Page 33 of Hell Storm

I didn’t respond for fear of losing focus, but heard her loud and clear.

Time passed in slow motion and I held my breath, staring as the opening narrowed. It was tight enough that I doubted Elle’s calculations for a fraction of a second. In fact, I doubted them right up until my tires touched the road that officially marked the moment I was no longer on palace grounds.

A cacophony of loud thuds pounded at the heavy, iron door. It was the sound of angry guards probably foaming at the mouth with frustration that I’d gotten away. It was the sound of another human victory over vicious Ianite dictators. It was the sound of freedom.

“Elle, I … thank you,” I choked out, suddenly emotional. It wasn’t lost on me that she’d defied the kingdom tonight. “I couldn’t have made it out alive without you.”

She was slow to accept my words of appreciation, but when she did, I knew there was at least aslightunderstanding of how much I had at stake. Enough that I’d just risked life and limb to escape.

“You’re welcome,” she replied. “I wish I could help you navigate your way out of the city, but I’m certain there’s quite a stir at the palace. I’ll need to return to my body to face Julian.”

I didn’t miss the dread hidden within those words. Seeing as how she was saying her goodbyes, I guessed her tech wasn’t advanced to the point that she could be omnipresent.

“You’ll be missed,” I admitted, saying my goodbyes too.

“As will you.”

The next second, I was alone again and the clock was ticking. I had a race to get to on the other side of town. And after that …

Home.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Corina

I got rid of my bag, stashing it beneath a pile of leaves beside a massive oak. It would be easy to spot when the time came to reclaim it.

Just up ahead, at the beginning of the bridge, a line of taillights meant I wasn’t too late. I rode closer, still high on adrenaline as I pulled up and took in the familiar sights and sounds.

Cigarette smoke and cheap booze.

Gruff laughter and engines revving.

Vampire’s from all walks of life gathered here in this strange place where worlds collided—roamers to ride and take advantage of the naivety and good fortune of those who came to bet; Ianites to spend some excess cash.

The only populationnotrepresented here was humanity.

Well, as far as anyone knew anyway.

I’d flown under their radar for nearly two years now. Granted, I was certain some smelled the distinct scent of a human meal nearby, but in the open air it was hard to pinpoint the source.

Lowering the kickstand, I rushed over to the broad, wall-like roamer known as Jedidiah to sign in to the race. While he was one of theleastfrightening vampires I’d come across, it was only because, as far as he knew, I was just a roamer looking to make quick cash. That was always the story I gave, and he never questioned it.

With my face covered, he gazed at me curiously, waiting to peer down at the name I registered before speaking—Specter.

“Itisyou,” he grinned. “Long time no see!”

I offered a tight smile he couldn’t see beneath the visor. “Yeah, it’s been a while.”

“Folks have been asking about you. Suppose they notice how much lighter their pockets have been since their favorite rider has been missing in action.” He paused and peered over my shoulder. “New bike?”

“Uh … yeah. It was a gift.” I swallowed hard after answering.

He checked it out again, and then nodded to give his seal of approval. “Nice.”

A stamp was placed beside my name to notate that I was officially in the race, and after that, I didn’t stick around for small talk. The less I said the better.

Driving over slowly to the starting line, I observed the crowd. From the looks of things, the races had grown in popularity since the few months or so when I last participated. Having a decommissioned bike took me out of the loop for a while. With so many here, I guessed that with Ianite life being so restricted, so closely monitored, this was the one place they could come to blow off steam. Being a part of the races, while illegal, was one of the lesser offenses to commit.

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