“That’s what I thought.” He gestured with a pale hand toward the door. “Relieve the twins. Guard the door. I want to make sure that, when my queen arrives, nothing keeps her from returning to me.”
His queen—
Shea.
“Leave her alone,” shouted Adam.
He was there because he needed to make things right with Eva. He’d made a lot of mistakes in his life, and most of them revolved around that one woman. He couldn’t have her—but he wasn't going to let her suffer for the few weeks of happiness she gave him last summer.
But Shea Moonshadow? She didn’t deserve to be bonded to this monster. Anyone with eyes could see that Colton Wolfe had it bad for his witch. Once he got his head out of his ass and made his move, he’d be good for her.
Julian was a murderous monster. He didn’t deserve a sweet healer like Shea.
“Rafe,” Julian said, obviously addressing the other male vampire. “Do you hear this? First, Alexis dares to defy me. Now this human believes he can keep me from my betrothed. The absolute gall.”
“Julian,” cut in Alexis, “I didn't mean—”
“You’re still here
? I told you. Have the twins walk the club’s floor and stay at the door. Don’t make me tell you again.”
As soon as the female was gone, Rafe eyed Adam like he was a frog on a board and he was trying to figure out what part to dissect first. “Are we going to drain him, or end him quick and savor his taste later?”
Sweat—the first sign of nerves that he’d let himself acknowledge—dripped slowly down Adam’s back.
Well, he hadn’t cared if he died during this op. It would’ve been worth it if he took Julian out with him, and he still might, but that was the risk he took when he came down to the train yards without any back-up.
He lifted his head. If the Nightwalker was the last thing he saw, he wouldn’t give Julian the satisfaction of cowering. So he was human. He wasn’t born with any special supernatural powers like most Paras, but he had reckless grit and pride and a goddamn spine.
Julian’s lips curved.
“No. I have something better in mind.”
His grin widened, his pale eyes brightening and flashing like lightning streaking across a midnight sky, before Julian parted his lips, revealing fangs that were extended their full length.
Those suckers were at least an inch and a half long.
Adam’s knees buckled.
He had the syringe full of holy water Detective Diaz passed him. He had his machete strapped to his back.
His superiors gave the order. If he couldn’t take the head of the Nightwalkers in alive, then cutting the head off of the organization was his only other option. And, since cutting off a vampire’s head was one of the surefire ways to kill the monster, his orders were literal.
Hack off Julian Koenig’s head and the rest of his crew would scatter. He was sure of it and willing to bet his life on it. And if he had to sacrifice himself to make sure this latest threat was gone—that Evangeline didn’t have to look over her shoulder because of him—then that would be what he did.
Adam wasn’t afraid of death.
But he was fucking terrified of what those could fangs could do before he got the chance to take down Julian.
If he wasn’t going to be drained and he wasn’t going to be murdered, then there was only one thing left that Julian could do with those fangs.
Turn him.
No way could he let that happen, either.
Adam had to retreat. When the alternative was a fate worse than death, he couldn’t stand his ground.
Too bad the vampires were fast. He’d barely taken one step when Rafe flew toward him, pinning his arms behind his back, kicking his legs so that Adam was helpless to escape.