“Calloway’s off his fucking rocker. He’d led all of us to believe his plan was more… traditional. I am terribly sorry for bringing so much pain on you.”
“I–”
He shook his head, grinning at her. “You can lie to everyone else, but it’s never worked on me.” Before she could respond, he continued, “Calloway didn’t even mention Tromos until a few days ago. I’m to give Bennett some motivation, as he’s not the bloodsucking puppet Calloway had hoped for. Apparently, he misread the prophecy in that regard. More likely, Calloway assumed Bennett would be filled with thrall for him, as so many others are.”
“You don’t want Tromos unleashed?”
“Fuck no. Vampire or not, I started out in this world as the lowest form of servant, and I am not going back, and I am not forcing that life on anyone else. Calloway, you and me, we were equals. This time around? Calloway thinks he’s earned the right to be in charge. Delusions of fucking grandeur. He is under the impression that Tromos will bow to him, or at least name him his second in command as a thank you for freeing him.”
Visions of Blayk as the warrior flashed across her mind, one of the strongest and smartest of the clan. But he hadn’t always been like that. As the ladies would tell it, he’d been a scrawny lad, but the moment he’d hit puberty, he grew into the man he was. And had been much more useful as a raider, and eventually, the top warrior in the clan, never backing down as he knew what the bottom felt like.
“Calloway is a fool. A powerful demon will never bow to a hybrid.”
“My thoughts exactly. Besides, what fun is having your dinner brought to you when you could hunt for it?”
“You’re talking to a woman that buys it by the pint from the local butcher.”
He smirked. “Fair point. Anyway. We need to keep your boyfriend from going anywhere near Tromos.”
Her ears pricked up as footsteps scraped over the steel stairs. Raising her voice, she chanted a fewohs andyou’re-a-stallions.
Blayk cringed but added a few grunts for good measure.
The footsteps faded back down the stairs.
Lowering her voice, Adair said, “Not going to happen. He’s going to find him so he can kill him.”
Hissing under his breath, Blayk said, “What? He can’t be that stupid.”
“Not stupid, no, but uncompromising.” She smiled, biting her lip as she envisioned the warrior he’d been all his life, never fearing for himself. A vampire wouldn’t understand anything so selfless. “And if he doesn’t stop this now? That prophecy won’t die with Calloway.”
Breath forced in slow and steady inhales, Blayk shook his head. “Okay. Then we need to be sure he succeeds. And that Calloway is nowhere near him when it happens.”
Adair scowled, considering. “We need Calloway as dead as Tromos. For good this time. If he finds out Tromos has been defeated? It may be another few centuries before he surfaces again, and with a more dangerous plan.”
Blayk folded his arms over his chest and raised the corner of his lips. “What do you need?”
Adair smacked him a kiss on the cheek and stepped back, her nose scrunched with her giddy grin. “Good to have you back.”
He shook his head and smiled with her. “You’re crazy as ever.”
Chapter15
Weirdest text he’d ever received. Simply an address. Nothing more.
Could be a trap. Probably was. Not much other choice.
Bennett fired up the engine, waiting for his mom to buckle, then took off across town. Stopping at every sign, keeping it legal, he flew under the radar to the edge of the city. Lizzy’s knee was vibrating at a rapid frequency, her pulse thundering so hard his eardrums hurt. “Mom, he’s going to be fine.”
“I know.” She nodded, eyes glued to the road.
“Trust me. They need me to free Tromos. If they hurt Dad–” or Adair “–I won’t be so cooperative.”
While his mother pulled up directions, he called the team.
Astrid answered, “We’re at the airport. Are you on the road?”
“A quick stop to make first. Can you book us a boat? Once we rescue my dad, he’s going to scan the map in detail to find the entrance, but I’m sure it’s not easy to access by land.”
