Page 131 of Savage Blood
Once Fane read my mind and realized I’d fall apart if I hadto endure watching Charla’s murder, some of his anger faded. “We have to stop Barric before he kills her, then.”
“We need to find Roman,” I said.
He reached up, gripped my chin, and tilted my head toward the left. Roman stood against a wall across the balcony, beneath a painting of the fire regions of the Underworld.
My breath faltered. Roman’s ebony suit made his complexion look even paler, and he didn’t bother with a mask, showcasing the dark circles beneath his eyes. The sconce to his right cast a glow over his blonde hair and glinted on the crescent moon earring he always wore.
The witch looked depleted, like all his life was slowly being sucked out, leaving an empty shell behind.
Frost converged over my entire body. “How long has he been there?”
“He slipped upstairs after Barric killed Hudson.”
I spun around, still captive in Fane’s arms. “And were you going to tell me?”
“Yes.” He sucked the small hoop piercing his bottom lip as his reluctance poured through the bond. “I just wanted a few more minutes with my mate before we ring a bell that can’t be unrung.”
Once I killed Roman, nothing would stop me from taking that amulet.
“I don’t have a choice, Fane. We can’t let Barric continue this destruction, and I won’t watch Charla die.”
He gave a curt nod. “Let’s do this.”
Killing Roman without drawing attention would be our best course of action, so we planned to lure him down one of the hallways.
Witches were magical creatures, but anything could kill them if they weren’t able to heal in time. Ripping out Roman’sthroat would be quick and quiet. Just breaking his neck would be better. The transformative hilt in my jacket pocket would do the trick too.
All the moisture evaporated from my mouth again, and numbness crawled through my limbs as we proceeded toward Roman, the witch oblivious to the clock ticking down the minutes until his death.
He sided with Barric in the beginning. The former head alpha wouldn’t have escaped Ruin’s lab with the amulet if not for Roman’s assistance. There were consequences for his choices and for what he helped Barric do.
I kept repeating those thoughts, hoping they would rid me of the guilt.
It didn’t.
The crushing weight would remain on my chest as I ripped out Roman’s last breath.
Chapter
Thirty-Two
The violent thunderingof my pulse drowned out Barric’s voice, and the shifters blurred around me as I passed, the sequins and crystal beads on their masks glittering like gemstones under the lights. Tension permeated the air as half the guests still reeled from watching their illustrious leader transform into a beast and slaughter Hudson.
But some of them watched eagerly now as The Collective Nosterium prepared for its last sacrifice.
My fists clenched. In quick breaths, I inhaled the fear and intrigue pulsating from the crowd. That last sacrifice would never happen.
Cold sweat slicked my nape, and ice encased every inch of my body. Without Fane at my back, my boots would have stuck to the black and white marble floor.
I didn’t want to kill Roman and spill more blood, but if doing it meant saving thousands of innocents, I had to.
And then I had to forfeit my soul.
What if the Infernal Sol turned me into an evil, sadistic monster like Barric?
I peered at my intimidating shadow as he followed me, his gaze searing mine. Fane would never let that happen. He’d lock me up or kill me if he needed to.
Wouldn’t he?
