Page 75 of Claimed By Blood

“You think they’re going to let them go because you set off the alarm?”

“Oh yes, that’s exactly what I thought. I’ve got four degrees, but you’re right, I really amthatdumb. Give me some credit—”

“Finley.” Gideon’s bark is so strong that it shuts me up straight away. “Tell us the plan.”

Fucking Alpha commands. Using my instinct to please against me like that? Who does he think he is?

Your alpha. The one who wants to get his whole pack out of here in one piece and who needs all the available information to do that.

Ugh, I really hate my inner voice of reason sometimes.

“Set the alarm off, use the distraction to hack the door codes, and get her a free pass out. The rest was going to be up to her and Immy.”

“Get the doors open,” Draven growls. “We can get her after that.”

“No.” Gideon counters. “We don’t need to declare open war on Cain in the middle of this city. If Evelyn and Imogen slip out in the midst of an evacuation, no one will be any the wiser about our presence here. They’resupposedto be together.”

“I’ll find them,” Morwen agrees. “Cain won’t have to know for certain that we teamed up with your pack…”

“I’m already scrubbing the camera feeds,” Mia adds, leaning back to give her girlfriend a kiss. “We were never here. But I can’t do the same for the ones on the street.”

“Good thing I never liked Armin,” Morwen mutters, peeling away.

I have the oddest urge to ask Mia if that’s Morwen’s way of saying she’s about to kill him, but I shrug it off and go back to my work.

“Bingo,” I hiss.

The music cuts off, replaced with the squealing of the universal alarm sound. Beyond my wall of protectors, the other patrons groan and reluctantly start heading towards the doors, shepherded by bored bouncers and staff.

The bartender—a curvy woman with one arm covered in scars, and a rusty old locket around her neck—shoots me a suspicious look, then sighs and winks once before ushering the group of women on the other side of our group away.

“You did good,” Silas murmurs, patting me on the shoulder.

“Get to the van,” Gideon orders. “They’re going to need a quick getaway, and I want the pack out of here.”

Sensible words, but I sense what he isn't saying. There’s nothing else we can do, and he’s just as pissed about that as I am. Or maybe he’s still annoyed that we’re here in the first place.

Me too.

I shove my tablet into my pocket just as the curtain of betas surrounding us opens, and we hurry into the crowd. Silas grabs my hand as soon as I pass him, giving it a reassuring squeeze which I return automatically, despite the tension buzzing in my body.

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

EVELYN

The basement flooris nothing like the one above and much more typical of a vampire court. The music is similar, but quieter with a deeper bass that’s less offensive to sensitive hearing, and in the centre is a stage where mortals are twirling seductively around metal poles. Along the edge of the room are private leather-cushioned booths.

The servers are scantily clad humans who—by the look of the bite marks decorating their wrists and necks—are serving themselves alongside the drinks on their trays.

“Quite the little place you’ve set up for yourself,” Immy murmurs.

She’s draped herself over Armin’s arm, but I haven’t done the same. I don’t know this new general, but I’m not going to play the simpering fool to get on his good side.

My acting skills have never been that good, anyway. He’d probably see right through me.

A bolt of tension hits me from Finn’s thrall bond, and I have to work hard to keep my face straight. What’s happening to my omega? Is he safe?

Armin claims the largest booth at the very back of the room and farthest from the exits. I try to perch on the edge, but a burly vampire joins us, forcing me to move up.

---