Page 18 of Wicked Heirs

All hell broke loose in an instant.

Hisses sounded, chairs grated across the floor as they were pushed back and half a dozen vampires bolted from their breakfast and sped over in several consecutive bursts.

They were surrounding Alena in a blink.

Her blood… the scent of her blood… I’d never encountered anything like it.

It was beyond sweet, beyond alluring… beyond anything.

I dug my fingers into the table, taking chunks out of it in the process as I struggled for control.

The demon rose of its own accord, my features contorting and my fangs dropping.

No. No. No.

“Mmm, that’s right, boys and girls, angel blood. Right there for the taking,” Tal said, goading them on.

“Hold it,”Orpheus’ voice sounded and I looked out to see him using his magic to communicate with me while he remained seated and cut off from me because of the crowds.

“Get back!” Isabella was yelling at the vampires as they scented Alena and moved in predatorily.

“Get her out of here, Isabella,” I groaned, my hands shaking with the struggle to get a handle on my bloodlust.

Don’t hurt her. Don’t hurt her.

Don’t hurt anyone.

You’re not the monster you were made to be.

“Breathe. Deeply,”Orpheus spoke again.

And then purple smoke erupted, engulfing the table, swirling around the vampires and me, even Tal and Isabella.

We all tracked its movements.

So much so that when it suddenly faded away seemingly out of nowhere, we were all shocked to discover that Alena was gone.

And so was the scent of her blood.

And.. Orpheus.

He was no longer in his seat.

I looked out at Talon and he was smiling victoriously.

It hit me then.

Brutally.

“It was a setup?”

“Something like that.”

Damnation!

As Isabella rushed off trying to located Alena, and the vampires disbursed, I shook my head at Tal.

“How could you?”

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