Page 99 of Fated In Blood

I couldn’t lose her…at all.

“We’ll get as close as we can.” Rohr’s voice sounded like it came from far away. I was drowning beneath waves of pain, smothering in the fear that Evangeline’s time was running out. “Once we have eyes on the situation, we’ll make our move. But if we don’t time this right, we’re likely to get her killed.”

Oh fuck, my knees weren’t going to hold me up.

Rohr’s hand landed firmly on my shoulder. “We’re going to save her, Blake. And once she’s safe, we’ll tear apart everyone who dared touch her.”

“You’re goddamned right.” Killing someone was exactly what I needed, right after I checked Evangeline over. Just the thought of gathering my little slayer up in my arms sent a wave of calmness over me, and then…I was fucking going to shred her father and uncles apart with my bare hands. I couldn’t make sense of all these out-of-control, conflicting emotions, but all that mattered was getting her out alive.

I landed in a worn-out hotel room littered with plastic cups and food wrappers, the rumpled bed sheets smelling sweet, like my little slayer. Rohr arrived a few seconds later, head swiveling around in disbelief.

“What the fuck is this?”

“Home base, if I’m not mistaken.” I strode to the window and pulled back the tattered plaid drapes to reveal an ancient green Plymouth parked outside, matching the description of the chop shop owner.

Closing them, I gave the room another once-over. Beneath the dust and the cleaning products lurked another scent, so faint I couldn’t detect whose, but the scent wasn’t Evie’s. Male, but that’s all I could discern beneath the strong bleach odor.

“She’s not here.”

“Yeah, no shit.” I focused harder, fighting to pinpoint her location.Definitely White Chapel.

Her fear had evolved into despair, yet everything was filtered through a haze. All I knew for sure—she was hurt, she was scared, and she’d given up. That utter hopelessness undid me, my fear softening into shame.

Hating Evangeline had been easy, a way to both honor my family’s memory and punish her, all in the name of justice. Butjustice had been my sister’s arena. Cass had been a warrior who’d taken on Goliath and lost.

All this time, I hadn’t been looking for justice.

I’d been after revenge, and I’d been taking my anger out on the wrong person.

“It feels like…she’s underwater or deep underground. I can’t get a precise read on her position.” I paced across the room and rifled through the nightstand, tossing Rohr the rolls of cash. Ten thousand dollars, maybe more.

“She planned to come back if she left these. Maybe there’s some kind of protective shield around the house, that’s why we can’t locate her.”

“White Chapel.” Riordan mulled that over. “Like a church. Could be the compound was built overtop a consecrated church on hallowed ground. That would track, for the Silverwoods.” Rohr looked frustrated enough to put his fist through the wall. “You’re older than I am. What do you think?”

“Hallowed ground would sap some of her strength, unless she had a talisman to protect her.”

Riordan slanted me a look. “She’s brand new, she wouldn’t know about such things yet.”

“Then that’s how they caught her. The second she set foot on the grounds, she would have started getting weaker and weaker. But I’ve never feltanythinglike this connection before.” I lashed out, my fist sinking through the cheap paneled wall. “I didn’t know it was possible to feel another vampire’s pain so…sharply.”

Why did I feel like I was about to lose everything? This suffering was every bit as sharp and poignant as the day I’d lost Cassie, I felt like my entire world was ending before my eyes and I couldn’t stop it.

“Me either, but I’ve never fuckingMadeanyone before.” Riordan’s eyes narrowed. “I know whyyou’refalling apart, butis this normal for a Maker’s bond? This feels almost like…” He drew an audibly shuddering breath. “No, that can’t be possible.”

My entire world ground to a halt.

“What the fuck do you meanyou know why I’m falling apart?”

“I didn’t mean anything. Forget it,” Rohr muttered, tossing the cash back in the drawer. “Once we stake out White Chapel, we’ll?—”

Shadows clogged the room as I gripped the front of his jacket and lifted him off the floor, shoulders groaning beneath the weight. “What. The. Fuck. Did you mean, Riordan?”

He bared his fangs and I bared mine right back, air hissing out of my nose as I hoisted him higher, my arms straining. “Tell me what you meant, you bastard, or I’ll toss you out that fucking window.”

“You’re fucking mated to Silver.” He hissed, like the words cost him, eyes narrowed in anger.

“You’re too goddamned blind to see the truth, but I see it just fine. Rubbing your chest every time you even think she’s in danger. Mooning over her every chance you get. Beating my ass because I’m feeding herandfucking her.”

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