Hot Vampire Touch (Vampire Wardens 3)

Cassie’s breath lodged in her throat as she was almost certain she’d seen the necklace before, that she knew where it was. Her gaze settled on Aylia’s neck, seeking a visual confirmation of what it looked like, telling herself she was mistaken. Only Aylia wore no necklace.

“It was stolen from you,” Cassie said, and Lord help her, Cassie was now certain she knew where that necklace was.

Aylia shook her head and pulled down her shirt, showing a long scar on her shoulder. “I was lucky to survive and I’m thankful it wasn’t a Red that did this or I’d be a monster now myself.”

She was attacked by a natural born. Like herself and Nico. No, Cassie thought. No. Nico would not do that to Aylia. He would not betray his race, his blood. “Did you know the wolf that attacked you?”

Aylia glanced in Troy’s direction. “Sarah,” she said solemnly. “And I’m so sorry, Troy, that my magic has hurt you in the way it has. I regret that spell on Andres more than you can ever know.”

“What does this mean for Troy?” Cassie asked and not gently. Everything was spinning out of control, and she desperately needed to make sense of it all.

“I don’t know,” Aylia said. “But it’s been more than a year since you were infected. It has to be a good sign that the Red virus hasn’t completely claimed you yet.”

“Yet,” Cassie repeated softly and the silence that followed was deafening as her eyes met Marcus’s in pained understanding. They both knew Troy was barely hanging on. They both needed an answer now, not later.

“We all know where this is going,” Troy said, abruptly dropping her hand and pushing to his feet.

Cassie quickly jumped up as well, grabbing his arms, and standing in front of him, giving her back to Marcus and Aylia who were now standing as well. “Where is this going?” Cassie asked. “What are you saying?”

“Marcus,” Troy said looking over her head at his Warden-in-Charge. “I’m going after Andres. I need you to take care of Cassie.”

“I do not need to be taken care of,” she objected, still focused on Troy and Troy alone. “I need you here, irritating me, saying things like ‘take care of Cassie’ who is a member of The Royal Guard… That’s what I need.”

“Cass,” he said softly, pulling her close and kissing her soundly on the lips, then brushing her hair out of her eyes. “The rebels are plotting to kill The Royal Guard, and there’s an insider helping them. That’s why I grabbed you so forcefully today. I wasn’t taking any chances of you being hurt. And you know who I’m afraid that insider is.”

“No,” Cassie rejected immediately. “It’s not him.”

“Let Marcus help you find out.”

“You help me find out.”

“I’m dangerous. You know I’m dangerous. I won’t risk hurting you.”

“You won’t.”

“I’m going after Andres, Cass, before I’m too far gone to do it.” He lowered his voice with a lethal vow. “I’m taking him with me if it’s the last thing I do on this earth.”

“Taking him with you?” Cassie demanded. “No. No. You aren’t doing anything but taking me with you to kill Andres, and Aylia is going to come up with a spell to save you while we do it. That’s what’s going to happen.” Cassie whirled around to face Aylia, too emotional to even try and be fair to the witch. “Fix this, Aylia. Fix it just like your coven fixed you when Sarah attacked you. You did this… this… whatever the hell you did to Troy, with irresponsible black magic and you’re going to undo it.”

Troy pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her, her back to his chest. “Easy, Cass.”

“I’m sorry,” Aylia whispered. “I’m so very sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t enough,” Cass said. “Sorry won’t save his life.”

Troy turned her in his arms. “Cass -”

“Don’t say whatever you’re going to say,” she said, pressing a hand on his chest. “We’re going to fix this.”

“There is one possibility,” Aylia said softly from behind them.

Cassie’s heart leapt into her throat and she turned around, Troy’s hands settling on her shoulders. “I’m listening. What possibility?”

Aylia hesitated and looked at Marcus. He nodded again, as if this was something they’d discussed before now. “Tell them,” Marcus urged.

“Please,” Cassie said, but the word was a demand. Her knees were shaking.

“I can try and bind the Red in Troy with a natural born wolf’s blood,” she said. “If it succeeds it will give him the kind of control Andres has.”