Page 116 of Bound by Vengeance
“The twin bond is special, and in Kadenceand Nathan, it’s forged gifts meant to be used together,” Vickysaid.
“It’s been almost seven hundred years sincethe hunters had twins and over a thousand since a boy-girl set wasborn. With the power of their bloodline….” Elfry’s voice trailedoff as she studied the two of them.
“Many believed your birth to be an omen ofdoom or great joy, myself included. I think we have our answer now.You’ve changed the way things work already, brought together twofactions who were at war for thousands of years when they nevershould have been, and you’ve been given great gifts. Our peoplehave been stubborn, but they’ve beenwrong. They’ll see thatwith this development,” Elfry stated.
“I wish you were right, Elfry, but I don’tthink you are,” Nathan said kindly. “Many will see this as theywant to see it, either as a sign of good fortune or doom. Some willthink it means nothing, butallwill twist it into what theywant it to be.”
Elfry opened her mouth to protest before hershoulders slumped in resignation. “I wish you were wrong.”
“So do I. But Kadence’s vision revealedJoseph is going to attack the hunters who left here. The hunters hedidn’t slaughter outright were missing. We have to figure out wherethe other half of the stronghold went. That’s the only way we cansave them.”
Killean abruptly stepped from the shadows.The anger and distress in his eyes was the most emotion Nathan hadever seen from the man, he didn’t understand it, but the vampiredidn’t say anything to reveal what he was thinking.
“I can help with that,” Roland said. “Iplaced a tracking device in one of their suitcases. I never plannedto reveal their location unless it was necessary. They deserve aright to their freedom, but they were foolish to leave, so I madesure I could keep tabs on them. They’re in New Hampshire.”
CHAPTER 50
Nathan dodged the punch a Savage threw athim before plunging his stake into its heart and tearing the weaponfree. Vampires and hunters poured over the wall together and intothe newly established stronghold.
The entire drive here, he’d worried they’dbe too late to save his fellow hunters, but they’d arrived in themiddle of the attack. Too late to save many, but in time to savesome. Hundreds of Savages swarmed the place, but the Alliance wasalready pushing the Savages back and freeing hunters from them.
Savages raced toward him, their red eyesglistening with murderous intent. Screams from the hunters theypulled from the stronghold echoed throughout the compound. Gunfirepeppered the air. The rotten stench of the Savages’ twisted soulsand the coppery tang of blood permeating the air was enough to gaga zombie.
The scent of blood tickling Nathan’snostrils flared his need to kill. Vicky had worried he was too newto handle this; Nathan had insisted he could, but he hadn’texpected the thirst searing his veins.
Nathan grabbed the next Savage and, drivenby his hunger, sank his fangs into its throat without thinkingabout it. He simply needed to quench his craving to feed and fordeath. Putrid blood filled his mouth; he wanted to spit it out butfound himself gulping it down as it soothed his thirst whileinfusing him with strength.
The rush of adrenaline and blood coursingthrough him coalesced into a potent drug that could becomeaddicting. For one brief second, he understood why vampires turnedSavage.
Then, Vicky’s mind brushed against his andher hand was on his arm, soothing him in a way the blood nevercould. He’d tried to convince her not to come here, that it wasbetter if she stayed out of danger, but keeping her away wasimpossible.
It was a good thing she still refused tolisten to him, as he didn’t think he could handle this without her.He now understood how vampires fell victim to the thrill ofkilling, but with her by his side, it would never happen tohim.
Releasing the Savage, Nathan shoved thecreature away and drove his fist through the thing’s chest. Hegripped its heart and tore it out. The organ gave one final beat inhis hand before he released it.
“Can you handle this?” Vicky asked as shenervously searched his face. His eyes were that feral, arctic snowcolor, but she sensed the easing of his bloodlust through theirbond.
“Yes,” he assured her before turning to facethe battle.
A female Savage lunged at Vicky; she flippedthe woman over her head before slamming a high kick into the throatof the next vamp coming at her. Vicky bent and plunged her stakeinto the woman’s heart before lowering her shoulder and ramming itinto the chest of the monster whose windpipe she’d crushed.
The Savage staggered back, and Nathan jerkedits head to the side before tearing it off. For a moment, he stoodand gawked at the head in his hands before dropping it. That wassomething he couldn’t have done before becoming a matedvampire.
From somewhere in the distance, smoke coiledinto the air.
“The smoke will attract humans,” Aiden saidfrom beside Vicky.
“It will,” Vicky agreed. Which meant theirtime here had just been shortened.
Abby, Brian, and Duncan moved forward toflank Aiden and Maggie. Sister June had stayed behind with thechildren, but every available vampire and hunter capable offighting were here.
On the other side of Brian, she spottedKadence and Ronan slicing their way through the Savages with Declanand Saxon. Declan had the stick of a lollipop between his lips ashe smashed the heads of two Savages together. Killean and Lucienwere on the far end, hacking their way through more of the monsterswith some of the trainees.
Hunters filled in the gaps between thevampires, giving Vicky a glimpse of what their future with eachother could be. A future of coexistence that would allow more ofthem to flourish—if they survived to end the terror Joseph wasworking to unleash on the world.
And then there was Joseph. She had no ideawhat the man looked like, but she knew if Nathan saw him, therewould be no holding him back from going after the bastard. They’dalready gone through so much to be together; she couldn’t lose himnow. She kept her mind acutely attuned to Nathan’s, searching forthe murderous storm she knew would encompass him if he spottedJoseph in this chaos.
Another Savage leapt at her, rising highinto the air and coming down with hands curved and fangs bared.Vicky caught the beast in midair and flipped it over her back.Behind her, Asher released his crossbow, sending a bolt straightthrough the creature’s heart.
