Out for Blood

“Keep him busy with work and his troubles should be behind him. But give him no special treatment because he is my son. Treat him like you would any other member of your council.” Rodrigo raised his brows. “Do we have a deal?”

With a nod, Doc stood and held out his hand. “We do.” As Rodrigo rose to shake it, Doc continued. “I am very sorry about Heaven.”

Pain filled Rodrigo’s eyes again, but still he pumped Doc’s hand. “As am I. But some good has come out of this, after all, no? From this day forward, the alliance between our prides is renewed.”

“From this day forward,” Doc said. So long as Remo wasn’t the nosy type.

Chrysabelle walked through the comarré tunnels beneath Lord Syler’s estate, every step taking her closer to safety and farther away from where she wanted to be. At Mal’s side.

Blood crusted the front of her gown and her shoulder throbbed with pain, but she was still alive. Was Mal? She knew he’d pushed her through the door to save her, but the plan had been to stay together. They could kill Tatiana another day. Like when she didn’t have a horde of fringe guards at her beck and call and they weren’t in the midst of a huge gathering of nobles and after Chrysabelle had a chance to spend some time with her brother.

She exhaled. Damian should be airborne by now, or about to be. She smiled. At least that part of the plan had gone well.

A scuffling sound came from behind her. She turned to see a dark shape walking toward her from the shadows. Fear glided over her like a cool breeze. She ignored it, snagging her last blade and brandishing it. If this was her end, she would go down fighting. “Who goes there?”

“Your friendly neighborhood vampire.”

She tucked the blade away and ran into Mal’s arms. “You made it!” A second later, she wriggled out of his embrace and punched him with her good arm. “Why did you push me through? I could have stayed and fought with you.”

“You have family to think about now. And obviously, I didn’t stay.” With a quick glance behind him, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along. “We should pick it up a little. I went to smoke right before the passage closed. Unfortunately, Tatiana probably knows I’m not dead now.”

“You didn’t kill her?” She took longer strides to keep up with him.

“I tried. Hit her shoulder instead of her heart. My choices were try again or come after you.” His mouth bent upward, his fangs gleaming dully in the dim glow of the corridor’s ceiling. “Not even a question which way that was going.”

She grinned. Words weren’t really necessary to tell him what she was thinking.

His smile increased for a second. “Hey, I have the other dagger.” He patted the hilt where it peeked from his waistband, then stared at her a little harder. “Your shoulder doesn’t look so hot.”

She glanced at the blood on her dress as they hurried through the passage. “It hurts, but I’ll be fine. She’ll be searching the city for us, you know.”

He nodded, smile gone. “Or she’ll go straight for the hangars. Which is why we need to be on that plane as quickly as possible.” In the distance behind them, something clanged. His grip on her hand tightened. “Can you go faster?”

Chrysabelle glanced back. “Yes.”

“Then let’s get the hell out of here and back on that plane so you can spend some time with your brother.”

Without another word, they started to run.

Chapter Forty-Six

From Mal’s spot on the narrow metal ladder, he worked the manhole cover free and eased it aside. The dark of night would only buy them so much protection. By now, Tatiana would have guards everywhere, searching homes and businesses and no doubt watching the city’s roads.

He stuck his head up. The car sat a few meters away, Mortalis behind the wheel. No one else was in sight, but they were a good distance from the estate. He grabbed hold of the sides and pulled himself up, then crouched at the edge to peer at Chrysabelle. “All clear.”

Behind him, Mortalis got out of the car. Chrysabelle started to climb but her gown’s full skirt slowed her progress.

“Here, give me your hand.” Leave her. He reached down, grabbed her hand, and pulled her up, a blur of white in the deep shadows of the evening.

“Thanks,” she said as she landed beside him.

“You’re hurt.” Mortalis nodded at her shoulder. “You okay?”

“I’m good. Let’s get out of here.”

The fae went ahead of them and got the back door open, then jumped behind the wheel. “Dominic and Katsumi should be flying by now.”

“I hope,” Chrysabelle said as she got in. “We’ll know when we get to the hangar.”

Mal slid in next to her and shut the door, then leaned toward Mortalis. “Which needs to be quickly. Our exit wasn’t clean.”

“Got it.” Mortalis threw the car into gear and started forward. “I can’t drive too fast until we leave the city. That would just attract attention.”

Mal sat back. “Agreed.”

Chrysabelle brushed at the blood covering her dress while she spoke. “Mortalis, Octavian is working for the Kubai Mata. He’s the one who’s been giving Creek his intel. I’m sure of it.”

Mortalis glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Damn. Tatiana know that?”

Mal nodded. “By now, probably.”

Mortalis whistled softly. “That’s the end of him, then.”