Ifollow the trail of blood with my father, the dread in my stomach growing with each step. We reach the middle of a cul-de-sac and spot two dismembered, disfigured bodies lying on the ground. I immediately transform and sprint towards them with my heart pounding in my chest.
As I approach, I see that one of the bodies is a woman I don’t recognize, but the other has blonde hair—it’s Lennox.
Fuck! We’re too late.
My blood runs cold.
Those bastards slaughtered Alyssa’s wife in cold blood.
“Lennox,” I whisper, my voice choked with emotion as I gather myself. This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.
Then I hear my father calling my name, and I turn to see him holding someone, their legs at an awkward angle. I rush to his side and see Elara, the Council’s elf representative, struggling to breathe.
“Elara,” I say worriedly. She’s cold and fading fast.
Her skin is pale and waxy.
She is dying.
“What happened?”
She’s gasping for breath and can barely speak. “Liam. I have a message for you from the vampires.”
“Levi?” I choke out.
“Ye-es.”
My heart clenches at her response. “What did he say?” I ask urgently.
“He said... he said, ‘This is payback,’” she manages to choke out before coughing violently.
I feel a surge of rage. “Did he say what for?”
“No. He seemed so angry, though.”
Fuck! Her breathing is growing more and more labored by the second, but we need answers.
“Was he alone?”
Elara shakes her head weakly. “There were... seven of them,” she says, struggling to speak. “They... they killed the woman first. She was a school… principal.”
I feel a chill run down my spine as realization dawns on me. The woman they killed was the principal of Grayson’s school. My blood boils with anger and grief.
Elara’s voice interrupts my thoughts. “I tried to protect Lennox,” she says, tears welling in her eyes. “I tried... Tell Alyssa... tell her I’m sorry.”
Tears sting my eyes as I watch her fade away before my eyes. “Rest now, Elara,” I whisper, my voice choked with emotion.
My father’s voice breaks through the silence, bringing me back to reality. “Try to call Selene,” he says gently. “Make sure she’s safe.”
I nod, my throat tight with tears. I pull out my phone and dial Selene’s number, but it goes straight to voicemail. Panic grips me as I try again and again, but her phone remains silent.
“She’s not picking up. I don’t know what to do.”
My father puts a hand on my shoulder. “Go, son,” he says softly. “I’ll take care of this. You need to find Selene.”
I take off running. But as I run through the streets, my mind is consumed with fear and uncertainty.
What if I’m too late?