Not my mate, who I knew would protect me.

“This is a warning.”

I whipped around at the voice and saw him standing in the middle of the street.

A vampire. Handsome. Proud.

Evil.

Etienne.

“You know what we can do. You know what we will do. We showed you yesterday,” he went on. “This is why they will submit.”

Okay, maybe it was good that I’d learned a few karate chops.

But me, alone against a vampire? Those wouldn’t keep me alive very long.

So.

Again.

How did I get here and where was everybody?

I thought these thoughts.

But facing off against Etienne, I stood my ground, back straight, head held high, and I kept my eyes locked with his.

I was a member of The Three. I had mojo.

I just hoped I could figure out how to use it to help me.

Holding on to that hope deep in my heart, I said firmly, pleased as fuck my voice came out steady, “We will prevail.”

Etienne shook his head. “Today, we destroy The Three and finalize our mission to assert our dominance over humanity.”

“Impossible,” I hissed.

“Your mate will come for you.”

If he could find me, wherever the hell I was, he would.

I didn’t confirm this.

Etienne didn’t need confirmation.

“He will sacrifice himself for you.”

I felt my insides freeze and it was agony.

The vampire smiled like he knew he caused me pain.

And liked it.

“As for you, you won’t have forever. You won’t even have tomorrow. You will only have a lifetime of mourning.” His head cocked to the side. “Don’t worry, it won’t last long. It’ll only be a human lifetime. But during that lifetime, you, Delilah, will be my personal slave.”

Then, in a blur, shapes formed behind him.

An army of vampires.

And lumbering up the rear, the vampires were backed by huge, hairless, scary-as-shit giants.

Slowly, even by human standards, they started moving toward me.

I lifted my hand, hoping like fuck my blue light would come out.

Then I screamed, “No!”

* * * * *

Gregor

Gregor, Jian-Li, and those around them watched the interplay between Etienne and Delilah.

Somehow, they also heard it.

“I talked to Control,” the man with the headphones said. “They don’t understand how this is happening. But they say their satellites have been hacked and they can’t stop it.”

Gregor said nothing, because the instant Etienne announced that Abel would sacrifice himself for Delilah, Jian-Li ran from the room.

Gregor turned to one of The Council’s humans.

“Alert The Three. Contact Gastineau. Bring weapons to this room, as many as you can. Find out where the fuck that is.” He pointed to the screens. “And bring me Josefa.” He leaned forward and finished on a roar, “Now!”

On a quick nod, the human female dashed out the door.

* * * * *

Abel