Page 34 of Fated Blood

“What do you mean? I’m about to lose my entire family, people I didn’t even know existed, before I’ve even met them!” I’m panicking, my voice going up an octave every other word.

“I mean,” he continues, putting his hands on my shoulders and holding me steady. “The Cadells are fierce, every attempt we’ve ever made on them has failed. They even turned my best assassin into one of theirs. They’re fiercely protective, to the point that they’ll destroy anything in their path if one of their own is in danger.”

“So…they’ll have a chance?”

He nods. “You better be happy with the amount of time you got with me, because I’m a dead man walking…” He releases me, dragging both hands through his hair and breathing heavily through a grin.

“What? I’m confused…”

“She’s going to go out there and tell them I raped you—”

“I think I kind of, maybe, I took you, raped you a little bit…”

“That won’t matter! They don't care! They’ll hear what she's got to say and they’re going to see red. You know your brothers are powerful, right? Do you know what their wives are capable of?” Seb laughs, looking at the ceiling and turning in circles.

“No?” I fold my arms over my chest, getting more and more confused by the minute.

“Okay, well, we’ll start with Forever Bound number one.” He’s pacing the floor of my cell and I start to feel my chest tighten with worry. If Sebastian’s such a badass and he’s this upset? We might be in real trouble.

“Kiera Cadell. She controls lighting, storms, rain the whole lot. Ever wonder where Angelica got all her scars? Kiera. That’s who did it.”

“That's…impressive…” I say, not so much scared, but just in awe. She’s going to come rescue me? That’s got to be a sight…

“Xanthe Cadell? You ready? Fucking tornadoes, Fayla. Big, huge tornadoes. The kind that turns an entire castle into gravel. You following?”

“I think so?” I’m watching him get more and more riled up, and I want to comfort him and calm him down. It’s only then that I’m noticing it’s not fear that has him pacing, but sheer excitement. “Wait, are you looking forward to this?”

He turns to me with a wild grin. “Dominique Cadell, born and raised as a Blood Knight like me. Savage, a real warrior, forged with steel. Want to know what she can do?”

I can only nod, watching him walk around and picking up loose stones to see if they’d work as a weapon.

“She can pull the heavy metals from blood, turn them into cold hard silver, and stab people with them. She can do thiswith her mind. No waving or chanting, just blood falling from the skies like rain as she uses her silver daggers to kill. She can also use any silver around her. Were she not a vampire herself, she’d be the best damn vampire hunter we have.

“But that's not the best part, you know why Angelica is so mad? Because the biggest, meanest, brother of them all seduced and stole her daughter from her. Lilith Cadell, winged like her mother. You know what happened when she mated Devion? He got wings too. You know what she can do? Not only can she control humans with just her voice, but when Devion and Lilith take to the skies? They’re like a pair of kamikazes who can't die, Fayla!

“And get this, okay, you ready? The youngest brother, you know what he can do? He can summon silver from the very earth. His Forever Bound? Besides being bat shit crazy, can control the silver he calls. You know what they did, babe? You want to know?”

“I want to know!” I say, throwing my arms up with a sigh. What is going on right now?

“Kiera summoned a storm, Xanthe formed her tornado. Ever called the silver and Dixie? She threw it at the tornado. Dom, the bad ass she is, turned that tornado into a whirling spiral of silver daggers. All the while Lilith and Devion are spiraling around each other with their claws and fangs ripping into anyone who dared get too close to them!”

“Wow…” I stare at him wide eyed, but in confusion instead of awe. “It sounds like Angelica doesn’t stand a chance. So why are you so excited?”

“Are you kidding?” He’s grinning ear to ear as he swoops me up in his arms and twirls me around the cell. “The most honorable way for a Blood Knight to die is by being taken out by a Cadell, and I’m gonna die after seeing all of them upfront and personal! Bring. It. On.”

“You aren’t going to die…” I whisper, tears forming in my eyes. Why is he excited about this? We only just came together, and now he’s excited to die?

“If I have to die, that's the way I’d go, out in a blaze of glory!”

“You are not going to die!” I scream, and the stone walls shake with my fury.

Sebastian halts, ducking his head as pebbles fall from the ceiling. He looks at me, just as confused as I was, and then it dawns on him.

“Oh, Fayla. If I could live through this and see where this thing goes, I would! I’m going to fight like hell, try to get them to listen to me, I’m not just going to lay down and die.”

“They won't touch you…” I say fiercely, storming over to him and slamming my mouth into his. “You are mine, Sebastian, and family or not, I will fight beside you. You will not die because I will not let you! Do you hear me, Sebastian Bane?” I’m holding him too tight, I know it, but he doesn’t shy away.

His hands slide down my back and grip my hips tight. “Say it again,” he growls, all excitement burned away by the fire in his eyes.

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