Page 22 of Born Chaos

“Three of my charges have come to me this week with disturbing reports,” she begins, jumping right into it. “They tell me they feel… numb. Every one of them described it the same way. And none of them have been able to use their gifts since the feeling started.”

Ice goes through my veins at her words.

No.

No.

First the vampires, now the gifted?

We killed Archer King. We burned his damn body.

And now this?

“These are not connected individuals,” Sigrid continues. “They are from separate households. They are barely acquaintances. They live in different neighborhoods. None of them report having any encounters with any individuals they thought could have done this to them.”

A curse slips over my lips. “Do you think they have anything to do with each other?” I ask as I look over at Sebastian.

“The only connection I see is timing,” Sebastian says, a conversation just between the two of us. “Our kind are getting sick. They’re falling into comas. Do any of your people seem to be ill? Has anyone lost consciousness?” he asks Sigrid.

“No,” she answers. Her expression is hard, something it so rarely is. Then again, we’ve all been through way too much shit lately.

Sebastian shakes his head. “I don’t see how they could be the same.”

“What’s going on?” Mason asks. And for a moment, I forgot that not everyone in this room knows what is going on.

“Three vampires have come into the ER recently,” I begin, taking note of the matching number of victims. “They’ve been sick. Vampires don’t get sick. But before we can figure out what is wrong with them, every one of them has fallen into a coma. We have them laid up in the ICU. But tests aren’t bringing anything helpful back.”

“Seems like way too much of a coincidence,” Elena notes.

“I agree,” I say, “but Sebastian’s right. The symptoms are completely different.”

“Regardless,” Sigrid nearly cuts me off, “the residents of this city are getting nervous. I already have two friends, dear families, who have put their homes up for sale and are moving away. What once made Chicago special is disappearing. We can no longer call Chicago a safe haven for the supernatural.”

From all ofmyexperience, it’s hard to imagine that iteverwas a safe haven. It’s been one problem, one issue after another since I arrived.

Again, it’s hard not to feel like I came and ruined this place.

“Archer King is dead,” Roman says. There’s an edge to his voice, and who could blame him? The safety of this city is his charge, and Sigrid just said people are leaving because they don’t feel safe anymore. “There have been no sightings or reports of anyone causing issues. It’s been nothing but quiet and peaceful since we eliminated The Collector.”

“Yet the fact that things are once more happening remains,” Sigrid says darkly. “As word spreads about what is happening, it won’t just be my kind who leave. It will be the giftedandthe vampires.”

“Then they can go deal with the Houses and the Royals,” Roman says, almost bitterly.

“This is our home,” Elena snaps. “Chicago has been something special for decades, nearly a century. People came here because they were safe here. And you’re just going to give a ‘screw you’ goodbye?”

“We can only do so much, princess,” Roman growls. “We work our asses off to keep this place what it is. We’re vampires. Supernaturally gifted. Things are going to come up. And they live comfortable lives while we’re just supposed to fix it all for them?”

His words chill me, because for a moment, I agree with him.

How nice it must be to live in this city as just a citizen. To know that the higher-ups will take care of the problems.

But that’s how it’s supposed to work. The strong defend the weak.

“Do you have any suggestions?” Roman challenges, leaning forward, laying his palm flat on the table. “How do we fight this? Do we even know what this is? We have six victims with two sets of problems. How do we fight this, Elena? We don’t know what the hell this is.”

“Why are you so vile?” Elena hisses.

“Why are you so entitled?” he fires right back.

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