Page 131 of Bite Marks & Broken Hearts

I faced Adrian again, whose bravado had faltered. “If you’re so precious to Marcus, then surely he’d be willing to trade for your life.”

Adrian’s eyes widened with understanding.

“A simple exchange.” I gripped his jaw. “Your continued existence for delivery of the cambion who calls himself Damien.”

The calculation was clear—with Flynn having mere days on the clock, I needed leverage. Marcus Vale might despise me, might rally against my methods… butperhapshe was loyal to his devoted flock. Time would tell.

Adrian thrashed against his chains. “You’re making a mistake—”

“The only mistake,” I said. “Was allowing Vale to operate unchecked for so long. That ends tonight.”

“This is suicide,” Adrian spat. “Marcus will tear you apart. He’s stronger than you know!”

“Your concern is touching.” I straightened my coat. “But I’ve dealt with far worse than Vale.”

I pulled out my phone, and jammed Priya’s contact before barking, “Peacock? Bring a van as close to my location as you can.” Next was Felix. “Magpie, prepare room 410,” I instructed, before sliding my phone away.

“God, I love it when you get all authoritative like this.” Rory bounced on his heels. “Makes me feel all tingly inside. Like watching a stern headmaster during assembly.”

Kit’s wolf form made a choking sound that might have been laughter.

“Rory.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Your schoolboy fantasies are not appropriate right now.”

“Whatever you say,Daddy.”

“I swear, I will throw you off this windmill—”

“Careful now. Flynn might not like you manhandling other men.”

A grey blur catapulted through the air as Kit knocked Rory flat on his back with a thud that echoed through the windmill’s beams. Rory squirmed beneath him, laughing breathlessly.

I leaned against the wall, watching them wrestle while our prisoner stared, bewildered. Sometimes I questioned my life choices. Fivecenturies, and here I was, supervising what essentially amounted to supernatural children.

White had promised me a professional operation when she’d offered me Killigrew Street. Instead, I had a hyperactive wolf with inappropriate jokes, his grumpy brother, a tech genius getting sassier by the minute, and a Gifted witch operating on tea and sarcasm.

And yet… they were mine. My ridiculous, dysfunctional family.

Rory finally managed to wiggle free, his hair full of dust and wolf fur. “Ha! Victory is mine!”

Kit’s tail wagged once.

I sighed heavily. “If you two are quite finished, we have a vampire to knock out.”

27

Flynn

The days slipped through my fingers like sand. Before I knew it, it was the 30th of October.

The team guarded and interrogated Adrian Knox, the vampire prisoner on the fourth floor. The one Seb would trade for Damien, and my life. Messages had gone to Vale’s coven about our demands, hoping Adrian’s friends would pressure Vale.

There’d been negotiations—though Seb kept me in the dark—but nothing concrete. No deal. No salvation ahead.

So here I was. One day left until the demon magic was due to kill me.

Fun times.

The whole team walked on eggshells around me, their smiles too wide, their voices too bright.

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