Vowed (The Vampire Journals, #7) - Morgan Rice Page 0,64

it, and that the doors were wide open. He was too flustered to pay it close attention, though; if he hadn’t been in such a rush, he would have registered what an ominous sign it was.

Blake screamed out as he ran. “AIDEN!” he shouted. “TAYLOR! TYLER! CAIN!

BARBARA!”

He ran room to room, up the stairs, holding Scarlet and Ruth as he took the steps four at a time.

He finally made it to the roof.

Several of his coven members were there, gathered together, standing at the parapets and watching the skies with grave concern. He was relieved to see them all here, and also relieved to see Samuel, Caleb’s brother, who luckily had been staying here for the wedding. He was also relieved to see dozens of other friendly vampires, those who had come for the wedding and were still here.

Blake also counted at least fifty of his own people up there, ready to fight, weapons in hand.

But at the same time, he didn’t spot any of McCleod’s men, and that concerned him. Blake set Scarlet and Ruth down, and hurried over to the others. He looked everywhere for Aiden, but he was nowhere to be found.

As Blake reached the edge, he looked out at the skies, and saw what the others were all gaping at.

The entire sky was black with an invading vampire army.

Blake was aghast. Even with their dozens of men, there was no way they could possibly defend against all this. This was clearly a well-coordinated, all-out war. Blake was starting to feel unsure even about the safety and security of this castle.

Blake heard a commotion and looked down, and saw with relief that there, below, were hundreds of McCleod’s warriors, all with their silver-tip weapons. That was what they needed.

Finally, they were coming to help defend the castle.

But Blake’s look turned to dismay, as he suddenly realized that these hundreds of warriors were not actually rushing to defend the castle. As McCleod leaned back on his horse and screamed orders at the others, he realized that they all, in full armor, were charging for the castle. As if to attack it.

It was an ambush, Blake realized.

And there was no way out.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Caitlin and Caleb had been flying for hours since they’ve left Eilean Donan Castle, heading east, across the vast country of Scotland, getting further and further away from the Isle of Skye. Caitlin had not stopped thinking about the moment when they’d opened that chest in Eilean Donan.

Inside, sitting there, had been a single, shining, gold key. It was a small key, and seemed to glow with electric energy.

At first, she had wondered if it could be the fourth key. But he had shaken his head, and told her it was different, and she could see that, too. This was one small and gold, whereas the others were large and silver. Caitlin had reached in and picked it up, and examined it in her palm. She’d flipped it over, and spotted a small inscription: “All doors lead to Rosslyn.” Caleb had gasped when he’d heard the phrase.

“Rosslyn,” he’d said. “Rosslyn Chapel. Of course. The rumored home to the Holy Grail.” They had not stopped flying since, racing for Rosslyn, the new key sitting in Caitlin’s one pocket, and the torn page in her other. Caleb had explained to her along the way that Rosslyn Chapel had been the rumored hiding place of the holy Grail for centuries. Scores of humans and vampires had visited, searching for the Grail. But none had ever been able to find it. It made perfect sense, he said, that her father’s clue would lead them there. It was one of the most sacred vampire places in the world.

As they flew now, Caitlin wondered what could be awaiting them. The fourth and final key? Her father himself? The actual Holy Grail? The ancient shield?

And would this be their final stop of the mission?

As they flew, Caitlin couldn’t help shaking a persistent feeling of doom. She didn’t know why, and she couldn’t understand it; but some part of her, deep down, kept telling her that her loved ones were in trouble. Immediately, she thought of Scarlet. Could she be in some kind of danger?

She shook it off. After all, she was also a worried mother now, and it was natural that she would have such anxieties, especially since they were flying in the opposite direction, further and further away from Skye. Caitlin told herself to be strong, not to give in to silly