Leila “Absolutely not!” Leila shook her head but quickly calmed herself. “We can protect them here.” I nodded, a crease forming between my eyes. “I agree. We would give our lives to keep our children safe.” Raven nodded. “Yes, I know, but it won’t be enough.” “Why?” I sat on the club chair closest to Leila, leaning forward as I listened, the wine forgotten. “There are people after your children. And if they come with me to my coven, they can begin their training.” Raven let out a deep breath. “They can undergo their training at my Compound. And when they’re old enough, they can go to Mayfield Manor for Magical Misfits.” “Magical Misfits?” I scrunched up my nose. “My children are not misfits.” Raven shrugged. “They are in society with the humans. Hence, the name. As witch-vampire hybrids, they need special training. With me or at the school, they can hone their skills while cultivating their understanding of other species. Also, they will have the opportunity to make friends like

LanceSuddenly, Selestra walked out from behind Raif and draped her arm over his shoulder, then he turned and grabbed her hair roughly, yanking it back as he sank his mouth down onto hers, giving her a brutal kiss. Then he pulled back and wiped the corner of his lips. “As you can see, she was never yours.”“I don’t want her!” I yelled back. “But she’s tricking you now! She’s playing you! Can’t you see that?”“The only thing I see is a man that will pay for his sins!” Raif yelled, taking a step forward. “You took away everything that I held dear. And now, I will do the same to you.”“Stay away from my family!” I yelled. “If I see you near them, I’ll rip out your heart myself!”He burst out laughing. “You can try.”I unbuttoned my shirt and threw it down onto the ground. “Then let’s do this now! This is between us! Let’s not involve any more innocents!”Raif shook his head. “No, not yet. When you least expect it, I will come for you, your children, and your wife.”A deep, guttural growl

LeilaLance nodded. “I was thinking of him, too. And when she goes to high school or college, he looks young enough to blend in, even though he was turned when he was twenty-five.”I nodded as tears welled up in my eyes. “I was wracking my brain, trying to think of someone on this short notice, but he was the only one I’d trust explicitly. On the other hand, we thought we could trust Jeremy, too, and he ended up betraying us. So, we had to be careful who we send with the children.”Lance nodded, looking down at my hand as he ran his fingers over mine. “I know you don’t want the children to go, and neither do I. But with Raif coming after them, I’d never forgive myself if something happens to the children... or you.”I nodded. “I know, but I’m staying here with you. I don’t want to send the children away at all. But I’m not leaving without you. The only way I’d go is to help settle the children in, but you need to come with us, too.”He shook his head, his eyes misty. “I can’t leave th

LanceI stormed through the Compound until I came to the throne room, where Darius used to pass judgment on members of his coven. Raif was sitting there with Selestra draped all over him.“Where are my children?” I growled, clenching my fists.Selestra’s head snapped up.“So, Lance….” A broad smile spread across Raif’s face. “How does it feel to have what you hold most dear taken from you?”“Give me back my children!” Leila screamed, starting toward him, but I stopped her.“Well!” Raif chuckled. “I see you brought the little missus this time! I think I just might kill her, too.”“Over my dead body,” I stormed toward him, but Raif was already on his feet.“If you kill me, you’ll never find your children!” Raif growled as Selestra took a step back. “You took everything from me!”I scoffed, inclining my head toward Selestra. “Obviously, I haven’t taken everything.”“She came back to me after you left her, alone and defenseless!” He walked purposefully toward me.I burst out laughing. “Th

Leila“Seize them!” guards yelled as soon as they saw us.“Mommy!” Sirena yelled, running toward me.Addie stood in front of us, donning her fighting stance. “Stay behind me!”But I grabbed Sirena and Jase and pulled them behind me. “Stay behind me and don’t look!”Lance leaped at one guard and quickly ripped off his head as his body burst into flames. One of Raven’s guards ripped out the heart of another vampire, and orange, red, and yellow flames shot up from his corpse as he fell to the ground, along with his heart. Raven’s other guard ripped the head off the last vampire, holding it by the hair, and then dropped it onto the floor as it burst into flames, along with the body. Addie didn’t move from in front of us, standing as protector over the children and me the whole time.“Where’s Selestra and Raif?” I yelled, holding the children behind me.“They were here earlier, but they left,” Addie replied.“Leila, stay here with the children!” Lance and Addie darted quickly out the door,