Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 87(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
“I’ll protect her with my life,” Ravana says, and I know she’ll honor her promise.
“Ezra, Erik, get the vehicles armed and meet me in the tunnels in five. Kane, don’t take too long,” Bishop says as he goes into the other room and into my emergency kits. We all have several at each house with anything we might need to run at a moment’s notice. When I see him walk back through the house carrying several of the packs with him, I know it’s time for me to leave.
“Be careful,” Juliet says as she nestles into my arms.
“There are so many things I need to say to you.” I kiss the top of her head and then she looks up at me.
“Tell me when you get back.” There are tears in her eyes, and I want to hold her longer, but I hear the engines of the cars downstairs and we need to go.
“I’ve got her,” Ravana says.
Reluctantly I take a step away from Juliet, and then another. I turn my back on her and run down the stairs. Bishop is right. I have to protect her, and the only way to do that is to make sure this slayer is taken out of the picture and can never harm her or the rest of my family every again.
Hopefully Ravana can answer any questions Juliet has, but I worry that she might not have been the best choice to do this delicately.
* * *
It’s hours later when we come back, but we could feel the dawn approaching. We tracked the slayer for miles and then we lost his scent. He’s not a casual hunter like so many are. This one is skilled and knew exactly what he was doing.
I don’t like the loose end, but we did all we could and I’m aching to get back to Juliet. The pain in my stomach is beginning to burn, and I know that it’s because there’s distance between us. It’s just like after the first time we met, only it happened much quicker this time.
“We’re almost there,” Ezra says. He must sense my pain.
I nod and don’t say a word as I try to focus on getting to my Juliet.
When we reach the end of the tunnel I’m the first out of the car. I run up the steps three at a time and burst through the door. The first thing I notice is that the burning is still happening and it’s painful now. This should stop when I’m with my mate, but I don’t feel her. I look around to see Ravana running towards me from the front door. It’s nearly dawn and there’s panic in her eyes.
“She got away from me. I don’t know how it happened, but she snuck out. The sun is almost up, Kane. I didn’t know what to do. We can’t go out there!” Ravana shouts.
My body is alight with fire now as I take a step towards the door and into the sunlight.
Eleven
Juliet
I worry my lip between my teeth. I should've told him I loved him before he left. What if something bad happens? I know what a slayer is. At least, I know what I’ve seen in movies. They kill his kind. My heart aches at the thought of losing Kane. I’ve only just found him. I’m not sure I could bear the loss. He’s the first person in my life I’ve ever truly felt close with. Loved.
“It’s going to be fine. Slayers don’t kill humans, and you and Kane aren’t fully bonded so you’re safe,” Ravana tries to reassure me.
“I wasn’t worried about me.” Her words don’t help in the least.
“Oh, well, don’t worry about that. There are four of them. There’s no way one slayer can take on those four.” She waves a hand, not looking worried at all.
“What do you mean, Kane and I aren’t fully bonded?” I ask.
Everything between us now seems so intense and bone deep. Could it get even deeper than that? If it can, I want it. I want everything I can have with Kane. He makes me feel whole for the first time in my life. Like I belong somewhere. He’s the family I’ve been looking for. I guess pledging for that sorority wasn’t so bad after all. It brought me to him.
“Because I’m sure if he would have asked you to drink his blood, you would have freaked out a little bit.” She raises one eyebrow at me.
I don’t respond but feel my cheeks heat. I’d been wanting that the last time we made love, but I didn’t voice it aloud. Just like when we’d made love the first time it chanted over and over in my head for him to bite me. I just hadn't said it out loud. I thought it was crazy to crave something like that. But now I see why.