Page 80 of Guardians for the Vamp
But then I realize I don’t care. I don’t need his explanation, and I don’t want him to have a voice.
So, we stare at each other, me scowling and him smirking. We stay that way for at least five minutes before fighting erupts above us.
I must be in a basement.
It’s fine. They’ll still find me down here.
It’s like my body is calling out to them with a pulse of energy. My heart aches as if being tugged towards them.
Gunshots ring out. Screaming echoes all the way down to our room. A small explosion shakes the floor.
“Are you getting scared yet?” I ask the griffin. He’s put on a cool mask, but his heartbeat gives him away. His beady eyes keep jerking back and forth between me and the door.
It’s the only way out. He can’t escape.
He swallows hard and takes hold of his knife. His hand shakes as he holds the weapon up, ready to attack the first being that comes through the door.
He’s got a knife.
I send the thought to Thorne who’s just outside in the hallway. The griffin hears movement beyond the wall and leans close enough to put his ear against it.
Dumbass.
A gun goes off, sending chunks of the griffin’s head my way. Thankfully, I’m back far enough that none gets on me.
You got him,I reassure Thorne and seconds later, a huge body barrels through the locked door, tearing it off its hinges.
Thorne rushes in with Layla right behind him. She runs to me as Thorne double checks that Erebos is dead.
“Seriously?” he growls, spotting the griffin. His human mask has dropped now that he’s dead.
“He was greedy. The hunters paid him to help capture me,” I say as Layla works to free me.
“If I had known, I would have kept him alive to torture him.”
Layla finally gets the rope loose and it falls to the floor. I stand, then waver on my feet, needing to lean on Layla to avoid collapsing.
“The human stabbed me twice. I haven’t healed.”
“He must have suppressor salve on the blade,” Thorne says, coming to my other side and wrapping his arm around my waist. “We should get you to a supernatural medic. They’ll know what to do.”
I mumble a response before my vision fades to black.
Iwake up in Layla’s king-sized bed with her sitting beside me, holding my hand.
“V,” she whispers, her bottom lip quivering and tears streaming down her cheeks.
“How long was I out?”
“Two days. We were worried. You lost a lot of blood.”
“What about the conference?”
“Postponed for at least two months.”
I cover her hand with my paw.
“You saved me. You and Thorne. This was the reason.”
