Page 122 of Blood and Bonbons

Sierra surprised the hell out of me when she reached back with her free hand to claw at Vena.

Vena jerked back to avoid her nails. I saw her hold loosen on Sierra's arm. That was all the freedom she needed to buck Vena off and scramble to her feet. Vena was a beat behind her as she dashed for the kitchen. She tried to grab Sierra again but missed and skidded into a long breakfast bar.

On the other side, Sierra grabbed two knives, holding one in each hand.

I couldn’t see Vena’s face since she had her back to me, but I saw how she inched back a step.

“Why’d you run, Sierra?” Vena asked. “Are we hitting too close to the mark? What do you know about Miles?”

“I’ll show how I hit too close to the mark.”

She whipped a knife at Vena, but Vena was fast and ducked to the side.

In slow motion, I saw it continue straight at me. My eyes went wide. I opened my mouth. The fearful squeal I emitted morphed into a choked cry of pain as the blade sunk into my upper arm.

Blood ran down my skin.

Pitiful wounded sounds tore from my throat.

I staggered back a step and stared at the blade sticking an inch into my skin. The handle's weight slowly pulled it down until the blade slid free. Then the blood started to pour.

The outer edges of my vision blurred.

“Why me?” I whispered as panic magnified my disbelief.

Was this really the way Vena finally killed me? I was okay with death by chocolate, but not bitchy Sierra’s kitchen knife that still had remnants of food on it.

“Put pressure on it, Ev!” Vena yelled.

The scuffling sounds finally registered, and I tore my gaze from my arm.

Vena grappled with Sierra, who was going for Vena’s eyes with her nails. With a shove, she sent Sierra back a step. Lunging forward, Sierra wrapped her hands around Vena’s neck.

Vena looped her arm through Sierra’s and broke her stranglehold. A second later, Vena threw an old-school punch to Sierra’s face. My soon-to-be-former coworker looked like the blow barely registered. She drew her lips back in a silent snarl and went for Vena again.

The tickle on my arm drew my attention back to my wound. Dazed, I belatedly remembered Vena’s instructions and clapped a hand over it. A whimper escaped at how much putting pressure on it hurt.

We needed help.

Thinking of Gunther, I turned toward the door.

Before I could take more than one shuffling step toward it, it crashed open. An enraged vampire dressed in loose-fitting jeans and a dark t-shirt filled the lit opening. I stifled a squeal and met Cross’ black gaze.

Tears filled my eyes. If I wasn’t so afraid of bleeding more, I would have hugged him.

“Everly.” He said my name like a relieved prayer as his gaze raked over my face then down to the hand I had clapped over my bleeding arm.

“Vena needs your help,” I said.

His gaze went from my arm to Vena and Sierra. He disappeared around me in a blur.

I turned and saw him standing between the two women, staring into Sierra’s eyes.

“You will cease struggling and sit on the couch until I tell you to move.”

All the anger left her expression, and she made her way toward the couch.

Cross blurred and stood in front of me once more. He breathed in deeply, his black gaze dipping to the hand clasped over my cut. The dark veins appeared around his eyes with an intensity I’d never seen before.

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