“I’d die first before joining your sick-ass circle.”
Seraphina shrugged. “Your choice and as for dying, well, that’s a promise.” She lifted her hand and snapped her fingers.
When the vampires moved forward, Iris pivoted and raced for the front door.
But as she shifted to turn the knob, one of the vampires caught her from behind, pinning both her arms so she couldn’t move.
A prick on her neck followed, as well as the rush of a hot chemical into her skin. Seraphina intended to make good on her promise.
Held tight in the vampire’s grip, she was carried outside. She felt the cool night air on her face, then she was airborne.
A moment later, blackness engulfed her.
~ ~ ~
Connor woke up on his side, dizzy as hell. He lay on concrete and felt bruised all over. Maybe he’d fought Evan’s men or maybe they’d beaten him up for the hell of it. He didn’t know.
Opening his eyes, he squinted. The light, made up of torches, hurt his brain. His mouth was dry and his thirst was off the charts. He had no idea how long he’d been here, wherever the hell ‘here’ was, since he couldn’t see. His vision was blurred.
To his surprise, his hands weren’t bound, so he slowly pushed himself to a sitting position. He narrowed his eyes as he looked around, trying to get them to focus. He saw a large shape not far away, but it took him a good minute before he realized he was looking at Iris. She was lying immobile next to a cement wall, her back to him.
He rose unsteadily to his feet and crossed to kneel beside her.
He stroked her hair, then sent words into her mind. Iris, are you okay? Are you conscious?
No response. He checked her pulse. She was alive.
They must have drugged her as well.
He took in his surroundings once more, blinking several times. At last his vision cleared fully, but that’s when he realized where he was. His stomach turned over as the memories rushed at him, of the women and their screams.
It took him a moment to regain his calm.
Looking up, h
e checked the sky. There were no stars, just the deep smoke of another spell, undoubtedly Seraphina’s.
So, Evan and his witch had brought them here, back to the scene of Violet’s death and his crime. He supposed it was fitting, but like hell he would let Iris die here tonight as well.
Though he remained beside her, he extended himself to his environs, feeling the space in a way he knew mirrored Iris’s witch abilities. What returned was purposeful and deadly. No more games tonight. The intention was death and of course as much emotional and physical pain as could be inflicted.
His own goal became very simple. He had to protect Iris. Despite that she would hate him now, he had to make sure she lived. He owed that to her as well as to her sister who lost her life at his violent vampire hands.
He drew Iris carefully into his arms. She was completely limp, but breathing.
His heart felt crushed all over again. How much he despised what he’d become. Learning he’d killed Iris’s sister had finished him off.
He’d experienced something so rare with Iris that he’d allowed himself a moment to breathe, to feel, to believe maybe he could capture what he’d once had with his wife in the human part of Phoenix.
But he’d been wrong. There was nothing good he could bring to his life in Five Bridges, only heartache and disgust.
He felt deeply resolved to do one thing, and one thing only. And he didn’t care if he died in the process. In fact, he welcomed it.
He held Iris close to his chest. “I love you,” he whispered. “I’ve been in love with you for at least seven months. I told you I saw you at the Trib and that was true, but I didn’t tell you what made me desire you as much as I did, as I do.
“You looked so serious as you spoke with that woman. I still don’t know who she was or what issue had brought her to your office. But she wept and you suddenly dropped down beside her chair and hugged her with both arms.
“That’s when I fell in love with you, Iris. You had so much compassion for a witch, for any of our kind in Five Bridges. Seeing you comfort that woman gave me hope.