Page 80 of How to Entice a Fiend

I think everyone is shocked that I agree, but Mads is all smiles as he turns to Vivian just before I hear a gunshot.

I drive Mads back as Marcus shoves his group back. Vivian stumbles then looks down where blood blooms across her chest. Her eyes are fixated on it as she staggers back. Quickly, I turn, but from here, I can’t see who shot the gun.

“I’ll find them,” Alexei says, but I block his path.

“The ammunition they’re using would kill you instantly,” I warn him.

“I don’t plan to get shot,” he snarls at me.

When he tries again, I’m faster and stop him. “Most people don’t. The second that bullet hits you, you’re dead.”

“Please,” Mads begs. “Please let’s just get away now. Please. I don’t want you guys to die because of me. Please?”

“We’re falling back now,” Marcus orders.

Vivian staggers before dropping to her knees.

“No, no, no…” Mads says as he moves forward but I tear him back, wondering why the hell they all want to be so reckless. She is definitely not worth risking a life over.

“We don’t know where they’re coming from, and we know that they have a clear shot of where Vivian stands. If what she said is right, you might no longer have the protection you had,” I warn him.

Mads nods as we confirm where we’re going before I rush over to grab Vivian and carry her toward the vehicle Finn is opening up for us. We all hurry into the large SUV with threerows that fit all of us. Even so, another shot is never taken. No… whoever it was wanted to just get rid of Vivian. But why?

She’s shaking as blood dyes her shirt red and her eyes seek out Mads. “Mads… save me… Mads…”

“I don’t have the antidote. Do you? I don’t have anything,” he says apologetically. “Fuck. Fuck.”

She’s grabbing for him desperately, aware that he’s the only chance she has at coming out of this alive. He pats her down, searching her pockets and anything on her, but he comes up empty. A sob escapes her as Mads pins a hand over the wound, but I’m not quite sure what he thinks it’ll solve. She’s going to die because she’s not like me and I don’t think she’s a true vampire.

“What the fuck was that?” Finn asks as Marcus speeds down the road.

“Evidently, someone wanting to keep Vivian quiet,” Marcus says. “We’re going to Orin’s to get Rylee, and then we’re moving these two. With this ammunition being used, we are in over our heads.”

“M-Mads,” she begs, and I can tell it’s tearing Mads apart. He knows he could save her life, but he’s also aware that he doesn’t have time to.

“I’ll save you. We’re getting the antidote now,” he says as he smooths her hair back. She eases when she hears his words. “We’re nearly there. It’ll all be okay. It’ll be okay.”

Her grip loosens before it falls, and she stops moving altogether.

“Fuck…” Mads whispers, and while I was prepared to rip the woman’s head off mere minutes ago, seeing Mads grieve over her doesn’t make me feel good.

“I’m sorry,” I say for some reason. I’m not even sure why. I’m not sorry she’s dead. She might have sworn she’d changed, but the person I knew, the woman I heard outside of that darkness, was a monster. Can time really fix everything? Especially thosewho suffered because of it? And if it can, what does that mean for me?

“Thanks,” Mads says. “Fuck… this is all my fault.”

“That’s like saying what I did was my fault too,” I tell him.

“Of course it’s not. You had no choice. I had a fucking choice,” Mads says. “I chose to do this. I chose to trust Grady. And this is where it’s gotten me.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

ENDER

Finn twists back in the passenger seat to look at us. “You mentioned Grady… are you talking about Patrick Grady? The guy who released the drug that caused vampires to attack humans? After his attack at the concert, he was arrested and has been serving time in prison.”

“Yes.”

“And how do you know him?” Marcus asks.

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