As her eyes went to the stage, Kasdeya flew at Jake, stabbing her talon fingernails deep into his fur. Her Alpha went wild, snapping, but failed to shake the demon.
Kai swallowed her fear, resigned herself to her fate, and turned the blade toward her abdomen, tears streaming down her face. She silently prayed that when it was all said and done, she'd survive. But if she didn't, the loss of her life would be worth it to save her Alpha and sister. The world would be a safer place, the demon sent to hell.
Forgive me, my Alpha. Kai held her breath, her eyes catching Jake's as she plunged the Kris into her stomach. Her eyes widened, the caustic athame slicing into her, releasing magick into the night. She cried out as blood poured from her lips, her eyes rolled backward as she crumpled to the ground. Her face slammed on the concrete, and she blinked, her vision blurring.
With the Kris lodged deep within her abdomen, Kai heard the ear-piercing screech. Kasdeya writhed on the stage, immobilized by a magenta haze. Kai thought she was hallucinating, as a large brown wolf split out of the demon mistress and sprinted across the room. Jake went to chase, but hesitated, instead leaping off the stage toward Kai, weaving through the piles of dead vampires. Kasdeya's skin peeled away, and a short bald man splintered away from her, his body disintegrating instantly as it struck the wooden planks. Kasdeya's mouth opened wide, giving a deafening howl, and materialized into the night.
Kai choked, her lungs filling with blood. As death beckoned, despair blanketed her mind. Shilan remained missing, and Kasdeya had escaped, as had the wolf. As darkness closed in around her, she heard her Alpha call her. Kai. Don't leave me. Life drained from her body, and she mouthed the words that played inside her heart, never hearing a sound as death claimed her soul. I love you.
Chapter Sixteen
Jake's chest heaved, grief twisting through him as he cradled Kai in his arms. He winced, yanking the blade from her gut.
"Quint," he screamed, unaware the entire building had gone silent.
The vampire flashed to his side and knelt to Kai's lifeless body. "She's barely there."
"You can't let her die. I need you to fix this. Now." Jake embraced her, rocking her slowly. "No, this can't be happening."
"I can't promise anything." Quintus laid a palm on her arm, and Jake's shoulder.
"The hotel's not safe. If they took Cassandra … " Jake glanced to the stage; only an empty St. Andrew's cross remained.
"She's gone," Quint said.
"Jesus. We've got to get out of here." Jake's mind spun. They could get back to the jet but he questioned the safety of that idea. "I don't want to go to the hotel. Hunter's got a place in Big Sur. The pack doesn't know he's got it. Get us there, and I'll call him."
"Close your eyes, and picture it," Quintus told him. "Hold on."
Jake lay halfway on the bed, his feet dangling over the edge. His mind immediately went to Kai, who lay unresponsive in his arms. "Quint. We've gotta do something. She's dying."
"If she's gone … Jake, we've talked about this. Even a pixiu can die." Quintus lifted her wrist, checking her pulse. A somber expression crossed his face. "She's fading. I don't know."
"Say it," Jake pressed. His chest tightened, suspecting the answer.
"I might turn her. I don't know for sure what will happen."
"Jesus Christ, Quint. I don't know if that's what she wants."
"It's not for everyone. I … "
"I've never wanted it. Logan, Dimitri. They knew." Jake glanced to Kai's pale face.
Emotion bubbled inside his chest, and he struggled to comprehend a life without his mate. Unwilling to simply let her go, he'd make the decision for her and for him. I need her to survive. The death of his mate would devastate him; his wolf might not rally. Anzober Wolves needed an Alpha who could lead the pack. You choose the pack over yourself. It had been ingrained in him since a child and now as Alpha, it was no less true.
"I need her, Quint. She's my mate," he told him, his eyes locked on the vampire.
"Do you fully understand this decision?"
"Yes."
"She may be vampire when she wakes. I cannot control this."
"Swear she will not be under your control. She must lead with me. She can't have another master."
"I swear it but Jake … "
"Do it, Quint. Kai just got a taste of freedom. And her sister is still out there. She needs her too. Kai would want this. Fucking hurry before she dies."