Page 198 of Black Bird

Son-of-a-bitch …

Decclan pushed the human aside, knocking him into the wall and lunged for Kane. His friend braced for him, letting him land a solid hit to his jaw, and grabbing Decclan’s shoulders as he turned them into the brick with enough inhuman force to chip a piece or two off.

“Athan!” A woman’s voice called out, her hurried footsteps coming closer.

“Stay back!” Kane forced out, gritting his teeth and wrestling Decclan off. They scuffled, and Decclan let his guard down for a split second to look at the young girl to his right. Kane hit him—hard. Decclan’s neck cracked, and he winced at the obvious fractures in his bones as he snapped his head back towards him, and spit at the ground. “Don’t make me kill you, Decclan. You touch her, you die.”

“You wrecked us all for a human!” Decclan spat, swinging for Kane again. He blocked the punch, and spun out of his reach, landing another blow to Decclan’s ear. Decclan grabbed his wrist and turned it, cracking the bones and smiling through bloody teeth as Kane growled. “Why you, Kane? What is it about you that everybody finds so fucking wonderful?”

Kane kicked him in the gut, forcing him back and breaking out of his grip. He took him by the throat and pinned him to the wall as Decclan’s hands wrapped around his neck and squeezed. “You know I never wanted this life,” he choked out, lifting Decclan until his toes barely touched. He was stronger, Decclan noticed. Stronger than he’d ever seemed before … even with inhuman strength. “I know you love her. I should have fucking let her burn that night. I should have let us all burn and sparedyouan eternity of sucking her asshole!”

Decclan squeezed tighter, both their faces turning shades of blue. “Why’d you come back?” Spittle flew from his mouth as he struggled for breath. “I tried to help you! All these years I’ve tried to fucking help you, Kane. But you’re just determined to die. You were gonna let us all fucking starve!”

Kane dropped him and staggered back as Decclan let go of his neck. They both breathed heavily and faced each other. “You know damned fucking well she sabotaged that supply,” he huffed. “You know that wasn’t me. You're gonna tell me you didn’t help her do it?”

“Maybe I did!” Decclan snapped, stepping forward. “Maybe I did it ‘cause I love her, or maybe I did it because she lovesyou!Maybe …” He sniffed, wiping at his lip. “I did it because I couldn’t understand how she could let you walk outta here with your fucking freedom while the rest of us did exactly what we were told! You always spoke to her like she was offal! And yet here you were … free. Happy. Living your best life with yourjob… a fuckingwolf, and a humanplaything!”

“Enough!” The girl yelped, stepping between them. Kane reached for her, pulling her away, and Decclan raised his face to hers. “I’m nobody’s fucking plaything. I’m hismate. Now back the hell off, and both of you get ahold of yourselves.”

Decclan’s eyes narrowed, and he looked at Kane. “Yourmate?”

“It’s a complicated situation,” she answered for him, sliding an arm around Kane’s back. “We can play catch-up later. That’s not why we’re here.”

“If you already know she wants you, and why … then are you here because you’re just like yourmate… and have a fucking death wish, love?” Decclan sneered.

“Don’t ever fucking call me that again,” she growled. It struck a nerve with him. That sound … that scent. Decclan’s eyes widened. “Where is Wren Vintorri?” Her eyes darkened and her fangs slid out.

“Holy shit. You turned her.” Decclan turned his face to Kane, who smirked in reply. “You have no idea what you’ve done, Kane. We’re fucked.”

“Answer the question,” she demanded, making to step closer as Kane pulled her back. “Where’s Wren?”

“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“Redhead. She shot one of Dahlia’s guys last month,” Kane offered.

“We don’t have her. Both Tank, and the other girl that were watching you are dead. We’ve had other shit to deal with recently, and we haven’t been tracking either of you.”

“Then where is she?” she asked, growing angrier.

“It’s not my problem to solve, unless Dahlia asks me to solve it, Princess … and she hasn’t yet. Sorry. I can’t help you. Especially now that you’ve just told me we’ve got bigger fucking problems.”

“Such as?” Kane asked.

“You know exactly what. You know Dahlia wants her for that blood. Now she’s a vampire. She’s gonna fucking kill you both, Kane.You’ve just finished this coven off. You deserve whatever she gives you.” He started to turn and walk away, and the girl called out to him.

“What if I can give you what she wants?”

Decclan stopped, slowly turning around. “And how do you plan to do that? You’re not human anymore.”

She started forward, and Kane let her. She stopped about a foot away and didn’t balk as she looked up at him. “I’ll make you an offer. I’ll give you and this coven a cooler full of my blood. Blood that was drawn before my transition. The same blood she used on your slutbag lackey.”

“And why would you do that?”

“So you can have the life you deserve. Free.Happy.” Her mouth curled up in the corner.

“You’re gonna give a coven full of strangers a new life?” Decclan scoffed. “I’m not sure if he’s told you, but I’m old, Princess. Very old. The only reason you would do something that selfless is because you’re either incredibly naive, or you want something in return. Which is it?”

“First of all, my name is Sarah. And second, yes … I do want something in return. I want yourloyalty.” She closed the space between them. “I’ll give you my blood. You give meher.”

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