Page 146 of Winterfall Destiny

“What if the people in these coffins didn’t agree?” I ask, eyes brimming with tears at the surrounding horror.

“People turned against their will don’t always survive,” says Tobias. “There’s never any guarantee that a turned human will transform and not die, but those resistant are more likely to perish. Gabriella wouldn’t waste time by taking the unwilling.”

“Gabriella’s recruiting humans,” I say to myself. Not a question. An obvious fact. “Omigod.”

“Where does Gabriella put them once they…” Jamie waves a hand. “Become hemia?”

“Catacombs?”

“But why would they work for the Dominion? If they’re human, they’ll have no clue about any of this,” I say.

Andrei snorts. “Created hemia? Their brains take time to work properly, only focused on feeding, and will do anything they’re told to get hold of blood.”

My heart hammers and I reach around for another chair, convinced I’ll pass out if I don’t sit. “What is this? Gabriella’s plan to ‘out’ supes? What if Gabriella sends these new vamps into the world?”

Tobias pulls on his bottom lip. “Cargo.”

“What?” asks Jamie.

“These are cargo to travel with Gabriella—if she’s actually leaving. Exotic goods could refer to this only. Not her.”

“These people aren’t going anywhere.” Andrei jumps to his feet and again flips the lid from one coffin. Then the next. Effortlessly, as if flicking the caps from bottles.

“What are you doing?” asks Jamie cautiously. “Don’t use the First’s power on them.”

I look the other way. If I see one of the aberrations hidden inside the coffins, I’ll definitely throw up.

A sound I never knew until I joined this world jerks my head up. Bone cracking. Squelching. Andrei walks from coffin to coffin, placing a hand inside each time but he doesn’t lift anything up. He doesn’t need to.

“Don’t let him do this, Tobias,” I say weakly and stare at my shoes.

The noise doesn’t stop.

“Good thing that Ash did walk upstairs,” mutters Jamie.

When I manage to look back, Tobias stands near Andrei, arms crossed over his chest, face a mask of darkness. Andrei wipes blood on his jeans and gives me an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry, Maeve,” says Tobias flatly. “The humans are better off dead.”

“Like the vamp Dorian brought to torture?” I ask him pointedly. “Mercy killing?”

“There could be more coffins,” interrupts Jamie.

Andrei replaces a coffin lid. “No more hearts beating nearby.”

“I mean elsewhere. Other locations, ” says Jamie. “What if this is the tip of the iceberg?”

“Gabriella could never turn dozens of humans into vampires without others noticing!” I protest. My eyes widen as Andrei approaches the stacked coffins. No. “Andrei, please don’t start unstacking the coffins to kill more.”

“I agree,” says Tobias.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Because we don’t have time, not because Andrei shouldn’t end their half-life.” I gawk at him as he checks his phone. “If this place is the one in your future vision, I’m damn sure that Gabriella’s ritual happens here. We need to be prepared. Scout every inch of the place. Then we go somewhere and wait.”

Tobias walks away from the scene, Andrei at his heels as they climb the steps, blood still staining his fingers.

Jamie crouches in front of me, taking both my shaking hands. “I’m here. You’ll be okay.” I bite my lip and nod. “I hate when they do this. Sometimes the guys have no clue how this stuff affects you.”

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