Page 62 of Hitched to the Vampire King

Like full on disappeared.

Chaos erupted in the street as everyone realized that he’d well and truly vanished from sight. I spun in a circle, my keen gaze searching every nook and cranny.

“What the hell!” Josh shouted. “Where’d he go?”

“Where is he?” Jaden echoed.

“What’s going on?” Lucy’s voice blared in my ear.

“What’s happening?” Avery shouted.

“Where is he, Maddie?” Gabriel demanded, his attention torn between keeping Nash in check and the sudden disappearance of his brother.

“I have no idea!” I answered, frantically scanning our surroundings for any sign of Elias. How on earth had he disappeared like that?

But then, as quickly as he’d vanished, Elias reappeared—except he wasn’t standing in the same spot. No. Instead, he stood on the other side of Gabriel… With a stake gripped tightly in his hand.

My heart leapt into my throat, a strangled cry escaping my lips.

“Gabriel!” I screamed, terror seizing me. Every fear I’d ever had of losing him seemed to crystalize in that single, horrifying moment. All Elias had to do was turn and drive that stake home, and I wouldn’t be able to stop him. Time seemed to slow the second Elias raised his hand, ready to bring all my nightmares to life. My body moved on instinct, ready to throw myself at him, between them, anything to save Gabriel. I couldn’t lose him.

But then, a heartbeat later, everything changed. Elias didn’t turn the stake on Gabriel. Instead, with a startling precision, he plunged the stake into Nash’s chest.

The street fell dead silent, everyone skidding to a stop.

He’d staked Nash. Not Gabriel. Nash.

Nash’s expression mirrored my shock. He stared at the stake in his chest, then dropped into the middle of the street, dead. All I could do was stare, still trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. Elias had just staked Nash—his supposed ally. I’d wanted an answer regarding his loyalty, and now I had it. Relief had me staggering back a step and lifting a hand to my heated cheeks. I felt so faint, my body unsure how to process all this.

Gabriel broke the silence with a loud, triumphant, “Ha!” that nearly gave me a heart attack. I whirled around, my hand now cupping my throat, and watched as Gabriel engulfed his brother in a bone-crushing hug. “I knew you were on my side!”

Elias just chuckled and gave Gabriel a brotherly pat on the back. “You didn’t know shit. Come on, admit it. You had no idea what was going on.”

“Nah. Never doubted you for a second,” Gabriel retorted, his accent thickening as it always did when he spoke with his brother.

“Your girl did,” Elias said, laughing. He stepped out of Gabriel’s embrace, then turned to face me with a beaming grin. “Had you wondering, didn’t I?”

“Still do,” I admitted, still breathless. I bent at the waist and hung my head down by my thighs, hoping it would help slow my heart rate.

“You alright, luv?” Gabriel asked.

“Just need a moment,” I mumbled. The image of Elias lifting that stake would haunt me until my dying day. I’d truly thought he’d intended to use it on Gabriel.

Elias laughed as though he’d just managed the biggest prank in the world.

Gabriel’s firm hand came down on my back and rubbed in small circles. I accepted the comfort for a few seconds, then straightened to find I wasn’t the only one still freaked out. Jaden and Josh stood off to the side, their eyes wide as they took in the developing scene. Avery, however, crouched near Nash, her face stark as she memorized his features. This might have been a heartwarming moment for Gabriel and Elias, but for Avery, it was something else entirely.

I stumbled to her side and crouched next to her. “It’s over.”

She nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“He can’t hurt you or anyone else anymore,” I said to Avery, hoping to provide her a measure of comfort, however small.

She sniffled, then nodded again. I couldn’t begin to imagine the emotions assaulting her right now. This man had murdered three of her pack mates, one of whom was her best friend. He’d abducted and tortured her for at least a week. He’d taken joy in her suffering, reveled in it. And to make matters worse, Elias had robbed her the chance of staking him.

Wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, she faced me and offered a weak smile. “Thank you. I’m just so glad it’s over.”

“Hello? Hello?” Lucy chanted in my ear. “Is everyone okay? What the hell happened?”

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