Page 44 of Vampire Runner
Eris rolls her eyes. “Oh, yes, wouldn’t want a feral half-vampire, half-demon running around. It wouldn’t be good for your reputation.” Her sarcastic tone makes her thoughts of Ambrose clear.
“Eris,” I chide her gently, easing Eloise’s arms from me and rising.
Malachi, Lan, and Kasar flank Ambrose, their expressions hard. Each of the vampires are tense, ready to leap if necessary. How often have these males wanted to go to blows with the demon, but held back because she possessed my body? It’s the shock I need to focus on defusing the situation.
Boldly, I take Eris’s hand, ignoring Ambrose for the moment. Her red eyes meet mine, accusatorially. I speak before she can, knowing that once Eris gets on a roll, it’s nearly impossible to stop her.
“Ezra is my friend. Ambrose is not without honor, entirely,” I amend and ignore his huff. “When this is finished, I will help him. Not for Ambrose or the Nightshades, or even the city. I’ll help him because I consider him my brother, even if we do not share blood. I love Ezra and I will not leave him to suffer.”
Eris watches me for a long moment, before blinking in that reptilian way she always has. She grunts and yanks away her hand, muttering something I choose to ignore. Satisfied there isn’t about to be a catfight between the two, I turn and fist my hands on my hips.
“We need to get Ashe back. Now.”
Ambrose raises an elegantly arched black brow at the command. My cheeks suffuse with heat but I refuse to back down.
“Of course we will,” he says after a moment.
I let out a long breath, unexpected relief almost making me dizzy. I rub my chest, just above my heart where Ashe marked me as his mate. “Good, good.”
When he realizes I’m not going to say anything else, he directs a look to Lan and steps aside.
After mating Wren, the sadistic glint in Lan’s eyes had tempered. Now it is back in full force as he steps forward, a hand resting casually on the butt of a handgun. It’s that precise moment I realize the vampires haven’t arrived in their usual expensive custom suits. All of them, even Ambrose, are wearing black tactical pants and jackets over vests. They’re armed with modern weapons and look ready to make war.
It’s sickeningly familiar to the night the witch hunters pinned us in the mansion before setting it on ablaze.
“Before we can make any plan, there’s something you need to explain,” Lan says, his voice smooth as whiskey and melted chocolate. I think he’s talking to me at first, but he’s staring at a broody Eris. She flicks her eyes to him after a moment. When he has her attention, he tilts his head. “When were you going to tell us this archangel of yours, the one you made a bargain with Cassandra to kill, is your mate?”
The rush is like the floor disappearing under me, as I snap wide eyes to Eris. She’s bristling and snarling, like a pissed-off cat tossed in a bath.
“How do you know that?” She shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter. We are not mates. We were once, but he chose himself over the bond. When he cast me to the underworld, our bond rotted. It’s gone. It doesn’t matter.”
“Eris?” My voice is gentle and she turns her glare on me.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she spits. “Not everyone with a mate gets a happily ever after. Aeternaphiel has always loved himself and power more than me. Even as his mate, he only ever saw me as a tool. Our bargain still stands, witch.”
“Eris—”
She cuts me off with a growl. When I pinch my lips together, she turns her attention back to Lan, then Ambrose. “If we’re going to take him down, we need to act now. He’s probably already called in reinforcements. You cannot underestimate him.”
“We won’t,” Kasar rumbles as he folds his arms across his broad chest. “Malachi’s called in the foot soldiers. Lan’s surveillance hasn’t been detected yet, and you’re right. He’s called in at least fifty more guards. At least half of them are shifters of some sort. None affiliated with packs in the city.”
“They know better,” Malachi states. “We have more than enough with the clan, but I can call in a favor with the Knights of Hades if you want. Chainz is still here. By himself, he’s as good as ten of the street crew.”
Ambrose seems to weigh the decision before shaking his head once. “No. Better not involve them in our business. I don’t want to owe Reaper anything.” Ambrose looks back at me, studying me. I stand straighter under the close inspection.
“If you’re coming with us?—”
“I am!”
“—then you need to be outfitted properly. Kasar, get the witch set up with something more appropriate. And for god’s sake, make sure you find a Kevlar vest for her.” He looks each vampire in the eye before gesturing to me. “Our primary goal is to rescue Ashe. Malachi, you keep Cassandra at your side every moment. If she gets hurt, you’ll be the one explaining it to Ashe.”
“And what about me, oh, mighty vampire king?” Eris asks, inspecting her talon-sharp manicure.
“You can take care of yourself,” Ambrose responds dryly. Then Kasar kicks a metal case I hadn’t noticed at his feet, sending it sliding across the floor. “Darcelle made us aware of your situation. I figured you’d want some blades.”
Eris crouches down, flicking the case locks open and revealing at least half a dozen different knives and daggers. She gives him a sadistic grin. “You do care.”
He grunts. Eloise moves beside me, giving me a side hug. “You’ll get him back.”