Chapter 28

ORINA

E zekiel had a box seat high above the others, and the recital would have been fun if I could have focused on it. But with the vampire king on one side and Kaster on the other, I was trapped in a vortex of vibrations and power that had my skin humming with strange sensations.

It was hard to breathe, to think, or to swallow with their powerful presences pressing in on my personal space and invading it with needle-like fingers.

I felt like I was being touched.

Constantly.

It was exhausting, and I barely caught the triplet’s performance, registering some instrument playing and singing. Dammit. Ordell would be disappointed that I hadn’t paid better attention.

Why had Ezekiel come tonight? Christian’s reaction made it obvious that he hadn’t been invited. Had I mentioned this date to him? Had he known that I’d be here? He must have. And he’d come to mess up my time with Kaster. The whole you can date if you want spiel had been bullshit.

Well, if he thought he could ruin my evening, then he was mistaken because as soon as this was over, Kaster and I were out of here.

Your pulse is racing, Kaster said in my head. Are you all right?

I’m fine. Just pissed off.

The king?

Always.

He’s marking his territory by coming here. Letting me know that you belong to him.

Of course he was . I don’t belong to anyone.

You belong to the Order.

The Order isn’t obsessive. I can leave whenever I want. I choose to stay.

Applause broke out below us.

“Ah, it’s over,” Ezekiel said. “Allow me to escort you to the dining hall.”

I was torn. He was here, and it was my job to protect him. But he hadn’t planned this trip. Hadn’t given me any warning. In fact, I was certain he was only here to fuck with my plans, and like hell was I going to let him get away with that.

“How about you summon the bat boys and go back to Branwood so I can finish my preplanned date .” I speared him with a pointed gaze.

His hand curled around my arm, and he drew me close, hot breath fanning across my cheek. “Plans can change.”

A shiver ran up my spine and spread along the base of my nape in fingers of heat. I swayed toward him, mouth parting as his lips coasted against my cheek. I felt his smile, smug and sure, and it fueled my will.

I pulled away. “Not tonight.” I stood and hauled my holster back on. “Tonight, I have a prior commitment.” I smiled up at Kaster as he stood over me. “One I’m very much looking forward to honoring.”

Ezekiel joined us in standing, and once again I was sandwiched between them, a hummingbird heart trapped between the beat of two powerful wings.

“I can rescind my permission for you to date,” Ezekiel said.

I smiled sweetly at him. “Of course that’s your prerogative.”

Our gazes clashed, and his darkened like warm honey as I waited for him to release me, knowing that I needed to give him that much power. He blinked, breaking the contact between us and lifted his gaze over my head to Kaster. “Take care of her,” he said.

Kaster’s fingers grazed the small of my back, and I sank into his touch like he was a magnetic force helping to draw me away from the lethal heat of the sun.

“I’ll see you back at the castle.” I headed to the curtained exit behind our box, eager to put distance between us before he found a way to tie me up in ribbons of feeling.

The throng in the entranceway was thick with excitement for the evening to come, and it was slow progress trying to cut through it.

“Kaster!” Atlas wove his way toward us, and Kaster’s grip on my waist flexed, sending a delicious pulse through me. “We have a problem.” He huffed as he joined us. “The river patrol team didn’t check in.”

Kaster paled. Orina, can you give us a moment?

Of course.

I’ll meet you outside. He lightly touched the skin at the nape of my neck, and I felt our connection snap.

I left them to it and fought my way out into the night. The cool air riffled through my hair, lifting tendrils off my cheek to cool my overly warm skin.

My stomach grumbled.

I was so ready for a decent meal. Something packed with protein and?—

“Did your date abandon you?” Ezekiel drawled, joining me on the steps.

“No. He’s just dealing with some work.”

“Work, when he has a beautiful woman on his arm?” He tutted. “How uncouth.”

I rolled my eyes. “Like you wouldn’t drop me like a hot coal if something more important came up.”

All humor seeped from his expression. “And what if there was nothing more important than you?”

My heart stuttered, but I straightened my spine, ignoring the shivers his words evoked. “I’m not in the mood for games, Ezekiel.”

He sighed. “Shame. It is so much fun playing with you.”

“Yeah well, I?—”

My back erupted in a familiar and chilling vibration where my holster contacted my skin. Heart pounding, I drew my sword, biting back a curse as the vibration turned into a low-grade hum that ran up my arm.

“Orina?” Ezekiel took a step toward me, but I held up a hand to ward him off, focusing solely on my blessed sword and the warning it was singing.

I hadn’t felt this for months, and I’d been glad of it.

But it was here now, which meant one thing only.

Cold ones.

“Keep the doors and windows locked! No one leaves.”

Humans screamed and vampires hissed as Kaster and Atlas ushered everyone back inside.

“You’re sure about this?” Ezekiel asked.

“This is what I do.”

“A Raven is on its way to the chapter house,” Atlas said, joining us at the bottom of the steps.

“The children!” Christian cried from the top of the steps. “We have to get to the children.”

“What?” I rushed toward him. “I thought the children were in the main building.”

“Not all of them,” Christian said. “And the ones who performed already went back to the east and west residences behind the main house.”

“Shit. I have to go.”

“You should wait for your team,” Atlas said.

“It’ll take them forever to get here.”

I strode back down the steps.

“I’m coming with you,” Ezekiel said, hot on my heels.

Kaster followed.

“No. I don’t have time to babysit you right now.” I made sure to look at them both. “Either of you. Get inside with the others. Keep them safe and let me do my job.”

Ezekiel flinched as if I’d slapped him, but I didn’t have time for his fragile ego right now. “Please.”

Kaster looked torn but inclined his head, respecting my wishes.

I ignored Ezekiel’s growl and broke into a jog, away from the main building, tuning into the hum of my sword so it could guide me.

The cold ones were close.

I cut around the side of the building and across the moon-washed lawn.

My sword vibrated, warning me to be on my guard.

A four-story towering building sat ahead, gray and silent, not a single lamp burning inside, but I caught movement on the bottom floor—something large passing a vaulted window.

The east residence.

A place filled with children.

Ice flooded my veins, and I picked up speed, running full pelt toward the building. The air beside me whooshed, and I jolted at the sight of Ezekiel keeping pace with me.

“Dammit, Ezekiel!”

There was no time to berate him. No time to make him turn back, because the air was rent by the distinctive screams of children.