Page 149 of Fated In Blood

“God, not this again. Do you never stop talking? I’ve heard that story a hundred times.” Malachi’s voice came out strangled. He was being choked to death, his back bent at such an extreme angle, he would snap in half at any moment. But his narrowed eyes met mine then quickly shifted to the table.

Where Evie was.

“Nothing on this earth can harm me.” Tyrell sniffed dismissively. “Nothing. I am protected by magic far older than anything else in existence. Once Riordan is gone, I will have a clear path to create the world Caine envisioned. A perfect world,where vampires do not have to hide, and I will finally have the power I’ve always deserved.”

“You are an insufferable little prick,” Malachi hissed, “and you always have been.”

A horrendous crack echoed as Tyrell broke Malachi’s back.

“Now tell me, traitor, where is the dagger? You have the blade, don’t you?” Tyrell stomped over and swept his hand across the table, knocking books and candles everywhere. “Could it be here, in this room?”

Over in the corner, Valaine opened his eyes, hands twitching compulsively. Once that fucker was back in the fight, once Collum returned with those guards, the odds wouldn’t be in our favor.

Fuck, they weren’t now, but at least it was three to one.

Two to one, since Malachi couldn’t move.

“You don’t deserve power.” Riordan had not only managed to stand, he was one step closer to Tyrell, almost within arm’s reach. “You are a fucking monster.”

Tyrell retreated a step, but this time, when his magic gathered, the shadows were sluggish, writhing listlessly, pale as morning mist.

“Me?” Tyrell laughed. “Point that judgmental finger at yourself, Riordan Graves. You murdered your own sire to steal his kingdom and put yourself in power. You twisted the rules to your own end, hiding behind your mask of honor and nobility to paint yourself the avenging hero.”

Even Malachi’s eyes swung to Rohr, suffering turning to surprise, replaced by cold calculation.

“But the fact remains. Dominic Graves is dead. You killed your sire in cold blood,” he mocked softly, so sure he’d already won and the Nocturne Clan was his. “You planned his murder then executed him, by your own hand. Even after all theadmittedly evil things I’ve done in my life, I never killed my own sire for the sake of power.”

As if something broke inside him, Riordan stumbled forward, hands outstretched, and wrapped them around Tyrell’s throat.

57

EVANGELINE

The moment Rohr moved, I burst from beneath the table in a lunge that might have made even my father proud.

By the time I was within striking distance, Tyrell had already forced Riordan back down to his knees, blood streaming from his nose and ears, his face so pale he had to be seconds away from passing out.

The only good thing about this fucked-up situation? Riordan was out of the way. There was no chance of me stabbing him accidentally with the deadliest weapon known to our species.

My trajectory was perfect, the angle of the knife accurate to a millimeter as I drove the blade straight into Tyrell's heart…only for the tip to skid off something unforgivingly hard, the keen edge shearing through his fancy embroidered waistcoat.

He roared, the burn of sharpened nails slicing across my sternum before I darted away, barely twisting out of range before he stopped me for good.

I recovered, swinging the knife in an arc that should have cleaved soft, pliable flesh, but again, metal shrieked when the blade struck something solid, the shrill screech piercing my eardrums. The impact ricocheted up my arm and into myshoulder in a wave of agony that turned the edges of my vision dark.

But I didn’t care about the pain.

Not when the ancient blade shattered in half, the deadly tip flying through the air, embedding itself in the thick rug, leaving me holding a worthless metal stub attached to an equally worthless leather-wrapped handle.

Like the fucking ruby was going to do me a bit of good.

I grit my teeth in frustration, and in that one precious second when I faltered, Tyrell’s fist collided with my face, my vision exploding into a galaxy of stars and blackness. I’d acted like a fuckingnovice. I should have gone straight for his exposed throat.

Tyrell might not be able to compel me, but he’d been a warrior in his last life, a fighter strong enough to become a general, and that crushing blow sent me flying backward, my back shredding as I skidded across the carpet. My scalp screamed when he gripped a fistful of my hair and lifted me until my feet dangled.

Riordan made a desperate sound, and even through my pain I heard Blake’s panicked curse.

We were well on our way to failing, and we all knew it. For all Riordan’s careful planning, for all our valiant efforts, even for Malachi’s surprise alliance, this was almost over, and honestly, I saw no way to win.

---