adows

the writhing darkness slashed through the air where she had stood moments before. Sarah

ing something ancient, something beyond human comprehension.

deep and filled with quiet menace

ila tightened. "She'

g amusement. "She's already marked. Do you real

in her ears. Marked? Wh

rian, turning to face th

ying her. "Call me Darius." His gaze flicked tow

oser to Leila. "Yeah, well, I didn

something, girl. A past that should have stayed buried. And now, you

od turned to

her, his entire body tense

were stubborn, Adrian." Then his gaze darkened.

shadows lashed out again-this

he tendrils midair. His body tensed, his muscles straining

shriek. "This is insane! W

amed to get as far away from this nightmare as pos

she had, she grabbed Sarah's han

widened. "Ar

a admitted. "B

rl-one that wasn't entirely human. His eyes burned cri

natural nature before, but this...

a vampire. And he

was

eeing the monster h

rked. "Ah.

adows grew more violent, swirling into a vortex o

d something unexpec

his silver eyes locking onto

adows collapsed in on thems

that followed

knees nearly giving out. "Wh

n eyes fading back to their usual

d hard. "The be

sion was gr

of the Sinclair mansion

ope, nope. I did not sign up for demons and shadow p

eps, rubbing her temples. "Believ

eet away, arms crosse

him. "You need to

d. "It's not

s Darius? What did he mean about me being marke

, he sat beside her. "Darius is part of the

the covenant protected the balance

"But they also eliminate an

twisted. "And..

enched. "To

vered. "

debating how much to tell he

inked. "E

, hell no. Leila is human. I've known

e didn't wave

r world tilt.

gently taking her wri

d. Then, slow

deep, something ancient. Images flickered in her mind-whispers in a language s

d open. "What th

elt... different, haven't you? Like there was s

t went dry. He

. Are you telling us that Leila i

onnected to something beyond this world.

m, her heart poundi

. Then, final

odline is tied to

len

ed. "I'm s

ground had been rippe

u carry the blood of those who opened th

head. "That's...

d. "And it means the covenant

arm. "Okay. We're don

run, to pretend none of this was real. B

s waking up. And she had