Page 134 of Claimed By Blood

“The book and I have to be kept separate,” I begin, holding it out to Draven.

“But the book is useless without you,” he protests.

I stare at the alpha, who understands. “No. She’s right. Keeping the two most important things together right now is foolish. Cain knows about Evie, but not about the book, but if something goes wrong, and he finds her with it, he’ll destroy it.”

“You have to take it,” I insist, pressing it into the vampire’s hands. “And you have to run.”

A rare burst of anger hits me from his bond, cracking the ice. “I won’t abandon you.”

“You’re not,” I insist. “But we don’t have time for this.”

“Stay off the roads. We’ll meet at the rendezvous point. If we’re not there by tomorrow, find a safe house and get in touch using the old method,” Gideon orders. “I’ll keep her safe, Draven.”

The vampire meets the lycan’s eyes, and they seem to communicate silently for a second before Draven wrenches me into his arms and takes my mouth in a furious kiss. Along the thrall bond, his frustration and reticence echoes loud and clear.

“You get your ass to safety, doll,” he growls before turning to Gideon. “Nothing touches her.”

“She’s the most precious weapon we have,” Gideon replies evenly. “I’m not going to jeopardise that. We’ll go back and get the others to safety and meet up with you.”

Not exactly flowery poetry or a romantic declaration of his feelings, but the thrall bond says what the alpha cannot verbalise. For the briefest moment, it flies wide open, and his concern and protectiveness surrounds me like a cloak. Then it’s gone, and I’m left feeling oddly bereft.

Draven releases me, nods once, and then heads for the door, clutching the grimoire to his chest.

Gideon gives me a single look, then sighs. “Stay close. We go fast and stealthy.”

“Agreed.” I draw my sword, because the choppers are drawing closer, and follow his lead out of the church and back into the rain.

Then a boom shakes the mountainside. Smoke rises from above us, and both of us glance at one another.

“Finn,” Gideon gasps, eyes flying wide as his whole body freezes in place.

It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the alpha look… afraid.

I reach for him down the bond. Urgency, nerves, focus. He’s not calm by any means, but he’s still there, and unhurt.

“He’s alive,” I promise. “But still at the manor.”

Gideon shakes his head, reaches for his phone, and then curses as the screen blinks on.

“They’re jamming the whole area.”

I still don’t have much of a clue about how technology works, but I understand his meaning.

Cain has brought out all of his toys for this confrontation.

“Fast and stealthy,” I repeat. “We get Finn and the others, and we get out together.”

He offers me a nod and takes off at a run. I follow, keeping to a crouch as we skirt the buildings, heading for the trees in tense silence. All around the village, people are fleeing. Rusted cars are pulling out, creating chaos as the humans do their best to escape what’s coming.

There’s no sign of Draven, and I silently pray to any power that will listen that he makes it out safely.

I hear them before I see them.

Above us, through the branches, I can see the lights of what must be dozens of military aircraft. The sound of them fills the air, mixing with the sounds of my own frantic breathing as I run as fast as my legs will carry me.

The ghouls start to shriek in warning. Cain’s troops must be landing. All around us, the vegetation starts to rustle as Frost’s troops spring to alertness.

Then the first vampire, in full tactical gear, crosses our path.

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