Page 93 of Reaper Unhinged
“They took me through a portal, yes,” Grayson confirmed. “Bright white light, and then we were in the museum.”
“So, we need to go after her.”
“It’s not that simple,” Uri said. “The fact she didn’t come back out means wherever she is, she’s stuck. No jumping out once in, which suggests powerful wards.”
“Jasper…She has Jasper. He’ll get her out. He got her out of a vault that was magicked to keep intruders in.”
“Then why isn’t she here?” Conah said. “We have to consider the possibility that something’s gone wrong, interfered with their connection, maybe even trapped Jasper in there with her.”
“They could be anywhere,” Bastian said.
“And when we go in after them, we’ll be trapped,” Grayson added.
I loved that he saidwhen, notif.
“I don’t understand it,” Dean said. “They took vamps, and then they took humans, and they took Hunter too…”
I looked down at Kristoff, and the process was suddenly clear. “I think they’re turning the regular vamps into these super vamps.”
“And the humans? Hunter?” Dean pressed.
“I don’t know… Humans could be a blood source for the super vamps, I guess…”
“Blood drive. Blood donations,” Grayson said. “Fuckers.”
Oh, shit. It was all clicking into place. The only piece that didn’t fit was Hunter.
It didn’t matter. We needed to focus on getting them back. “The humans are involved, so we need to contact the Magiguard. They’ll want in on this now.” I didn’t have Ursula’s number. Cora did, but… “Conah, can you please contact Ursula for us before you leave.”
He looked torn, and I knew he was struggling over the dilemma of whether to go to the Underealm or stay to help us.
He was needed there more than he was needed here. “Look. We’ve got this. You need to focus on Lilith and stopping the war.”
“I’ll speak to Ursula now.” He winked out.
I focused on Bastian and Dean. “Put together two teams. One for extraction and one for backup.”
Bastian and Dean headed off to round up the Loup, and I was left with Grayson, Uri, and a catatonic Kristoff.
My stomach churned. My best friend was in danger…and my fated mate…I’d pushed my feelings about his missing status aside over and over because they came from a primal place, a place deep within that didn’t connect with my human psyche, but there was no ignoring the alarms bells my Loup was blaring right now.
I couldn’t shut off the panic and the need for action. I had to get Cora back, and I had to save Hunter.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Cora
“What the actual fuck?” I stand on an outcrop of rocks and look out at the churning gray sea. From my vantage point, it’s clear I’m on an island. A small, rocky island in the middle of nowhere. There’s cover behind me and a trail that leads into it. My bet is that the real HQ of these ouroboros fuckers is that way.
Time to tell the others.
I make the jump.
Pain slashes across my skin, and an unseen force slams into me. I land on my ass, jarring my tailbone.
“Shit.” No, no, no, this cannot be happening.
I take a breath and try again.
