Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
“Talon?” Zachariah answered immediately.
“No,” I said, the panic leaching out now that I was no longer holding it back. “I need you to get to me now.” I took a picture of my surroundings, sending it to Zachariah. It only took a few moments before the ancient vampire wended before me, his eyes darting around the area looking for Talon.
“They've taken him,” were the only words I was able to get out before Zachariah grabbed me hard enough to hurt before wending us back to the king's residence.
He let go of me so quickly that I fell to my knees, tears already streaming down my face. Every instinct in my body was roaring at me to get back to my mate.
The story spilled out of my mouth, quickly and harshly, my words coated in a sense of urgency that none of the surrounding hunters seemed to believe.
“No way Talon allowed himself to be captured,” Ajax said to Zachariah.
“Benedict,” I said, nodding to the assassin who’d just walked into the study where Zachariah had wended us.
All the other hunters were present, complete with Benedict and Hawk. Jocelyn and Grace hurried into the room, their eyes wide at the sight of me on my knees before all of these powerful vampires.
“Babe, what the fuck?” Jocelyn asked, elbowing Benedict as I stared up at him in hope.
Her mate rolled up his sleeves and shook his head. “She's not lying.”
“Unless she's found a way to manipulate your power,” Zachariah countered.
I finally found the strength to stand, my rage palpable. “The longer we stand here arguing, the closer my brother is to killing Talon. We need to go.”
“I believe her,” Grace, Ajax's mate, said, nodding toward me. “She's done nothing but help us,” she said, referring to the home filled with foster kids with potential supernatural blood that I'd helped save with her.
“I agree,” Jocelyn said.
“Me too,” Avi, the king’s sister and Hawke’s mate, said, popping up out of nowhere. Hawk rolled his eyes, no doubt already knowing his mate had been standing there invisible the whole time.
“Be that as it may,” Zachariah said. “We find it highly unlikely that Talon would have been taken by surprise—”
“He was trying not to blow his cover,” I cut off the ancient warrior. “This was the first time we'd seen Edward. It was our first shot at getting real information and Talon didn't realize that Shadow always growls at Edward. She's hated him from day one, and Edward knew so quickly that Talon didn't get a chance to react. He had no chance,” I said, my voice cracking as tears rolled down my cheeks. “My brother is likely doing unspeakable things to him right now. And he has guards everywhere. Most of them are on my mother because she knows all the information that Edward does, but I have no doubt there's probably a half dozen in the dungeon with him and Talon. I cannot save him on my own.”
“Save him?” Dagon asked, shaking his head. “Since when have you cared about anybody but yourself?”
“That's not fair,” Grace dared to challenge him, and Ajax stepped a little in front of his mate, as if he was going to have to stand between her and his brother.
Dagon made no move toward her though. His eyes were only for me, and they were livid. “I think it's more likely that you walked him into this trap.”
Gods, I hated them in that moment.
Hated the fact that they couldn't see past my father and his agenda.
And even while I could understand it, I’d done nothing but prove myself since the Zorin name had been sullied.
“Alek,” I said as I watched the king and Lachlan enter the room finally. “Please, I need you to believe me.”
Alek looked more inclined to be understandable. “Cassandra has done nothing but make amends and work for us since the day her father was outed as the traitor he was.”
A little bit of relief uncoiled in my chest at the king’s support.
“Be that as it may—"
I groaned in frustration, cutting Zachariah off. “Alek, look into my mind right now. I will open it entirely to you. Please.”
Alek hesitated for a moment, tilting his head. It wasn't often that a vampire laid theirself completely bare to the king's powers willingly. But I didn't have time to waste.
“Now,” I demanded, withdrawing every mental shield I'd ever constructed. I felt the king's presence slide into my consciousness, rooting deep into my mind.
I showed him everything.
Every ounce of love I had for Talon and every fear I had for his safety now.
I showed him the conversation with Edward, the moments with my mother over the past three months. And finally, I showed him the memory of me discovering the mating mark on my thigh.
Alek’s eyes flew wide as I felt his power retreat from my mind.