Gray. He clearly needed help. An ooofff sound came from behind me but the arms didn’t drop. “Piper!”
I froze. “Theon?”
When I glanced back, his face was bright-red and his cheeks were puffed out like he was holding a breath he couldn’t let go of. I tried to scramble away from his grip. “Let me go! He needs me.”
“He’s not himself, Piper. He’s dangerous.” He turned and tossed me back. He moved to stand between me and the mirror. He sucked in heaving breaths while motioning to me. “Look at you. You’re lucky to be alive.”
The scratches down my arms and legs were already healing from what little blood I took from Grayson. My dress was torn in all different places, exposing even more of my skin. Dried blood covered the shimmering cream-colored material and stuck to my arms and legs. I knew I looked like hell. I even felt like hell. Judging by the tenderness on my neck and face, I knew there were bruises there. I glanced over his shoulder toward the mirror I wanted to jump headlong into, hoping it’d take me to Grayson. But even I knew that would be a long shot. Mirror travel didn’t work like that. We had to travel to other mirrors stationed in places we knew. I couldn’t just travel to Grayson . . . or could I?
Theon offered me his hand. “You need help, Piper. You can’t take a crazed vampire down by yourself. No one can . . . Even if you love him.”
I’d gotten lucky this time. Whatever happened to Grayson was new and we were both still fighting it. I didn’t know if it would get worse or if he would get stronger. But what I did know was that he needed help, the kind of help that required real firepower. I gave him a single nod. “Where to?”
“The only place with the power to help a vampire like Grayson . . . The House of Shade.”
CHAPTER FIVE
SANCHITA
Damn this dress, damn these shoes, and damn it all.
All hell had broken loose, and when I mean hell . . . I mean literal hell.How could Marius have done this?Attacking the crown and the Blood Borns was signing a death sentence for any of the Night Spawn involved. My heart hammered in my chest, and I knew I was in deep shit. I wasn’t where I belonged, but I didn’t know the way out.
“Come on this way!” Marius yelled ahead of me. A sea of Night Spawn vampires followed in his wake as he darted down dark tunnels leading from the castle. I didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to be a part of this, but I’d been swept away with the tide of traitors. One of his lackeys had a hold of my arm and dragged me along.I’d gotten separated from Prisha in the attack, and now I was in the bowels of the castle in a tunnel that looked like it hadn’t been used in centuries. There was no light, dust was thick on the floor, and giant spiderwebs hung overhead. The tunnel smelled of damp earth, coppery blood, and sweat.
I jerked against the pinching grip. “Let me go!”
My voice echoed off the rough cave-like walls surrounding me. The beefy vampire beside me jerked me closer to him and lowered his voice to a hiss. His face was large and square-like with beady eyes and fat lips. “Walk.”
He shoved me forward and I stumbled into someone’s back. I spun around and shoved my hands into his shoulders . . . he didn’t budge. Even with my vampire strength, he didn’t move. He glared down at me and grabbed my arms, lifting me off my feet. My heels slipped off and clattered to the floor. My legs swung there, and I wanted to kick him in the groin, but I froze.
“Drop her.” There it was. That smooth, confident voice I’d grown familiar with over the years.
Instantly my feet hit the ground and the pinching grip left my skin. I tugged my dress back into place and tried to dust myself off. When I looked up, Marius stood before me. He was much taller than me, with wavy brown hair that fell to his chin and a scraggly goatee. He wore that same damn leather jacket with the thick fur lapel. His eyes bore into mine as he spoke. “You’re either with us or against us.”
Against . . . definitely against. But I needed to buy myself time to find a way out of this and away from him. “I don’t even know what this or us is.”
“This is the future,” he whispered from low in his throat and moved only inches from me. His hot breath fanned over my face. His dark eyes were wild with excitement. “I am the future.”
Voices sounded from behind us, and I knew in moments the guards would be at our throats. Marius stepped back and glared over my shoulder. “We must away. Come.”
I hesitated, trying to find a tacticto get away from him without losing my head. When I didn’t answer right that second, he leaned away from me. His eyes blazed with fury. His lip curled into a cruel sneer. “You aren’t ready for the future. And if you aren’t ready for the future, you’ll die in the past.”
“I— I . . .” The voices grew closer and panic ran through my body.
Marius didn’t say another word, he just turned away from me with his long leather coat billowing out around him. His wave of Night Spawn closed in behind him, following him. With their vampire speed they darted deeper into the tunnel leaving a slight breeze and the smell of blood in their wake. I sagged against the wall and sucked in a deep breath. Darkness swallowed me, but with my vampire senses, I could see in the dank cave.
Three soldiers appeared around me. One stood in front of me. He was large and imposing with big muscles and the look of a soldier who’d been living that lifestyle for an eternity. His jaw was square and bulky. He had a flat nose and dark, almond-shaped eyes. Before I could say a word, he grabbed my arm and spun me around, shoving me into the wall. Rough rocks scratched against my skin. If I were human, I’d be bruised all over.
