Page 72 of How to Entice a Fiend

“So why does he want Mads?” Alexei asks. “And why did they keep you alive, Ender? What did he have to gain from taking you? Apparently, he sucked at his job.”

Claude squeezes Alexei’s arm but I’m not sure it reassures him.

Mads and Ender both are quiet for a long moment.

“Oh? Did we lose reception?” I ask withmuchsarcasm.

“I can explain better in person,” Mads says.

“It doesn’t matter what he wants to do with me,” Ender growls.

“Growling at people gets you nowhere. Just simply avoid the question with kindness,” Mads encourages.

“Ah yes, ignoring their questions and pretending you’re going to tell them in person is much better than being honest and saying you’re not telling them shit.”

“Well… I might tell them! I haven’t decided yet. It sounds like they’re a rather lovely group of people who forgave you for some reason, so they might possibly… not… decide they don’t like me.”

“I’m probably not going to like you,” Marcus grumbles. I give him a look, so he goes, “What? I don’t like people who drag things out. Just tell me what’s happening and we’ll move on.”

“I don’t like Ender at all, and I am not at all against the idea of letting him stay wherever he is,” Alexei mutters.

“NO! Not my En!” Rylee cries.

“I’m sending him to the fucking Sahara desert where he’ll hopefully burn into a crispy pile of ash,” Alexei snarls.

Rylee gasps and Claude gives her an apologetic smile. “It’s an inside joke, honey. They’re only teasing each other.”

I can’t tell whether Rylee is convinced or not.

“I will leave as soon as we end this. I need to kill Abel and once he’s dead, I’ll leave for good,” Ender says.

“Why should we help you?” Alexei asks.

“Because I know for a fact that Abel has had the same plan in motion for hundreds of years. And with the fall of the US council, he’s throwing things into motion. I’m convinced he’s the one who started it. It’s going to have a domino effect when those he controls take a stand and the others fall.”

“So he’s the one who killed them?” I ask.

“I believe he was pulling the strings with Addison.”

“She wanted to make true vampires.”

“Correct. You also have Chief Bowman who was trying to take control of humans. They’re all working under Abel. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were both turned by him. He fills these people with toxic ideas on how to gain control of humans and vampires. With Watson gone, he no longer feels like he has anyone to fear,” Ender explains.

I hesitate as I realize that Ender is saying Abel is stronger thanhim. While we were able to capture Ender when the teamworked together, none of the VRC members could do it alone, not even Marcus. “Ender… you are unbelievably strong. You really believe he’s stronger than you?”

“He used to be, but I’m not sure anymore. I… I have to kill him,” Ender says. “I’m not going to rest until he’s dead. He cannot continue what he’s doing. And now that he knows the councils are coming together, he might begin targeting everyone who isn’t under his control. Who knows who is going to come out of this alive. You better watch yourselves. If you aren’t on his side, then you’re against him and he’s going to do what he can to destroy you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ENDER

When we reach the airport, a member of the local Vampire Related Crimes unit meets us at the car with clothes for us to change into, as the blood-soaked ones might attract some attention. I’m immediately wary of the woman, but Mads is ready to be best friends with her.

“So lovely to meet you, Detective Baran, right?” Mads says as he hurries out of the car to greet her once we’ve discreetly changed inside the car. The woman’s smile widens, and it lights up her entire face like this is the meet-cute she’s been waiting her whole life for.

“Yes, but call me Katherine! I am so excited that I can help both of you. You two look like you’ve been through hell and back.”

“We have,” Mads says. “But everything is better now.”

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