Page 61 of Hitched to the Vampire King

“Just stake him.” Gabriel’s voice came out low and threatening, his patience clearly growing thin.

I nodded, then faced Nash and shrugged. “Guess your time is up.”

But rather than show fear, Nash’s grin only broadened, and his eyes gleamed with defiance. “Maybe. Maybe not,” he taunted, his gaze suddenly shifting past us.

Instinctively, I turned to see what had caught his attention. My heart instantly sank when I caught sight of another figure striding through the shadows toward us. A vampire I very much recognized.

“Elias,” I whispered.

ChapterTwenty-One

The second Elias’sname left my lips, the mood shifted drastically. We were already on edge, prepared for whatever might come our way, but suddenly, the suspense cranked up a notch. The sight of Elias striding toward us with such purpose had me tensing from head to toe.

Gabriel’s hold on Nash loosened a bit as he glanced over his shoulder at his approaching brother. The brother he once trusted, now potentially a traitor. Waves of emotions poured off Gabriel—confusion, anger, pain.

“Elias.” Gabriel’s voice cut through the night, his entire body coiled for a fight.

I repositioned myself next to Gabriel with my back to Nash so I could keep an eye on Elias. I trusted my mate to protect me from any threats behind me, as I would for him.

Elias halted a safe distance away, his gaze sweeping over Jaden, Josh, and Avery before fixing on me. The slight smirk on his lips suggested he found something amusing about this situation. Yeah, well, doubtful he’d find it funny when I rammed my stake up his ass—or in his chest. The choice depended on him and his next move. If he’d come to protect Nash, then he’d join him in hell.

“Fancy seeing you all here,” Elias remarked, his attention flickering between me and Nash. I thought I caught a hint of annoyance cross his face for a moment. But annoyance at what? For us catching Nash? Or that he was still alive?

“What do you want?” Gabriel demanded, his back still to his brother as he focused on Nash.

“I’m here to put an end to all of this,” Elias declared, as though that simple statement told us anything. Spoiler alert: it didn’t—it merely created more questions.

I readjusted my stance and gripped my stake tighter. If it came down to choosing who to take out first, Elias topped that cake. He presented the bigger threat. Nash could wait another night or two. I’d tracked him down once already. I could do it again.

“End what, exactly?” I pressed.

Elias’s slight smile returned, and he dared to step closer, a motion that sparked an instant reaction from Jaden, Josh, and me. Within the span of a breath, Elias found himself the target of three stakes, all pointed at him by three very unhappy slayers.

His expression comically shifted to shock, as though he hadn’t expected us to react so quickly. He lifted his hands, as though to show us he was unarmed. We knew better. Vampires didn’t need weapons to be considered dangerous. Nor did werewolves.

“Not another step,” I warned, balancing precariously on the balls of my feet in case I needed to spring into action.

Our eyes locked, and for a second, I thought Elias was trying to silently communicate with me. But since mind-reading wasn’t in my skill set, his efforts were rather pointless. After a moment, he gave a subtle nod, so minimal I might have missed it if I hadn’t been watching him so closely.

I angled my head and studied him, trying to puzzle out his purpose here. Elias’s true allegiance remained a mystery. He’d told me point blank that he’d come to America to watch Gabriel die, indicating that he’d sided with Adrian. Yet he’d been the one who’d given me the idea to feed Gabriel my blood, which was what we’d needed to escape. I honestly didn’t know what to think. Before things went south, Gabriel had believed Elias was loyal. But it was so easy to be blinded by love for someone you cared about. I’d only ever spoken to Elias over the phone before this entire mess, which, in theory, should have given me a clearer perspective. Except, here I was, just as uncertain as everyone else. It was maddening.

This was why I hated spy novels. All this covert undercover nonsense—it wasn’t for me.

Elias took another cautious step forward, lifting his hands a little higher. “I’m just here to talk.”

Josh let out a derisive laugh, one I echoed.

“I generally don’t engage in chitchat with traitors,” I informed him.

Elias raised an eyebrow at me, unbothered by the accusation. I spared a quick glance to Josh and Jaden, who remained intently focused on Elias, while Avery eyed Nash like a rabid dog. Clearly, she wanted to take a bite out of him, and I wasn’t sure how much longer she’d wait. Given what Nash had done to her, I doubted she’d hold back much longer. Then there was Gabriel, who seemed only seconds away from finishing Nash himself. We were a powder keg waiting for a spark. Meaning, I didn’t have long to figure out Elias’s intentions or where he stood.

But then, my eyes met Elias’s, and I saw something. He stared at me so hard, like he was trying to communicate with me. I thought I caught a hint of…what? Regret? Pain? I remembered wondering the same thing the first night we’d met. I hadn’t gotten an answer then, and it didn’t seem like I would receive one tonight, either.

He jerked his chin to the side, suggesting I move. When I didn’t, he tried again, his gaze still boring into mine.

I blinked at him and nearly laughed aloud. Surely, he hadn’t expected me to listen to him. There was no way in hell I’d stray from Gabriel’s side right now.

Exhaling harshly, Elias’s shoulders slumped, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. He muttered something quietly, a word that almost sounded like, “Mates,” and then he suddenly vanished into thin air.

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