Page 73 of Siege of Blood and Betrayal

This is a clusterfuck about to happen.

I step between them, holding up my hands. “We understand your wife’s position, Watcher. Our apologies for pushing the issue. We’ll be on our way.”

Kyrian’s eyes narrow, his wings flaring slightly behind him like he’s ready to envelop the room in darkness. But he and his friends stay where they are, letting me guide Zane back toward the door. I keep my shoulders relaxed, but my grip on Zane’s arm tight enough to let him know this isn’t optional.

Cassiane watches us go, her expression unreadable.

I think she genuinely feels for us, but her business relies on dealing with members of the otherworld. It makes sense that she might not want to get involved.

And she obviously doesn’t cower when bullied.

The night air is a relief as we step out of DonorWatch, and I release my hold on Zane’s arm. “Fucking hell, Z. Did you not hear Clare tell us to play nice? Having the Watchers on our side could’ve been helpful.”

He turns on me, his eyes blazing with anger, fangs still bared. “She’s got the answers we need. We were sent here by a fucking oracle. Do you not think there’s a reason?”

I keep my voice calm, measured. This is where I have to keep my head cool, even if Zane can’t. “But pushing the demon queen and her husband won’t get us any closer to answers. You set the tone for the seethe now. How would Bran and your father have handled this?”

“Bran and my father are dead,” Zane spits, the words sharp with frustration. “And the people responsible for that are dancing around in the shadows, plotting to tear down their legacy. We can’t let that fucking happen.”

I know he’s right. I saw the mess rogue vampires made when I was a teenager—families slain, human bodies drained and dumped like garbage. My parents died in the fight to stop that from happening.

Knowing that it’s happening again makes me sick.

But this situation is more delicate than Zane wants to admit. “Then we find the information a different way. Clare set us on a path, and we can take it from here. We’ll figure it out. We’ll find out who’s behind this.”

Zane grits his teeth and the muscle in the side of his jaw flexes. His frustration is apparent, but he’s listening. He scans the dark streets and then runs a hand through his dark hair. “Fine, but we need to make progress fast. All eyes are on me to lead Toronto and if I don’t look like I can get the job done, whoever is behind this will have even more power.”

I let out a slow breath. “We won’t let that happen. I promise. We’ll find these fuckers, Z, and we’ll put them down hard for what they’ve done.”

Zane scowls at the empty curb where Jaxon was supposed to be parked. “Where the fuck did he go?”

I pull my phone out of my pocket just as the energy in the air shifts and the shadows hemorrhage a dozen vampires. “I don’t think we’ll have any trouble finding the enemy, Z. It seems they’ve found us.”

Zane lets off a feral growl and drops into a fighting stance, releasing the claws of his beast. “Leave one alive to interrogate. The rest die.”

I glance at him and my mental hamster is stuck in its wheel. Leave one alive?We’llbe lucky to come out of this alive. Still, he’s got enough fury boiling in him to make the fight interesting.

I take a tactical stance and turn my back to him. “What ever you do, Z, keep that head of yours firmly on your shoulders, yeah?”

Zane grunts. “That’s the plan.”

Zane

My fangs extend, adrenaline spiking through my veins. The army closes in, jockeying for position. A few look threatening, but none are worth worrying about. Most expose themselves as recent turns simply by the way they carry themselves.

And then I see the burgundy hair.

It’s the first time I’ve seen Daeva in person, but that she’s even breathing my air brings a rush of bile up the back of mythroat. An indescribable rage, the likes of which I’ve never felt before, pulses through my veins.

I’m consumed by it.

My cells vibrate with it.

I close my eyes to keep from losing control and see her in my mind’s eye, holding up my father’s head and laughing.

Fucking laughing.

I bare my fangs as they move closer, forming a loose circle around us. “Let blood be spilled.”

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