Page 96 of Guardian

“Kat.”

ChapterThirty-Two

ALEK SEPHTIS

The striking strum of Katerina’s growls trembled against the walls. Bullets steered to her chest, abdomen, and legs. They rebounded against her skin as if she bore armor thicker than silver, clinking onto the ground. The blood-soaked floor swallowed them whole, a river of silver forming.

Pure silver was thought to be a vampire’s weakness, and although it harbored the ability to pierce through our skin, it wasn’t virulent. On the other hand, silver nitrate —its richer, most potent sister— was our death sentence.

High Parliament and Heads of Ministry had uncovered such information at the beginning of That Man’s term. In turn, the only ones who were aware of it were direct Regal Families. If common vampires and humans obtained such information, it signified a traitor amongst us.

And the CEG had.

Katerina flung across the room with such blurring speed that my eyes could scarcely see where she moved. She sprung onto high pillars and climbed to the utmost edge, bullets trailing behind her with every move yet solely grazing stone. She was a hazy figure as her body leaped across chandeliers, glass spilling over us like rain.

Katerina’s transformation unraveled, pieces of her still persistent as others washed away.

Her large, paw-like feet pounded against the floor, taking bodies with extended claws. They slashed and impaled through the skin, all those in her way abruptly collapsing like flies. Razor-sharp fangs assumed her claws when they became insufficient. Brown fluid further buried the floor, and pungent metal saturated the frigid air.

Katerina landed amidst us, the ground trembling as she stilled. There was no trace of the dress she’d worn moments ago. Instead, sporadic patches of fur decorated her bare figure, a gray tinge shadowing the umber skin that hinted through. Her icy green eyes withstood, burning brighter and deeper than ever. Though her face preserved human features, they molded into an angular, furrowed version.

Her height towered with rounded shoulders, shrinking those who surrounded her. She panted heavily while gnarls echoed from her throat, a wolf studying its prey for the hunt. Terror upheld her audience, their trembling fingers unable to aim. Yet, I eyed her in wonderment— in pure adoration.

Beautiful.

Heat enclosed my wrist as Tristan tugged at me. “We need to go.”

I stood but froze as my eyes stumbled on Katerina’s cousin. No breath entered or escaped him, yet his features were gray and angular with a similar semblance to Katerina’s.

“We’re not leaving him behind.”

Tristan nodded, inching toward his lone body while the ongoing chaos took the stage on the other end of the ballroom. As he hauled him over his shoulder, patches of stubble shadowed Lorenzo’s face, and claws stretched from his fingers.

Tristan rapidly made his way through the back of the main staircase, doors wide open and leading toward the entrance of the Ambrogio estate. Shrieks echoed, and body parts flew across the ballroom, Katerina tearing flesh and shattering bones. Her eyes flew toward our direction, slits parting the sea of darkness that consumed her gaze. Yet, she didn’t dash onto us and rather onto Lace.

Be brave.

I heaved Kaleb’s body against my chest and ran behind Tristan. An outline appeared as we continued down the foyer, Ms. Hoko’s short stature rushing toward us at full speed. Tristan kept a steady pace as she said, “Follow me.” Although questions itched against my tongue, I held them in place as I focused on her crouched posture.

Hallways blended into one another as we stepped through the opposite wing, the number of doors minimizing until it became barren, and only one stood hidden in the crevices within the wall. We descended through spiraling steps and into a softly lit hallway that displayed no décor that associated itself to the Ambrogio sisters, as if utterly detached from the estate.

There was no scent that trailed nor presences that roamed through the hallway apart from ours.

“W-where are we going?” The words ran from my lips as if water surged through my throat.

Ms. Hoko rested a hand before the wall and ran her fingers as she trod forward. Her other arm cupped her stomach, fingers wrapped around an indecipherable object. “I made a promise to escort you to safety. This pathway will take you to the other side.”

“Where will you go?”

“I must stay here, my boy,” Ms. Hoko said with a somber tone. “It was what was commanded of me to ensure balance.”

Kaleb’s head revolved against my chest and fell in the direction Ms. Hoko led. His mouth widened, a sharp cough escaping alongside blood that dripped onto the floor. There was an inkling of life still within him, his eyes struggling to widen while he continued inhaling keen breaths.

The same couldn’t be said of Lorenzo.

Tristan turned to me. “We must go for your safety. Please, Alek, just follow me.”

“Katerina is still back there! We can’t—”

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