Page 104 of Wolf Queen Ruin
I made a snap decision, a reckless one, but it could save lives.
“Keep everyone on board.Tell them nothing,” I instructed.“As soon as I get the bomb, have the pilot taxi to the far end of the runway, away from buildings.”
“Sir, protocol would be to—“
“Do it now,” I hissed.“I’ll handle this personally.No one approaches until I give the all-clear.”
The rest of the security team exchanged glances but knew better than to argue.
Dropping to the ground, I slid beneath the massive aircraft, immediately locating the device attached to the landing gear.It was elegant in its deadliness—a small black disc with intricate silver runes etched into its surface.The craftsmanship was exquisite, which made it all the more disturbing.
Was it the Parisians who didn’t want to see me again?Those who not only didn’t want us hunting the Shadow Fang but also wanted us gone from this planet?
I pushed the speculation aside.There would be time for investigation later.Now, I needed to remove the threat.
The device was rigged to detonate upon contact with vampire blood—specifically, the blood dripping through the complicated maze that acted as a timer.A targeted assassination disguised as a tragic accident.I carefully extracted it from its housing.Once free, I cradled the deadly disc in my palm.
Already, the plane’s cabin was pressurizing and the pilot was preparing to taxi farther down the runway.
But there was no time for a proper disposal team.No way to contain a supernatural explosion of this magnitude without risking casualties.I had one option.
I sprinted away from the plane, toward the empty fields beyond the runway, moving at top speed.The wind tore at my clothes as I pushed my body to its limits, putting as much distance as possible between the bomb and the aircraft.
Only a few more drops of blood needed to snake to the bottom of the device before it detonated.
When I judged the distance sufficient, I hurled the device high and far, then threw myself to the ground, arms covering my head.
The explosion tore through the air three seconds later—a deafening roar followed by a pulse of magical energy that flattened the grass for a hundred yards in every direction.Had it detonated on the aircraft, nothing would have survived.
Luna would not have survived.
I lay there for a moment, my face pressed against the earth, allowing myself a brief instant of raw emotion.Someone had tried to kill us.Again.Had nearly succeeded.Since my world revolved around vengeance, I had faced countless attempts on my life, but this one landed differently.This time, I wasn’t the only one at risk.
This time, there was Luna and our child.
I pushed myself to my feet and brushed the dirt from my clothes.I needed to return to the plane, to ensure there were no additional threats, to see with my own eyes that Luna was safe.
As I walked back, I considered our options.The rational choice would be to cancel the trip, to regroup and identify our enemies before proceeding.But time was not on our side.Elliot’s condition worsened daily.Aria and Jade remained in suspended animation.And now Luna’s own infection progressed, threatening both her and our unborn child.
We needed the Shadow Fang.We needed to continue to Paris.
But we would do so with additional precautions.I made a series of calls as I approached the plane, activating dormant contacts throughout Europe, arranging for enhanced security measures at every stage of our journey.By the time I reached the plane, a secondary team was already performing another sweep, confirming it was now secure.
“All clear, sir,” the chief of security said.“No additional devices detected.”
“Double the security detail in Paris,” I said.“Full protective protocols.And I want the remains of that device collected and analyzed immediately.”
“Already underway.”
I nodded and prepared to board, pausing for a moment at the foot of the stairs.The reality of what had just occurred—what had nearly happened—hit me again with physical force and almost curled me to my knees.
I had taken countless lives.
But I had never created life.
Now I had.Impossibly.Miraculously.And I had nearly lost it before I’d had time to comprehend what it truly meant.
I straightened my jacket and climbed the stairs, my resolve hardening with each step.Whoever had done this would pay.I would find them, and I would ensure they understood the magnitude of their mistake.
