Page 117 of Death and Donuts

“I’m a dead man anyway. Whether by your hand or another’s. I never wanted the rings. All I ever wanted was Pet. He is the only reason I was obedient.

“But I’m tired of these games. Tired of always being a pawn.” He held Cross’ gaze. “This life is so long, isn’t it? A torturous hell that has no end. I heard you escaped her by hiding in a cave, but I’ll never escape. I’m forever bound.”

With a tear streaking down his cheek, he tipped his head back and yelled, “In this life and the next, I am yours, Pet. Always.”

Adriel blurred out of Cross’ hold, but he didn’t get far.

As soon as he left the shade of the building, he burst into flames and turned to ash. He was gone.

An anguished cry echoed from the trees, and I knew it was Vivian.

A chill stole through me.

Vena stepped over to Adriel’s ash and kicked it, raising a cloud. “He’s gone? My brother is free?” she asked, looking at Cross.

“He’s gone. For good this time,” Cross said.

His gaze shifted to the woods at the end of the street where Vivian’s cry had come from.

Vena called her parents. “Mom, check Miles. Is he normal?”

While she waited, Shepard joined us.

“I know you have more calls to make,” Cross said. “Go. I’ll stay with Everly.”

“I’ll find something clean for you to wear,” Shepard said, stepping away.

Cross, still shirtless, wrapped me in a hug I’d needed more than I’d realized.

“Really?” I heard Vena ask.

My friend bowed her head and huffed out a laugh. “Yeah. Tell him I watched the bastard turn to ash myself. Cross says there’s no coming back from that. M’kay. Love you too. Bye.”

She hung up and looked at Anchor. “Miles really is free.”

Anchor wrapped her in a hug and started speaking softly to her.

Cross turned us away from them to give them privacy, and I happened to see the car he’d put the two vampires in was still surrounded by wolves.

“What’s the story with those two?” I asked.

“They didn’t fight us and begged to be saved. They went to a meeting with friends who wanted to be vampires. They had to sign NDAs to attend the meeting. What happened after was so fast that they never got a chance to say no.”

“So it wasn’t like Xiana had claimed.”

“Not for some, at least.”

“Do you think it was like this in all the other locations?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I hope not,” Cross said, his gaze taking in all of the ash piles.

I understood what he meant. The number of vampires here had been terrifying. If the other locations were as bad or even worse, I feared for those groups. Yet, I also felt incredibly sad for the lives that had been lost. I refused to believe every vampire here had been evil like Vivian and Adriel. That meant innocent people had been killed today.

“What do you think Orphia will do if all of her followers are wiped out like this?” I asked.

“She’ll try again.”

“So she won’t stop until she gets what she wants, then,” I said, hating the woman even more.

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