Page 83 of Bound by Vengeance
“Abby is the last person in this world Iwant to hurt,” Vicky whispered. “But I won’t be able to stop myselffrom spiraling. I’m not sure….” Her voice broke as a sob lodged inher throat. “I can’t spend an eternity without him.”
Brian rested his hand on her shoulder anddrew her closer. She felt the strength of his body as he held heragainst his side.
“I understand,” he said. “I wouldn’t surviveit if I lost Abigail. Nathan is a hunter though. There is demon DNAin him too, and Kadence felt the pull to Ronan.”
“And his family has ruled the hunters forcountless generations. That’s not something someone can just walkaway from.”
He contemplated this before replying, “I’lldo what I can to help you.”
“Thank you,” she said.
• • •
Inside three of the houses, Alejandro’s teamfound a few corpses of men and women who appeared to have diedfighting. In total, they discovered the bodies of twenty huntersand eighteen vampires.
Nathan watched as Alejandro’s men advancedon the door to the mission, which stood ajar. Alejandro’s menpushed it open and crept cautiously inside. Their video revealedthe bodies of twenty more men, women, and children. Tears spilleddown Kadence’s face; when she stepped closer to the screen, Ronanpulled her back.
“How many children?” Nathan asked.
A pause before Alejandro replied,“Seven.”
“Fuck.” Nathan rubbed his forehead as hetook a minute to collect himself. He didn’t know if he wanted tocry over the senseless loss of life or tear this trailer apart. Sorare and precious, hunter children were protected above all else,and a stronghold of them had just been wiped out. He doubted thingswould be any different in Moscow or Madurai.
It may not accomplish anything, but he wouldbeat Joseph to a bloody pulp before ending his life. Then, herealized that he wouldn’t be able to kill Joseph anymore, at leastnot right away. They needed the bastard alive so they could try tolearn where the missing hunters were, and Joseph’s plans.
The idea of being able to imprison andtorture Joseph eased some of the rage building within him.
“There were only seven children under theage of maturity there,” Nathan said when he felt controlled enoughto speak again.
In Ronan’s eyes, he saw the same anger andsadness tearing at Nathan’s stomach, but Ronan’s voice wasemotionless when he spoke. “The children would be of no use toJoseph. After they’re turned, human children don’t continue to age,which is why the few who have been turned were destroyed. Childrenhave no control over their hunger.
“I’m not sure what would happen to hunterchildren who are turned. Your DNA is similar enough they could ageuntil maturity, like vampire children. However, if they don’t age,then they’re useless to Joseph, and even if theydoage, itwill take too long for them to grow strong enough to help with hisplans.”
Declan pulled out a lollipop and twirled itin his fingers. Standing beside him, Asher and Logan had taken onthe hue of chalk. Outside the door, Lucien, Killean, and Saxon keptwatch, but their heads turned toward the conversation. Hunters hadapproached the trailer and stood only a few feet away from thevamps.
“Alejandro, if your men feel it’s safe to doso, have them bury the bodies. If not, get them out of thatstronghold and away from San Francisco,” Nathan ordered as heturned back to the screens. “We’ve seen enough.”
In rapid Spanish, Alejandro spoke to his menbefore focusing on Nathan again. “They feel it is safe to burythem.”
“Good.” They could deal with what to do withthe stronghold later. “Are you in a safe location?”
“Yes,” Alejandro replied.
Nathan didn’t ask where; the more thestrongholds knew about each other, the more dangerous they were toeach other if another one fell.
On one of the screens, boxes materialized asRoland succeed in bringing up the other leaders. Their bleary eyesstared back at Nathan before shifting to Ronan. Hostility radiatedfrom most of them, but they had to realize his alliance with Ronanwas more important now than before.
“We’ll make sure each of our new locationsis secure before contacting one another again to form a more solidplan,” Nathan said. “We’re safer isolated for now, but remainingthat way will put us at further risk.”
“When this is settled, and you’re willing todivulge at least what city you’re in, I can offer vampires forprotection,” Ronan said.
Shouts erupted from the screen as half thehunter leaders adamantly refused any help while the other halfcontemplated it.
All slipping away,Nathanthought.
No matter what, from here on out, nothingwould ever be the same. The landscape of the hunter organizationwas forever altered. He suspected the next time he called theleaders together some would come with the intention of leavingtheir union.
Vicky.He longed to touch her andhave her ease some of the tumult churning within him, but he had tofinish wading through this mess.
