Page 23 of Hunters and Prey

Chapter 13

No one pushed him. They headed back to Colorado, continued training, and he saw his sister every day, helping her through the weeks following their father's trial.

He was guilty. By the point the verdict and life sentence came, no one was surprised, least of all Chloe.

She was okay. She dealt with it like she dealt with everything else. Including the fact that rejection after rejection came from the colleges where she'd applied.

Tom had more issues with it. Everything was making him roar in anger, want to hit something. Hungry.

Tom headed right to Viola's place after Dartmouth, the last college, refused her application.

"It's not fucking fair. We need to do something. She had nothing to do with our father's…"

"She doesn't," Viola confirmed. "But she might. One day, she might snap. Hunt, kill, and eat. If she's not prepared, it's her fate. You're taking the transition well, but you're rather more adaptable than the average Joe. Easy-going. Chloe is a lot more dominant. I don't think any of these places can benefit her. Not right now."

"Then what?" he snapped. "That's all she's ever wanted. A good education. She's worked so fucking hard. You're saying it doesn't matter?"

"I'm saying," Viola replied carefully, "that right now she needs a different kind of education. She needs to learn about our world. She needs to feel okay with our kind, to realize it's her place. And when she's ready, there's a place where she can get the very best education: the Institute."

He paused. Even he had heard of the Institute before.

"You think she can go there?"

Viola nodded. "As an Eirikrson, her acceptance isn't conditional. Your ancestors founded the school. When it's time, we'll push things in that direction. For now…I'd say her rejections are a good thing. Can you imagine if she had a wonderful career in the regular world when we came knocking to tell her she must leave it behind?"

He nodded, starting to calm down, slowly.

"I'm too protective," he noted.

It wasn't helping his constant state of irritation.

"She's your blood, your clan. And you're a vampire about to hunt for his first blood."

She spelled out what he'd known for a while now. He was out of control.

The pendant around his throat burned holes in his chest. Blood encased in a stone. He'd worn it every day, telling himself he'd make use of it as he woke up, and chickening out every night.

"Do it," he said tightly.

If only because he was a danger to Chloe, and to whatever mortal crossed his path.

Viola circled his shoulders with both arms, holding him close.

And then, she snapped his neck.

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