Page 120 of The Monsters We Are

“Soon enough, the Ancients will have worn themselves out after expending so much energy on pointlessly attempting to break through our defenses,” said Adam, his voice ringing loud and clear. “Already, we can tell that less power is behind their strikes. They are weakening, and this is our time to act.”

Cain halted behind a tree that gave him a clear view of Adam. The bastard stood on the top step of Eden’s temple with Jude and Emanuel flanking him. Rows upon rows of people stood in a tight formation as they listened to the last ruling Aeon.

There was no sign of Wynter. Cain felt his mouth tighten. Unless Adam took his captives to a different place nowadays, she was probably being kept inside the temple’s dungeon. Which was the one reason he didn’t dare try to kill Adam there and then with a wave of sheer power. If the man ducked, the temple would take the hit. If it collapsed, Wynter might be crushed—at the very least, her escape route would be blocked.

“But although the time to move is now, it is not yet the time to attack,” Adam went on, looking every inch the pompous asshole. “While we wait for them to weaken further, a large number of you will use the second entrance to leave the city—Jude will show you where it is and unlock the door. You will stealthily make your way around the hill so that you can come at the Ancients from behind. When they are too weak to defend themselves, you will attack.”

Beside Cain, Abaddon grunted and said, “The man doesn’t have an honorable bone in his body.”

A quick glance around confirmed for Cain that the other Ancients were close, all taking cover as they glared at the Aeons ahead of them. But the Bloodrose Coven was nowhere to be seen.

A faint rumble came from Eden’s temple. Like an earthquake rattled its very foundations.

Adam looked over his shoulder. Nothing more happened, but he exchanged a quick glance with Jude before turning back to the crowd and clearing his throat.

Cain smiled. He’d bet his life that his consort was responsible for whatever just occurred in that temple. She’d never stay still and quiet like a good little captive.

Adam set his hands on his hips as he swept his gaze over his troops. “I trust that those of you who head up to the surface to blindside the Ancients will do the rest of us proud. You know every inch of the land. You know how to remain unseen. You know how to defend yourselves against these creatures.”

“Do you want Cain to be kept alive and brought to you?” one troop called out.

“No,” replied Adam. “You need not worry about him. Once the Ancients are distracted by you, I will come to the surface and deal with Cain—he will not see me coming. His death will come at my hands.”

Abaddon let out a quiet snort. “He always was an overachiever.”

“As for the other Ancients, they will also die tonight,” Adam continued, his voice hard. “Every last one of them. Then the witch will restore our home to its former glory, and we will be what we always should have been—the most powerful race to have been born on this Earth.”

Cain’s creature hissed at the brief mention of Wynter. It kept pushing and shoving at him, tired of waiting for him to seek her out.

“He is so very at ease with sacrificing his own people, isn’t he?” said Abaddon. “There are over a hundred troops out there. Most appear to be Aeons.” He paused. “I remember there being far more of them.”

“Many Aeons died in the original massacre,” said Cain. “Yet more died when Lailah and Saul brought an army to Devil’s Cradle. Abel also led some Aeons into battle, though not a great number of them.”

Another rumble came from Eden’s temple. A crack zigzagged its way down one side of the building. Another skittered down one of the thick columns.

Adam tensed, eyeing the latter crack with unease. He whispered something to Jude, who then strode into the temple. Facing front again, Adam began barking directions at his troops.

“It would be so easy to kill Emmanuel right now,” said Abaddon.

Cain tensed. “Don’t. If you strike and miss, you’ll damage the temple. It’s already unstable—”

“And you don’t want to risk your consort being trapped inside, I know.” Abaddon sighed. “Even so, it’s a . . .” He trailed off as yet more vibrations came from the temple. Worse this time. So much worse.

Cain’s heart leaped. Shit, it was about to collapse in on itself.

Adam and Emanuel rushed down the steps using the enhanced speed of their kind, and a shimmering protective shield quickly encompassed them both.

Cain fisted his hands, needing to move, needing to—

Jude came barreling out of the temple. He wasn’t alone. Another figure was a short distance behind him.Wynter.

Relief fluttered through Cain like a warm breeze. She raced out of the building in a blur of speed and jumped down to the base of the steps, her hand fisted in the hair of Noah’s severed head.

That’s my girl.

“Get her!” Adam ordered.

Several troops rushed her, but then they skidded to a halt. Pretty much everyone stilled. Because the collapsed temple was quivering. Shifting. As if something was caught beneath the stone blocks.

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