Page 8 of Claimed By Blood

“What?” Frost’s tone has changed. Now it’s a complex mix of disbelief and indignation, sprinkled with an angry undertone I don’t want to think too much into.

“Well, when you gave it to me to unblock it—”

“And you decided to put Biteme on it,” Gideon grumbles, earning me another glare from nearly everyone in the room.

Except Silas. He just chuckles.

At least someone finds me funny.

“Yes, and that.” I shrug it off. “I made sure there were plenty of back doors and trackers in it, just in case. I didn’t know if Cain would change his mind and decide to split you up or…” I trail off, because listing every paranoid thought I had while they were undercover will probably get me written off as insane. “But I might be able to reactivate them. Even if they’ve done a software reset.”

Frost is on board, he rocks forward onto the balls of his feet, forehead creasing in excitement. “Once we can reach her, we can ask her about Draven.”

“Son of a bitch sold us out,” Vane growls. “That's the only explanation. He was summoned early when we busted Evie out of the Court the first time, and then he disappeared for the majority of the gala.”

“Draven’s always been a loner,” Frost argues. “But the two of us have a history.”

“And history is exactly that,” Gideon protests. “History. Cain and Callista have had decades to mould him into their perfect weapon, setting him up to betray us.”

I flinch as his voice rises towards the end, and everyone notices.

Vane’s warning growl echoes across the space. Gideon makes a face in response and rubs the back of his neck.

The irony of it is that normally I like our alpha best when he’s growling and snappy. When he brings that attitude to the bedroom it makes me pant for him in all the right ways. Even outside of the sheets it’s one of the things I love about him. I have no idea why, but something about watching Gid being his normal grumpy self is endearing.

Maybe it’s because he’s at his worst when he’s worried about the pack. It’s his way of showing he cares.

“Fine,” Gid concedes.

God, it would be funny seeing how much giving up control is killing him if not for the urgency filling my chest.

“We’ll take Evelyn’s opinion of the situation into account before we make any further decisions,” he decides, but when I try to stand up to grab my tablet, he and Silas keep me pinned in place. “But we’ll sort it out tomorrow. Right now, you need time with the pack.”

Silas must sense I’m about to argue because he rubs my calf. “You’re no use to Evie if you’re exhausted and strung out like you are now.”

How many times have I used a similar argument against them? It sucks being on the receiving end.

CHAPTERTHREE

EVELYN

When I wake again,it’s dark. I’ve slept for the whole day, and for the first time since I returned to Court I’m not tired or groggy from silver. I turn over and discover Draven exactly how I left him.

Good.

Vampires may sleep soundly, but if I’d woken up to him cuddling me I might’ve ripped his throat out myself.

His hands are regenerating, but it’s a slow process. The bones will regrow first, and then his vampirism will finish the job by working outwards to restore muscle and tendons and finally the skin tissue. It’s a gruesome thing to witness, but I’ve seen it dozens of times before.

I shrug on the black silk robe which is my only other garment besidesthat dressand grab my tablet from the table to scroll through the news feeds of the day. Cain still hasn’t announced Frost’s escape, so the general news isstillconstantly replaying my ‘victory’ over his nemesis. One month on, you would think they’d have given up.

No such luck. It’s featured daily. The latest headline focuses on the traitors I killed yesterday, praising my continued dedication to protecting my sire. Every single journalist lauds me as the favourite once more.

They couldn’t be more wrong.

I flick the news feeds away and pull up my list of subjects. When I’m not in the throne room, cutting Cain’s enemies into pieces, I have very little to do. I’ve been forbidden from training—I suspect because Cain wants to keep me weak—and I can’t leave the tower which houses the Court.

To allay my boredom, I’ve begun busying myself by using a virtual encyclopaedia to bring myself up to speed. Technology, weapons, science. Everything has changed. I have a note on the tablet which holds all the topics I’m aware I’m behind in, and it grows longer every day. Still, I scroll to the top and—

---