Page 59 of Shapeshifter's Vengeance

“You’re delusional,” I say. “You think you can control all that power?”

“I’ve planned this for years,” he says. “I’ve studied. I’ve prepared. And now, it’s time to execute the plan.”

I can feel my strength slowly returning, the effects of the injection wearing off. I need to keep him talking, keep him distracted.

“You’re forgetting one thing, Marlowe,” I say, my voice steady. “The people of Harmony Grove won’t stand for this. They’ll fight back.”

“They won’t have a choice,” he replies. “Once you and your sister are out of the way, they’ll have no one to rally behind.”

“You underestimate them,” I say. “They’re stronger than you think.”

He laughs again, a cruel sound. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

I feel a surge of hope as the feeling returns to my limbs. I test the ropes again, feeling them give just a little. I need to keep him distracted a bit longer.

“What about the council?” I ask. “Do they support your plan?”

“The council will fall in line,” he says confidently. “They know what’s good for them.”

“You’re making a mistake, Marlowe,” I say. “This won’t end the way you think it will.”

“It’s already begun,” he replies. “There’s no turning back now.”

I feel the ropes loosen slightly. Just a bit more time.

“You’re right about one thing,” I say. “There’s no turning back. But not for the reasons you think.”

“What do you mean?” he asks, suspicion in his eyes.

I smile, a small, defiant gesture. “You’ve underestimated me, Marlowe. And you’ve underestimated Evelyn and Ana.”

Before he can react, I break free from the ropes and lunge at him, my vampire strength returning in full force. He stumbles back, surprise and anger flashing across his face.

“You’ll pay for that,” he snarls, reaching for a weapon.

But I’m faster. I knock him to the ground, my fangs bared. “This is for Evelyn,” I growl, my anger fueling my strength.

He struggles beneath me, but I don’t relent. “You think you can stop me?” he spits. “It’s too late.”

“Maybe,” I say, my voice cold. “But I’m going to try.”

With a final, powerful blow, I render him unconscious. I stand, breathing heavily, my mind racing. I need to find Evelyn and Ana. I need to end this.

Whatever he injected me with is still coursing through me, but I needed to find them fast and get them to safety.

Chapter 26: The final showdown

EVELYN

I wake to a sharp pain, and Cassandra’s voice fills the room, laced with impatience. “Good, you’re awake,” she sneers. “It’s no fun torturing unconscious witches.”

I blink, trying to clear the haze from my mind. My whole body aches, but the pain in my side where she stabbed me earlier is the worst. I glance at Karla, tied up and barely breathing beside me.

“Don’t look so glum, Evelyn,” Cassandra taunts, circling us like a predator. “Your beloved Alexei and his sister are probably dead by now. My partner is very efficient. He’ll handle them just fine.”

I refuse to give her the satisfaction of a response, and Karla follows my lead. Silence is our only weapon for now.

“You’ll start begging for your lives soon,” Cassandra continues, her voice dripping with sadistic pleasure. “I’ll make sure of it.”

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