Page 43 of Wrath

Or I would lose myself to the bloodlust and want nothing more than to kill, kill, kill.

And if Z was in here with me…

Terror like I’d never felt before nestled in my stomach.

I tried to tell myself that I would never hurt her, that I would sooner stab myself in the chest than lay a finger she didn’t want on her flesh, but I knew my promises were in vain. The vampire who left this room wouldn’t be the same one who went in.

I might not be able to stop myself before I did something I could never take back.

Like drain the only woman I’d ever loved.

THIRTEEN

LUPE

Turner, of all people, bombarded me as soon as I was away from the others. He followed me back to the tent I shared with my brothers and mate, that perpetual scowl of his firmly in place.

I whirled around to face him, trying not to lose myself to the wrath slithering beneath my skin like angry vipers.

“You shouldn't be here,” I growled.

This damn tent would never be our home, but it was close enough for the time being. My mate and brothers slept here. It was supposed to be our sanctuary.

Thisassholedidn't have the right to intrude.

I still hadn’t entirely wrapped my head around the fact that Z was back. Alive. Unharmed. Seeing her was like being given a bucket of fresh water after months of traveling through a desert. I felt like I could finally suck in a breath that didn’t scorch my throat when she was near.

Shit had hit the proverbial fan when she was away, but some of the changes had been for the better. We had the majority of the mages on our side, willing to fight with and for us. DespiteZ and Bash’s beliefs, I didn’t think the mages had any ulterior motives. I saw firsthand the reverence on their faces when they swore loyalty to Bash and Z.

I didn’t know how to explain the change, at least not with words. No, it wasn’t as if their personalities drastically changed in the span of days. But it was almost as if they began to see humans as…living beings, instead of playthings and toys. Maybe the mages had always been sympathetic to the humans but were too afraid to speak out. That was definitely a possibility.

Not all nightmares were innately evil or had malicious aspirations. Some were just…scared and confused. They saw the way the world worked and didn’t know how to change it.

Until Z came along.

The humans and nightmares of the resistance had been working together in relative harmony. At least, most of us had been.

Not Turner.

The man’s shrewd glare never left my face as he stepped farther into the tent.

“What do you want, Turner?” I snapped.

I wanted to get back to my mate and Dair, even knowing that they needed the time to talk.

“How long do you think I’ll allow you to pull my chain?” His scowl tugged at the scar bisecting his cheek.

“What the fuck are you ranting about?” I demanded.

“It’s been over a week,” Turner bit out from between clenched teeth. “Do you ever plan on helping us free the humans from your family’s camps?”

A muscle in my jaw thrummed.

Tanner had brought this up at every available opportunity. It was for that reason alone that he had been removed from the meetings. We had tried to explain time and time again that the camps were controlled by men and women loyal to my father.They wouldn’t bat an eye before they put me down. It was why we were collecting an army from the other kingdoms first and foremost. It was the only way we would stand a chance.

But he wouldn’t listen, no matter what I said.

Turner’s body began to tremble, and his eyes glistened. Something occurred to me then, and I stared at Tanner in a new light.

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