Had Ethan not been staring right at him, he would’ve missed it.
What the hell?
Seth shared a look with David, then turned a smile on Ami. “Marcus, Ami has spent too many days and nights cooped up inside. Why don’t the two of you go for a ride? Roll down the windows. Get some fresh air. Enjoy the night.”
Ami’s face lit up.
Marcus eyed Seth (long enough that Ethan suspected Seth had just told him to get Ami the hell out of there) and forced a smile. “Sounds good to me. Are you up to it, sweetling?”
“Absolutely!”
David tossed Marcus his keys. “Take my car. More room for you both to stretch your legs.”
Everyone called cheerful good-byes as the couple left through the back door.
It didn’t take long for the others to catch on that something was wrong.
Silence fell. Tension gripped the room as all eyes went to Seth and David.
Outside, David’s car started and tore off down the drive, accompanied by Ami’s fading laughter.
The two elders rose as one. Their faces turned to stone.
“Everyone out,” Seth ordered.
“What’s going on?” Roland asked, rising.
Ethan rose, too.
Everyone rose.
But none left. All sensed what Ethan did, that something was coming. And they would be damned if they were going to leave and let Seth and David face it—whatever the hell it was—alone.
The air began to crackle with static electricity.
The hair on Ethan’s arms and the back of his neck rose.
Thunder rumbled on the night.
Seth shook his head, his eyes beginning to glow. “No time. Just go.”
“Use the escape tunnels in the basement,” David instructed from beside him, his eyes glowing a vibrant amber. Ethan had not seen that very often. “Don’t return until we summon you.”
“Fuck that!” Bastien said, echoing Ethan’s thoughts. “I don’t know what the hell is coming, but we aren’t going to leave you to face it alone!”
“Just go!” Seth snapped. “Get the Seconds out while you can. They—”
The large bay window facing the front of the house exploded inward. Shards of glass rocketed through the living room, finding purchase in mortal and immortal flesh, as a body catapulted inside as though it had been shot from a cannon.
Sheldon tackled Tracy as Immortal Guardians flung themselves out of the way, the married men all placing their bodies between their wives and the threat.
A coffee table splintered as the bloody body struck it. The unconscious male hit the floor and rolled twice before coming to a halt, lips parted to reveal fangs. A second body flew bonelessly through the bay window, knocking more shards free as it went and widening the hole in the window. It hit the floor just beyond the first. Another vampire. Unconscious. His face and form shredded and bloody.
“There!” a voice bellowed outside as wind whipped the curtains.
As though the one word shook them all from their shocked paralysis, everyone present lunged for the weapons they had removed and braced themselves for a fight.
Everyone except Seth and David, who glared daggers into the night through the broken window.
Lightning flashed across the sky, momentarily illuminating the figure who strode toward the house, still yards away, a black construction paper cutout with wings spread, carrying something or someone in his arms.
“There’s your fucking proof!” he shouted.
Ethan’s eyes widened. Holy shit!
The male, standing six foot ten, leapt through the gaping hole and faced them with furious defiance. Little bits of feather, sliced away by the fragments of glass that remained in the window frame, floated on the breeze and settled quietly on the floor.
Zach. Eyes glowing golden like Seth’s. Face full of pure, animalistic rage. Lisette’s limp form cradled in his arms.
“What the hell?” Étienne shouted and leapt forward, swords flashing.#p#分页标题#e#
Zach looked at the French immortal.
Étienne seemed to hit an invisible wall, then flew backward.
Richart vanished and reappeared behind Zach, daggers raised.
Without even turning around, Zach sent him flying, too. “She tried to warn you it wasn’t me!” he snarled at Seth.
“She tried to tell you I couldn’t have raised the new vampire army because I was too busy being fucking tortured!”
Roland, Yuri, and Stanislav leapt forward.
A wave of power rippled through the room like the blast wave of an A-bomb, Zach at its epicenter.
Ethan swore as he and every mortal and immortal present, save Seth and David, were swept off their feet.
“I didn’t . . . fucking . . . do it!” Zach roared. “And, because you wouldn’t believe us, because you couldn’t believe one of your precious Immortal Guardians would betray you, the new vampire army I didn’t fucking raise grew unchecked! Well, there’s your proof!” He nodded at the vampires. “Read their minds! Unbury their memories! You won’t find me in any of them!”