Astrid waited at the edge of the kitchen. Her honey eyes softened as she took in what a wreck he was. “We’ll handle it. Together. That’s what we do.”
“I fucked up, going out alone. I may be bullheaded, but I won’t make that mistake again.” He moved closer and glanced up at his library. “Apparently there’s a prophecy.”
As expected, Astrid’s eyes lit up at the prospect of research. “Tell me more.”
Adair stepped closer, speaking up for the first time since he’d gotten ahold of the blood. “A vampire, an old partner of mine to be honest, he found it and has plans for Bennett. All he said was, ‘There will be a hunter changed. Fated to crave as the vampires do.’”
Bodie looked from Bennett to Adair and back again, suspicion deep in his glowing blue eyes. “We’ll hit the books. There must be more to it.”
Astrid bit her lip, then glanced to Adair. “Why Bennett?”
“Because of me.” Voice flat, Adair didn’t embellish. She teased her hands in her hair and looked to the windows, the waning sunlight seeping around the edges of the curtains before disappearing behind the Sound. “We need to move.”
Bennett clenched his fists across his chest, looking to his team. “They’re not going to let me walk away.”
Astrid eyed the box of books he’d gathered before the hunger had overtaken him. Bringing it down from the loft, she looked to the others. “I think I know what book we need. The one where we found Quinn’s.”
Hanging back as his team moved for the door, Bennett stood back and chewed his cheek.
Stepping up, toe-to-toe with him, Adair cradled his jaw in her hands. “This is my fault. I’m sticking until I can fix this.”
Leaning into her touch, Bennett closed his eyes. “There is no fixing this.”
Ryan lit up the security camera next to the door. Across the street, a darkened van was tucked nearly out of sight. Ryan turned and stood tall with his shoulders back. “You up for a fight?”
Flexing his fists, the thrill filling his veins headier than human blood, the corner of Bennett’s lips curved up. “Let’s find out.”
Stalking out of the apartment, he headed straight for the weapon rack. At his side, Ryan grabbed the biggest long-sword of the bunch and tested its weight. Astrid swung open the door of Bodie’s truck and pulled out her matched short swords, swinging and warming up her grip. Bodie tossed his sweatshirt in the front seat, ready to shift to the wolf on the fly if needed.
Standing back, Adair watched the team prepping for the fight. Bennett flashed her a wink and gestured to the wall of steel. Her bow lips turned up as she crossed her arms over her sleek dress, and she rolled her eyes in amusement.
Astrid stood by the garage door opener and glanced back. “Watch out, the sun is still up.”
Bennett let out a measured exhale that caught in his chest. He lowered his replacement shield, his untested sword feeling foreign in his hand. Backing up, he moved into the shadows.
Yeah. This was going great.Ifhe survived, andifhe could control the cravings, he’d always have to be watching the sky, an escape plan mapped out. Great fair-weather teammate. Maybe he’d have to invest in a fucking parasol.
Adair joined him and grazed the back of her hand down his arm. Turning, he pasted on a smile. That crease formed between her eyebrows and she mirrored his uncertain smile.
Leaning into her, he absorbed some of her warmth, the skin-to-skin contact sending the familiar rush through him. As if the dreams weren’t vivid enough already.
Daylight streamed in, extending a blazing light across the concrete floor as the garage door eased open. Moving together in a protective wall, Ryan, Astrid and Bodie stalked across the street toward the van.
Tearing open the door as the vampires attempted to drive off, Ryan yanked the vampire from the driver’s seat and tossed him into a patch of sun in the center of the street.
Shrieking, the vampire sprinted into the warehouse for cover.
Grinning, Bennett recognized this one. Must not have finished them all off. A taste for spicy foods, his blood had carried an unexpected heat.
As the vampire realized his mistake, his eyes widened at the sight of Bennett approaching.
“Miss me?” Bennett taunted.
Eyes darting, scanning for an escape that didn’t exist, the vampire accepted the inevitable. Fists swinging, using his speed as he knew he didn’t stand a chance at defeating Bennett in strength or skill, the vampire snarled and came at him.
Feeling the hum of the air vibrating over his skin, hearing boots scuffing against the concrete, each movement predictable as if he could see it before it happened, he calculated the vampire’s trajectory.
He seemed to think that he could flatten Bennett with his momentum, as he might with a human or even another vampire.
