Page 17 of Fated In Blood

“I’ve been studying them for months now. Ever since you disappeared. All they want is power. They will destroy you, Angel, and…” I shook my head and held my hand out to her. “Please listen to me. I love you. I’m your sister. I’ve taken care of you your whole life. If you’ve ever loved me, trust me now. This isnotwhere you belong.”

My beautiful sister shook her head. “This is exactly where I belong. It’s you who shouldn’t have come.”

My bones turned to water when the truth hit me. I’d failed.

Deep in enemy territory, I didn’t know what to do next. I squared my shoulders, pulling out my secret weapon, saying the words my sister would despise me for. “Angelique Silverwood. Our mother made me promise to keep you safe before she died, so you are coming with me.Right fucking now.”

Her plump lip curled up, revealing small, pointed fangs. “I am safe, so consider your promise to our mother fulfilled. I already told you, Evie. I’m exactly where I want to be. You should have left me alone.”

When she turned her head, her eyes glinted. “And you definitely shouldn’t have killed Spencer.” Her gaze focused over my shoulder and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

“Ah, Bosch. I see you’ve met my sister, Evangeline. Shame she got away from you downstairs, but our mother taught us how to be clever, and Evie took to violence better than I. Hang on to her tight. I expect Laurent would be disappointed if you allowed her to escape again.”

Angelique’s bright smile, always the best thing about her, had become a hollow, empty thing. “Our master has tonight planned out, down to the last detail, and we don’t want to disappoint him.”

10

RIORDAN

“We have to get the fuck out of this castle.Now.” Blake shoved a bloodied, blistered vampire out of his way as we fought our way toward the still-closed front doors. Most of the crowd was lost to bloodlust, feasting on the injured, utterly consumed by depravity and hunger.

Animals, the lot of them.

If this castle burned with all of them inside, I couldn’t say I’d lose any sleep.

I noted the royal houses —my enemies—present tonight. House Arcanis, which was expected, along with House Morvayne, while Lady Morvessa of House Ebonshade huddled in a corner with her courtiers.

The explosion drove everyone toward the front, the most determined guests pounding on the doors, demanding the guards outside release them. Males in black uniforms roughly pressed everyone back, even the gravely injured.

My ears strained over the panicked screaming, over the shouting of Tyrell’s guards.

Listening for the sound I knew would come next.

And there it was. A feral, savage growl rolled over the panicked crowd, everyone cowering down in frozen fear. Two guards fell into position in front of the closed doors—our most obvious escape—holding a chained revenant between them, the creature snapping at the closest guests, sending them stumbling backward.

This one was young, with a thick dark-gray hide, taloned feet splintering the marble tiles and sending shards skittering across the floor as the beast strained against the chains. Revenants were deadly, and the crowd shrank back, well out of range of those sharply curved talons and the snapping mouth, lined with rows of cruelly pointed teeth.

“The blood slave sale will continue as planned.” Laurent’s bespelled voice boomed over the stunned throng. “Make your way to the auction room and find your seats. The first round of bidding begins in ten minutes. Anyone left in the entrance hall will be fodder for my beasts.”

“Fuck this. Side entrance,” Blake growled, jerking his head to a long, darkened hallway. “There has to be a hundred ways out of this fucking shit hole.”

Several vampires had the same idea, sprinting off into the dark, the sound of their pounding footsteps fading to silence. Blake cocked an eyebrow and I nodded.Worth a try. The shadows had barely swallowed us up when the smell of freshly spilled blood hit us full in the face.

We backed into the main entry, keeping well out of the way of the two revenants dragging dead, half-eaten vampires with them, dropping the ravaged bodies at the entrance. Then the creatures began to feast.

A clear deterrent to anyone thinking about taking that way out.

“I’m not fucking going to his auction,” Blake snarled. “I can’t stay here, Rohr, I fucking can’t.” His eyes flicked to mine,desperation and panic blooming in his wild gaze. “You know I can’t be here. I have to get out.”

“Listen to me, Blake.” I grasped his arm, digging my nails in deep. “Keep your shit together. We’ll find a way out or we’re trapped here until sunrise, but either way, you won’t see the auction, I swear.”

A stream of cowed vampires flowed toward the back, feet dragging, all their previous bloodlust forgotten as they cast nervous glances to the revenants gorging themselves. Laurent was balanced on the remnants of the balcony, watching the throng pass by with dark delight.

His castle. His trap.

His bloody, macabre game.

Humans were only the bait. His own species were the prey, vampires snared by their own weaknesses—lust, greed, violence—drawn here to indulge in a variety of sick, twisted pleasures.

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