Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“Sounds good.” Silas nodded, his cheer returning. He wore a green flannel shirt with dark jeans and snow boots, an unusually casual look for him.
“Where’d you get the flannel?” Vero asked as he approached the door.
Silas tugged on the shirt. “A shipment came in with the computers and some snowmobiles. I was up early and snagged this before anyone else. It’s warm.”
“It looks good,” Vero said, a bit awkwardly.
“Thanks.” Silas brushed off his shoulder, grinning. “I might even hit up the next speed dating event Lyrica organizes. I mean, it worked out for you.” He whistled as he opened the door and strolled into the snowy day.
Vero shook his head. It had worked out, though not in the way he’d expected. He’d never planned on taking a mate, and when he’d allowed himself to consider it, he hadn’t pictured someone as independent—or as maddening—as Lyrica.
But damn it, he liked that about her. He admired her feistiness, her drive. Hell, the mother of his children would need that fire. The idea nearly dropped him to his knees. Kids. A family. It was a dream he’d never let himself have.
Shoving the thought aside, he focused on the task at hand. He unlocked the door and descended the cold, damp stairs to the cells. The farthest door swung open with a creak as he stepped inside. Geoff sat on the cot, his face bruised from the last interrogation.
“Morning,” Vero said, and without waiting, punched him square in the nose. The satisfying crack of cartilage echoed in the room.
“Asshole!” Geoff stumbled back, clutching his face as blood dripped onto his shirt.
Blood burned Vero’s hand. It was common knowledge that Kurjan blood burned others, though sometimes not mates, and he wondered if this burned him because he was only half Kurjan. Something to think about once again. He could create experiments once Paxton returned, using both of their blood. “Start talking. What does the symbol stand for?”
Geoff’s nose cracked back into place as his healing cells kicked in. “It’s our symbol,” he muttered. “It represents our group.”
Vero’s eyes narrowed. “What group?”
Geoff hesitated, his shoulders tense. Vero pulled a blade from his pocket, its triple edges glinting in the dim light. Geoff’s eyes widened. “That’s a banned blade,” he stammered. “You’re not supposed to have that.”
“I’ve never cared much for rules.” Vero took a step closer, his voice dropping. “If I shove this in your neck and deploy the spring, you’ll lose your head. So tell me—what does the symbol mean?”
Geoff backed against the stone wall, his breathing shallow. “It’s the symbol for our faction. We call ourselves the Defenders. We’re independent cells working mostly autonomously.”
“Doing what?” Vero let the killer inside him show.
Geoff swallowed. “Usually working against the Realm. But now? With a half-demon running the Kurjan nation…” He let the words hang in the air.
Vero’s fist clenched around the blade. The threat wasn’t just growing—it was already here. “How many of you are there?” His voice sounded gritty. Hoarse. Demon low.
Geoff shrugged, though sweat beaded on his forehead. “No clue. In my group, there were only the three of us. For the other cells, thousands? I truly don’t know because we all branched off into our own organizations eons ago.”
“Well,” Vero said softly, his eyes narrowing, “I know you’re lying, Geoff. Someone’s killing females—human females—in my territory. The other two in your little party are dead, and you’ve been locked in this cell. That means someone else is out there. Who?”
Geoff shook his head, his jaw tightening. “There’s no one else. Someone must be copying us. Or maybe there are more Defenders, but they’re not part of my cell. I don’t know who they are.”
“You’re lying again,” Vero said, his voice turning colder. “You told me that symbol—the one carved into the bodies—was yours.”
Geoff’s shoulders slumped slightly. “A lot of us use it. It’s been passed through centuries and different organizations, shared across groups. There could be another cell right here in the Kurjan nation, and I wouldn’t even know it. Some are connected to others, and some are not. Ours is not.”
“If you’re lying, I’ll know.”
“I’m not,” Geoff said, though the slight tremor in his voice betrayed him. He cocked his head, a smirk curling his lips. He sniffed the air. “You mated her. The human. She’s a hot one. I don’t blame you. I’d have—”
Rage surged through Vero like a tidal wave, but his expression remained calm, cold. “You have something to say about that?”
Geoff shrugged. “I just did. Gave you a compliment, didn’t I? She’s gorgeous. And hey, Vero—you’re the rightful heir to the crown. You should be king. You’re a pureblood Kurjan. Join us.”
The blade felt heavy and ready in his hand. Alive. “Your pitch is pathetic.”
“I’m serious,” Geoff said, his tone sharpening. “Your brother won’t live through the next month, no matter what you do. Even if you kill me and wipe out my cell, we’re not alone. There are more of us than you think—and some of us are already inside your precious headquarters. Join us, Vero. We’ll make sure you get the throne you deserve.”