Page 315 of Halfblood Deceived

“Half vampire, half gargoyle,” Mari said, her voice betraying surprise.

“Well, I say it’s a nice combination,” Evan said, breaking the stunned silence. “You are both handsome ladies indeed. Unlike all these buggers.” He pointed with his bloody sword at the many dead gargoyles. Then wrinkled his nose at Isaiah. “No offense, mate.”

Isaiah blinked at him. “Er. None taken.”

Zeydan and Sebastian huffed.

Aiko gave Isaiah an apologetic look. “I destroyed your truck. Sorry.”

Isaiah smiled. “No need to apologize, little one. You put it to good use.”

“That reminds me,” Kerian said, giving Isaiah a speculative once over. “Maybe we should talk about the elephant in the room.” He smiled wryly. “Don’t get me wrong. We certainly appreciate your help, but it is a tad bewildering since we don’t know who you are.”

“Isaiah is my friend,” Aella said. “He was my only friend before I met you guys. And without him, I’d be dead.”

“Then we’re happy to meet you, Isaiah,” Sebastian said with his trademarked, breezy drawl. “And even happier to not have to fight you because you are, quite frankly, a bit terrifying.”

Isaiah blinked at him. “Um. Thank you?”

Aylana rolled her eyes and shook her head at Sebastian. A gesture Aella had come to interpret as, ‘You’re a pain, but I love you.’

“Hear, hear,” Evan said, patting the hand Isaiah had over his shoulders.

Isaiah’s eyes went wide.

Aella couldn’t help but chuckle, but then she remembered something. “I’m afraid I killed your wife, Isaiah. And I wish I could say I’m sorry I did it, but I’m not. She deserved it.” Still, she tensed, waiting for his response.

He shrugged and winced at the pain of the wound in his stomach. “I wish I could say I’m sorry, too.”

“Been busy, eh?” Zeydan asked her, wholly unperturbed. His verdant eyes reflected something like pride.

“A bit,” Aella admitted.

Andreas grunted and braced his hands on the bloody stone floor to sit up. Aylana and Mari each gripped one of his arms. “Not that I’m not enjoying this little get-together,” Andreas said dryly. “But I’ll enjoy it more when we are far away from here.”

Kamilla stood. “We should all get in the jet, blow up this gods-forsaken place, and go back home.”

“Yes, please,” Sebastian said with a sigh.

Andreas tenderly nudged Aiko’s chin with his gloved fingers so she met his gaze. “Luce will be thrilled to see you again.”

Aiko’s eyes watered. “I want to see her too.”

Aella’s chest squeezed so hard it hurt. Zeydan took her hand and kept an arm around her waist to help her stand. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling utterly lightheaded, but blinked hard to focus on her friends again. “Before we blow up the place, I think we should make sure there aren’t any…” She almost said ‘innocents,’ but there were no innocents in a house full of monsters and accomplices. “There used to be two more females here. And children.”

Diana squeezed Aella’s free hand in silent support.

“Bethany, Esther, and the children are not here anymore,” Isaiah said. “I saw them leave two days ago when I was scouting the property. They were sent away. Perhaps because Micah knew your friends would come for you.”

“And the bastard was fucking right about that,” Zeydan said, pressing a kiss to Aella’s temple. “We would have never abandoned you.”

“Never,” Kamilla, Aylana, Sebastian, and Diana said as one.

“Damn straight,” Evan said, winking at Aella.

Aella’s eyes burned, but she smiled.

Andreas met her gaze. “I’m still not your biggest fan, but Luce likes you, so I had to help.”

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