Page 72 of The Kingdom of Ruin

Girl of mine? That girl belongs to no one, no matter how hard I seem to be trying. Even if it is an illusion. My reasoning seems to be fucking with my head more than anyone else’s, and I’m in no position to deep dive into it all. I can’t think about that right now, though. It seems my friends need me.

As we step out into the evening air, Janie grabs hold of my arm, the pointed look on her face rooting me to the spot as I shake my head. “I’m not promising that shit. It’s more complicated than that.”

“Like that wasn’t obvious when you were here, and don’t think anything that happens at the academy doesn’t reach my ears. I like her. I like the challenge she brings you. I think we could be besties.”

I snicker in disbelief. “Right, sure.” My cell phone vibrates in my pocket, another message from Brody with his location pinpointed. “I really do have to?—”

“Go, I know. Be safe, Cass.” She rubs my arm, rising on her tiptoes to press a warm kiss to my cheek before she heads back inside.

It’s strange, the difference I feel from the other students on campus, even the other wolves. Janie’s warmth, Jake’s too, they’ve always been an extension of me. Glancing back over my shoulder at the closed door, I sigh.

Maybe I messed everything up. Maybe I am as selfish as my father says I am.

I’m not going to get answers tonight, though, so I can assess this more at another time.

Taking a deep breath, I rush from the dark and quiet corner of Kenner land and across the City of Harrows to the opposite end of the cobbled streets where the vampires run every inch of the ground they feed on.

I slow half a block from the street Brody sent. My speed returns to normal as my hearing takes over, and barely a beat later, I hear the grunts and thuds of a brawl unraveling.

Great.

I should have been expecting this shit.

Rounding the corner, I find Kryll repeatedly slamming his fists into the guy’s face beneath him, blood splattering in every direction as he moves to the next target. Raiden’s eyes flash red as he approaches another vampire from behind, wrapping his arms around his throat in a swift move as he effortlessly snaps his neck. The target clatters to the floor in a pile of limbs while Brody stands under a shadowed arch, hands in front of him as he chants, bringing the magic at his fingertips to life.

There are three of them, half a dozen men scattered across the street, and another five charging at them.

“Anytime, Cass. There are more on their way,” Raiden grunts, pulling a small dagger from the waistband of his pants and aiming it at the nearest of the approaching vampires.

I’d love to send him an eye roll and give him a piece of my mind, but the two vampires inching toward Brody catch my attention and I take off.

Quickly considering my options, I shift midair, letting my wolf take over. It always startles the other origins, but vampires tend to react the most, especially new walkers like these. The pair of fuckers pause midstep, gaping in surprise as I land a few feet away from them. Their eyes burn red, raging brighter a few seconds later as they set their sights on me.

Perfect.

Charging toward the one on the left, my wolf consumes me, snarling as my teeth snap excitedly. I aim for his throat, the sweet satisfaction of his flesh piercing beneath my bite rippling through me as we fall to the ground. He doesn’t stand a chance, his cries of pain wilting into the wind as I take his life before moving on to the next target, only to find Kryll beating me to it.

Literally.

His anger issues run way deeper than mine. The appreciation for blood splattering his knuckles is a level of sadism that holds no appeal for me.

Running my claws along the cobbled road beneath my paws, I hunt down the next closest vampire, ready to eliminate that threat. Once my wolf has had the taste of blood, it leaves him insatiable. I’m pretty sure I’m not blood-haze crazy like these guys, but the need is high.

Brody’s magic holds one in place, their arms stiff at their sides, and it’s almost too easy. Leaping through the air, my jaws open, a sense of calm washing over me as I connect with the target and knock him to the ground. But before I can sink my teeth into him, I’m knocked aside. Snarling, I stare down at the new vampire who thinks he has the upper hand.

I can hear the need for blood zapping through his veins as his eyes search me erratically. Raiden is behind him in the next instant. The telltale sound of his neck snapping fills my ears a moment later as Kryll attacks the guy on the ground.

Silence descends over us as dead vampires lay scattered across the road. The stores that line each side of the street are closed, leaving no one to watch on. Certain the danger is gone, I transition back to my human form.

“What the fuck happened?” I ask, wiping a hand down my face. My fur may be gone, but the blood that coated it moments ago still clings to my skin.

“Something that could have been avoided if you were here to begin with,” Raiden snaps, finally earning the eye roll that takes over my face.

Of course, this is my fault.

Kryll scrubs at the back of his neck, his fiery auburn hair darkened with splashes of crimson blood. “They were feeding on the humans again.”

Fuck.

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