Page 38 of House of Royals

“Let’s get them to their rooms,” Jasmine commands.

There’s blood smeared all over the library, broken glass and slivers of wood line the floor. At least a dozen needles are embedded into walls and books, and roll around the floor.

The intruders had to have used up nearly a quarter of their stash in this attack, and they took down two members.

I realize something. There’s no point in simply immobilizing House members and putting them through a couple of hellish hours. You only immobilize a vampire to try and kill them.

Markov scoops Trinity up in his arms. She’s still twitching and spasming. Her eyes are screwed shut, and her teeth clench tightly. She hisses in pain. Samuel slings Christian over his shoulders. They exit the library.

“Get these needles taken care of,” Jasmine commands Cameron. “Carefully.”

He actually looks scared, but I see the terror in his eyes is directed at Trinity who is disappearing down the hallway. He’s worried about her. But he does as Jasmine says and starts collecting the needles.

Lillian squats by the woman, her hands on either side of the dismembered head. She studies her face. “I don’t recognize her. She isn’t from Silent Bend.”

My stomach turns at all the blood. It’s everywhere, seeping down into the floorboards, running in a river toward the door, in a giant pool under the dismembered body.

When my eyes shift to the severed arm, the symbol catches my attention.

“Does the snake mean anything to you?” I ask.

“Snake?” Jasmine asks.

I point to the arm, specifically, at the back of the hand. There, branded into the skin, is the same symbol of the snake eating its own tail.

Jasmine grabs the arm, which is all kinds of disturbing, and observes the brand.

“The boy who escaped, I saw the same symbol on the back of his hand,” I say. I want to go home, but suddenly, nowhere seems safe. Even a house full of Born just got broken into by a couple of Bitten.

“You’re sure?” Jasmine demands, looking sternly at me.

I nod.

“We’d be able to ask about this exact kind of thing if we had any Royal connections,” Lillian says. Not in defiance, just as a fact. “The Royals are a worldwide network. I’m sure they would know something about this.”

Jasmine doesn’t look happy about the statement, but she doesn’t make a fuss. “Eventually, we will have that ability. But we’re resourceful. We will find out who did this.”

I shuffle into the corner of the library, feeling overwhelmed. I want to disappear. I want to go back to last month when I had no clue this dark world existed. When all I did was worry if my dough would rise right and knew that it would.

Life was so simple.

“Henry was attacked, too,” I say quietly. “That’s how he was killed. Rath was incredibly surprised by it. It seemed random, as well. But I don’t think it was.”

Everyone is quiet for a moment. What I’ve just said, it means something. Something heavy and future-altering.

“Thank you for the warning, Alivia,” Jasmine says quietly. “I think you should go home now. We will talk more later.”

And just like that, I am released.

Without a word, I turn and walk out of the library. It’s quiet in the entryway. Only a few bloody footprints lead back into the mansion. But everything else looks in place and natural. I put my hand on the rusty doorknob and pull it open.

Outside, there is one limo left, as if it’s been waiting for me this whole time.

Just as I’m about to climb inside, I see one figure racing back toward the house. Anna slows yards from me, heat and anger bright in her red eyes.

“Did you catch him?” I manage to ask.

She shakes her head as the glow starts to fade away. “I’ve never seen anyone be able to disappear like that. No smell, no traces. Just gone.” Her nostrils flare, her eyes wild. Anna isn’t one to be bested often. “Micah is insistent he’ll find him, but…” She shakes her head. “He’s gone.”

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