Aldon disappeared and Nathan rushed through empty air. The male staggered, trying to stop. Trey appeared at the top of the stairs and Nathan barreled directly into him. Watching the enormous men crash to the ground would have been comical if the situation wasn’t so dire. She felt nauseous, wanting to vomit.
The men couldn’t see what was right in front of them.
Aldon wasn’t trying to kill Trey or Nathan.
He’d been luring them.
Clarity didn’t always come easy. Sometimes a person discovered things they should have seen long before—things that could change or alter someone’s life—often when it was too late. She didn’t like having her moment then and there, lying on the floor, useless and forgotten.
“Stubborn creature.” Aldon’s observant words were no longer cynical but disturbing as they echoed through her head. “So certain of yourself. So arrogant. So predictable. You wear your pride like a shield. I suppose I should thank you for simplifying things.”
Damn her to hell. She deserved to burn.
She hadn’t been smart when she’d tracked Aldon. She’d been stupid.
If the coven had been spying on him, likely he’d been spying on them as well. It wouldn’t have taken much. Their defenses were solid but he wasn’t like any vampire she’d ever seen. He could have spied on the house from a safe distance, collecting all the information he needed. He’d known she’d been following him. That much was clear. The conceited prick had probably encouraged it. She’d walked right into his trap, caught in his web, giving him an advantage.
She remembered the way he’d bitten her—the way he’d sighed in contentment—drinking what little blood she had to offer. Yet he hadn’t taken more. It hadn’t been enough to sustain or nourish him because he hadn’t meant it to be. He’d taken her blood to access her memories, confirming whatever suspicions he must have had.
He wanted something…or someone.
But who? There wasn’t anyone of notice in the coven. Not really. The strongest of them was a newborn who didn’t know how to cast a spell. And Leigh hated using magic…
A veil lifted, giving her free sight.
Leigh.
It all made sense.
One mouthful of Sadie’s blood and Aldon had seen what Leigh could do. With the fledgling’s help he’d be able to locate people with simple objects and influence the minds of others. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Leigh detested blood but once she accepted what she was and embraced her full potential she’d be as formidable as a demigod.
Goddess, save us.
With Leigh’s powers, Aldon would be unstoppable.
Terrified and unable to do anything more than witness what was to come, she shouted out to Leigh with her mind, putting as much warning into the thought as possible.
“Run.”
Trey didn’t stop to see if Nathan had been harmed during their collision. As soon as his feet were steady he rushed for Sadie. Fuck, she was pale. So damn lifeless it terrified him. Right then he didn’t care about anything but getting to her. Something warned him if he didn’t he might not get a second chance.
The yards that separated them felt like miles.
Leigh plunged to her knees, sinking to Sadie’s side. She gripped Sadie’s torso, babbling words that made no sense. The moment she had a decent grip on his mate she fell on her ass and tugged Sadie closer. Aldon appeared behind them and snagged Leigh by the back of her neck. The frail female struggled, screaming in fear, holding on to Sadie for dear life. Nathan’s outraged bray carried through the hallway, informing Trey his Beta was right on his ass.
Sadie’s voice seemed to roar through his head, pounding in his ears, her desperation palpable. “Don’t let him take her.”
For the first time Aldon’s self-assured smirk vanished. He bent at the waist and pulled on Leigh’s neck, ripping one of her arms free from Sadie’s limp form. Leigh thrust her legs out, wrapping them around Sadie’s waist and locking her ankles together. Each yank from Aldon lifted Leigh and Sadie from the ground. Leigh’s dark hair cascaded around her face and shoulders, the knot she’d placed it in falling apart. It was the craziest fucking thing Trey had ever seen, a tangle of arms, legs and hair.
For a moment Aldon, Leigh and Sadie seemed to flicker as though their bodies were dissipating before his eyes. Panic and terror sent Trey’s senses into hyper-alert. He moved faster than he ever had in his life, building speed. Aldon was trying to phase them out. If he succeeded Trey might not ever find his mate again. He’d rip the entire goddamn building apart before that happened.
“Do it and I’ll fucking kill you!” he thundered.
Aldon lifted his head, staring Trey in the eye. The vampire’s irises changed color, going from dark to icy blue. His white-blond hair lifted into the air as he called on the magic inside him. Although being a natural born Alpha protected Trey from the compulsion to shift forms or fall prey to Aldon’s dark magic, he couldn’t stem the way the energy felt and the way it seemed to charge his skin.
Motherfucker.
He snarled when the tingle of magic flittered over his flesh, infuriated and petrified for his mate when his feet left the ground. An invisible force thrust him aside, knocking the wind from his lungs. He threw up his arms, trying to shield himself as his body flew toward the upstairs railing. There was no way he could prevent the collision so he braced for impact.
Wood splintered and parted as he broke through the beams, several spindles snapping and hurtling to the lower floor. He almost went over the edge with them but managed to extend his nails, slamming down his hands, burying his sharp claws into the wooden floor. His lower body hung over the lip of the walkway, legs kicking into empty space.
Don’t let go. Get back up.
Nathan’s livid growl had him flexing his fingers, digging his claws into the floor. He held on tight, commanding his muscles to bear his weight. The wolf inside him backed the order, rising to the surface, giving him strength. He lifted his head and watched Nathan slam into Aldon. The vampire released Leigh but the impact broke her away from Sadie. His mate came at him, sliding across the floor, stopping just shy of the jagged railing. She was so close if his hands were free he could reach out and snatch her.
I’ll fucking kill him. Nice and slow.
Glancing at Aldon and Nathan, he collected his energy to make it to the upper level.
Then he felt the soft brush of Sadie’s lips over the back of his wrist.
In his dreams her bite was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced.
This time, however, it wasn’t quite the same.
Her fangs scored the delicate bones in his wrist, her aim not true or clean. He hissed when her lips surrounded the torn tissue and she sucked. She drew so fucking hard on his skin he wondered if she’d rip the shit away from his bones. Although he wanted to provide for her, he tried to force her away. He’d feed her as soon as this was over. He had to hurry.
Aldon and Nathan had taken their fight to the floor.
Nathan wasn’t strong enough to take down the vampire. Fuck, Trey wasn’t sure who or what would be capable of such a thing. In the past Aldon had been one hell of an ally. Now? He was a bitch of an opponent. Trey knew the man was resilient. But this? He’d never imagined such a thing.