very whisper of the wind carried secrets, and every shadow seemed

pierced the darkness, reflecting the eerie moonlight that filtered through the twisted branches overhead. Thou

lder she had met days before. "Beware the Pact," he had said, voice grav

n age-old truce between the vampire clans and the mortal realms, a fragile

ll, cloaked, eyes gleaming with a cold intelligence. It was Kaelen, leader

he said, his voice smooth but laced wi

y. "The darkness doesn't scare

re. Allies become enemies, and e

h, and from the shadows behind Kaelen, ghostly shapes began t

ed was no longer a distant threat; it was h

ouldn'

y in the woods. One since her eyes stopped

g the stars like they might spell out answers she didn't want to say

wasn'

her made her spine go rigid. S

h

s the boy again - the one from the woods. He looked no older than eighteen, but his gaze fe

uching on the edge of the

they are," she snapp

eady for all of it yet. But I'll

ly. "What is this,

dn't

d you're not on the sidelines.

t morning, everyt

ear - lockers clanging, gossip humming, teachers droning thro

d their hearts beat. She smel

ll, she sa

school's back lot like he belonged there. N

him, furious. "Ar

mply. "You haven't turned fully

nto what,

for a long mome

skin crawl. "So

l line, a bloodline hidden for centur

ed. "This isn't real. Thi

e don't move fast, they'll kill you b

to a hidden clearing carved by moonlight and old magic. There, he showed her

e Covenant. They're hunting down every tr

vered.

ecause you were su

ok a st

aid quietly. "And something -

o read the parts of him he

know who it was. And h

ilver leapt. Lysander moved faster, knocking Kaia to the grou

-eyed and smiling cruelly. She wore le

e said. "The bl

en them. "Not for lo

m her dagger. "She's already bound to the Crimson

ed the woman. There was a blur of fangs and fists, steel

hen s

loody but alive.

he ground. "What t

And they won't stop. You carry more than bloo

above them, Kaia realized

being