Page 83 of Eternally Yours

Slowly pivoting toward the altar, a rattling alarm fired up my body. Catherine held a blade to Ellie’s neck, threatening to hack off the princess’s head. Forget what I’d done to disgrace this family. If Cat killed a royal princess, it wouldn’t only sever any potential political and military alliance with the DeLorenzo family, but she’d be declaring war on the second most powerful coven—on behalf of the Guerras.

She winked at me. I knew she was crazy, but this was on a whole different level. How the hell she managed to sneak in undetected and take Ellie hostage was a story I needed to hear. But first, I needed to focus on figuring out how the fuck we were gonna get out of this alive.

“Order your men to stand down, my Lord, and release Nicholas and Loren or the DeLorenzos can watch their precious little princess sow lose her head before their very eyes.”

“Do it, Arthur!” Ellie’s mother stepped forward, her face awash with worry. “Please,” she implored. “Tell your men to stand down.”

Ellie’s father took his mate in his arms, trying to comfort her. Looking at my father, he said, “If my daughter dies, rest assured my coven will avenge her death.”

My mother also stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on my father’s arm. Her disappointing gaze speared my heart, but I knew she’d rather see me disgraced than dead. My father blustered, seeming surprised he’d lost this battle. “Release them.”

As the guards made quick work of unlatching our cuffs, Cat descended the altar, refusing to let go of her captive just yet. Keeping her blade fixed on Ellie’s neck, she joined me and Loren.

“You won’t get away with this,” Ellie hissed. “My men will seize you before you make it out of this building.”

“Shut your trap,” Cat said, bringing the blade even closer to Ellie’s jugular.

As we walked toward the exit, members of both covens tracked our every move, waiting for the right moment to intervene.

I took note of the number of guards from Ellie’s coven. There were close to fifty vampires armed to the teeth. “She’s right, Cat. It’s only a matter of time before they ambush us. Three against fifty ain’t exactly good odds.”

“Who said anything about three?”

Once again, she managed to surprise me. “What’s the plan?”

“Remember when we won the laurel at the academy?”

Clever girl. She was referring to the time the vampire covens competed for the ultimate prize during our final year. We’d brought home one of the greatest honors to our family. The award for best strategic maneuver in combat. Using the enemy’s own defenses against them.

“On the count of three, you and Loren bolt for the exit. Don’t look back. You hear me? Janus will be waiting.”

“What is she talking about?” Loren asked.

“All hell’s about to break loose,” I told her before turning back to Cat. “I’m not leaving you here to fight this battle alone.”

“I won’t be. You need to get your ass out of here. Both of you need to get as far as you can from this place.”

“Cat, please.”

Still holding on to a quivering Ellie, Cat’s eyes softened over me. “I should’ve done more to protect Elizabeth. Her death weighs as heavily on my heart as it does yours. No one should be able to tell us who to love.”

I knew she was also talking about Janus, and how their love was forbidden by the coven’s standards, too.

“This is overdue. We all deserve to be happy.” She gave me a sad smile. “Now go, please.”

“I won’t forget this.”

“Please. Your tab is longer than this princess’s beauty bill.”

“Until we meet again, my friend.” I tipped my head, and we both counted down.

Loren interrupted, “Wait, what’s the plan?”

“Run!” Cat shouted, and every human host around us suddenly turned on their vampire masters, the sound of automatic rounds echoing off the walls.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Loren

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