Page 124 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

I didn’t take my eyes off those guns or the vampires holding them. I’m a little hurt that you think I can’t take them.

I thrust an arm out to keep her behind me, but she ducked under it. “Promise us safe passage and we’ll go with you. We can sort this out with the Council.”

What are you doing?

“Keeping us alive,” she muttered.

“Our orders are to bring you in—only you.”

“Over my dead body,” I said in a cold voice.

The vampire lowered her gun. “You know, now that you mention it...”

There was movement next to her, followed by whipping air as a glint of metal sliced through the air. I braced for impact. Even as a mortal, I could handle one knife, but Thea jumped first. Not away from the blade.

In front of me.

CHAPTER FORTY

THEA

Darkness crept along the edges of my vision as I continued to stare at Julian. I was dimly aware of my arms going slack, the pregnancy test dropping to the ground with a distant clatter, the knife lodged so deeply in my chest that I couldn’t even feel it.

Julian was saying something, but I could barely understand him.

“Don’t come any closer,” he roared as black-clad figures stormed inside the cabin. His eyes returned to me, frantic, pleading as he tried to staunch the bleeding around the knife.

He wasn’t wearing gloves. He never did anymore. There had been a time when I’d thought he would never touch me with bare hands. Now, despite the warmth of his touch, I felt so cold. It reminded me of being a child and going out on a winter’s day, the wind sucking all the heat from my bones.

I was finding it difficult to stand up. I tried to take a step toward him and fell in a boneless heap into his arms. He helped me gently to the ground, keeping his body angled between me and the threat.

No one approached. I couldn’t understand why. They’d had no problem throwing a knife at my heart.

My heart.

“Thea, stay with me.” His face contorted with pain and I recalled the bond that sealed our lives as one.

I was dying. I’d doomed us both.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled. I would never get to tell him that he was right. That I was pregnant.

I gasped raggedly, trying to find the other words I needed to say, but darkness closed in around me. Julian leaned over me, placing his forehead against mine, panting, panicked.

“Gods!” a familiar voice cried. Jacqueline.

What was she doing here?

“Let me help.” Lysander appeared over me, crouching beside his brother.

It took effort but I managed to lift my head. Bodies lay scattered around me and standing over them, each wearing looks of horror, were my friends. My family.

“What should we do with them? The Council is bound to come looking for them.” Sebastian huddled next to Thoren, discussing options.

“Throw them overboard and hope they can swim.”

My mouth tried to lift into a smile. It was such a vampire solution to the predicament.

“We need to get this knife out,” Lysander said. “But if we’re not careful...”

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