“Name’s Declan,” the newcomer said smoothly, his gaze settling on Asher. “We were assigned here for a hunt, but I had another objective. The Elders sent me to check on you. They got concerned when you went off the grid. Now I see why.”
The tension ratcheted up another notch as Declan’s lips curled into a slow, calculating smile.
“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, hunter,” Declan said.
And just like that, the game had changed.
I noticed the hunters behind Declan shifting uneasily, their fingers itching to pull their triggers.
They’d hesitated when they saw Asher, but this Declan? He wouldn’t.
I could tell just by the way he stood, poised and ready, that he wasn’t the type to waste time on questions or second chances.
He just wanted to get the job done, collateral damage be damned. There’d be no explanations, no discussions. Not if he had his way.
“Move!” I barked, grabbing Asher’s arm and dragging him deeper into the alley.
“Don’t touch me,” he snarled, yanking his arm free. But he followed, his survival instincts taking over.
We ran, the sound of the hunters’ footsteps and shouted commands echoing behind us.
Another bullet flew past, narrowly missing my head.
“This way!” I veered left, leading us through a narrow passageway between two buildings.
The space was tight, the walls pressing in on either side, but it was better than being out in the open.
“You’re leading us into a trap,” Asher said, his voice breathless but sharp.
“Shut up and keep moving,” I shot back.
CHAPTER THREE
ASHER/ GAEL
ASHER
Why am I following this vampire?
The thought seared through my mind as my boots hit the pavement in rhythm with Gael’s ahead of me.
The vampire moved with the kind of speed and grace that no human could match.
I could still hear the hunters behind us, their shouts ricocheting off the narrow alleyways.
Their footsteps thundered behind us. Declan’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and commanding, spurring them on.
Damn it.
I should turn back. I should explain myself to Declan and the others. I’d trained some of them.
I knew their tells, their weaknesses, their strengths.
And now I could only imagine the look of horror and betrayal etched into their faces as they watched me running with Gael. A vampire. Was this how Finn felt?
The memory hit me like a sucker punch. Finn standing in that convenience store, looking hurt as I demanded he return to the Guild with me.
Now I was the one being hunted, my motives questioned. Gael veered sharply into another alley, and I followed without hesitation.
