She rolled her eyes. Actually rolled her pretty green eyes at him. “Yes. The truth is, we think you can create some antibodies to me. At first, the doctors didn’t think so, but then we did a whole bunch more experiments that included my giving way too much blood. I think this’ll work. You just have to agree and not be all growly and a pain in the butt about it.”

If she was trying for his cooperation, she was failing. He looked sideways at the queen. “Well, doctor? Want to explain?”

The queen cleared her throat. “How do you feel about taking Grace’s blood?”

His own blood began to hum. Strong and sure. “I’m all for it.”

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Paxton Phoenix had one goal in life and that was to keep Hope safe. That was it. Nothing more. He’d never stood up to his father before, but when faced with the choice, there wasn’t one. “Get out of here, Hope. Now.” He wasn’t big or strong like his father, but he could hold the male off long enough for Hope to run.

“I’m not leaving you.” Her voice shook as hard as her hand in his, but she tried to step up to his side again.

His father gave a smile, the mean one he only got after he’d been taking the white powder and drinking alcohol. “It’s time we got rid of the threat she represents. Show me you’re a man, boy. Let’s do this.”

Hatred, the kind with ice, scraped down Paxton’s body. “No.”

His father’s face hardened even more. “You’d choose that little freak over your family?”

Pax lifted his chin, looking way up, making sure he made eye contact. “Every. Single. Time.” He tried to push Hope behind him so he could back her to the sliding glass door, but she wasn’t making it easy. She didn’t understand the threat here, but he did. He always had. Right now, his only chance was his brain. He couldn’t take his father. Not yet. “She’s Zane Kyllwood’s only child and Talen Kayrs’ only grandchild. If you touch her, if you even scare her, they’ll tear you apart piece by piece. You know that.” Could he get through to the monster? Sometimes his father was beyond reason.

“She’s evil,” his father hissed.

Paxton ignored Hope’s gasp and finally got her to move back a little. “She’s not. You are. If you touch her, the vampire nation, the demon nation, and the entire fucking Realm will be after your ass.”

His dad started, as if shocked by the language. “You little shithead.” He swung full force, hitting Pax in the side of the head with a sound that echoed through history. Pax fell into Hope and pushed her as hard as he could toward the back door before he hit the ground. “Run.”