Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,125

Emit says over the phone, as I press the buzzer to sound the town’s emergency evacuation siren.

“Hopefully, that will save all the smart humans, betas, and omegas. Darwin’s Theory will unfortunately have to apply to all the idiots who stick around,” I reply, my left hand trembling ever so slightly.

“Hey, vampire. It’s been a while since I felt this sense of fear. Let’s try not to cross paths, just in case instinct pits us against each other in the heat of this tension,” he says.

I steady my hand by making a fist, and I stare out at the stormy town below the bell tower of my House.

People are already fleeing in orderly fashion.

“They’re almost creepily rehearsed with the evacuation protocol. Not one person has bumped another,” Emit says as though he’s surprised.

“Be grateful I have a damn good beta, who ensured the town was kept up to date on such things. They’re reacting to the siren. They won’t realize they’ve left their beds, bar stools, or wherever else, until they’re safely checked in at the designated towns. All of them are assigned different ones by groups. What do your betas do, wolf? Just curious.”

I drop from the bell tower, and hurriedly move through the streets, finding more and more people doing the zombie walk. Fortunately, they’re moving at a brisk pace toward all the exit routes.

With any luck, most of them will escape, and that will help ease Violet’s conscience. Protecting her from her fucking self will be just as tedious and damn near impossible as protecting her from Idun.

Emit snorts in derision. “We’re all either going to die or end up in a pit, and you still have to get in one more jab? Without Shera, you don’t look as good, Vampyre. I almost fucking had Avery. I think.”

Just as I’m about to have a snide remark, I hear coughing in the background.

“Shit,” Emit hisses.

“I’m. Going. To. Murder. That. Fucking. Witch,” a familiar, but raspy voice says in the background.

“What the bloody hell is going on?”

“I take it back. We’re going to have to cross paths after all,” Emit says, his voice still tinged with surprise. “Vance is out of the silver.”

Dodging a streak of lightning that damn near makes me feel targeted, I pocket my phone. I’m not sure why I bother.

Not even Vance can get us out of this one.

She tried to take him down first, which means she’s planning to break all the laws. We’ll never stand a chance in an unfair fight.

Chapter 36

VANCE

Slinging Emit up against the wall, I press my forearm to his throat.

He glares and growls at me, canines showing. “It’s Idun. Fucking fight it, Van Helsing. She’s pissed. Her monster is free somewhere. You feel the threat licking up your spine. Fight. It.”

My eyes narrow on him. “Tell anyone about that fucking silver spell, and I’ll destroy you in ways you never imagined,” I bite out, almost apprehensive to even touch the silver that has returned to the small hilt on my hip.

My fingers reach twice, but I pull away, worried that damn spell will take effect again.

I look around, searching for Pandora, as I lower my arm.

“She has to be here. Only blood magic could have lifted that spell,” I carry on.

“Fuck’s sake, Vance. Violet struck Idun hard enough to break her bones on live TV—and in front of a live, captive audience. Idun TV has shut down, and the town is being evacuated,” Emit tells me, as though I haven’t heard the broken pieces of their repetitive ramblings.

My skin is practically crawling, as I make a series of tics, and start adjusting my wrinkled suit. The wrinkles end up being too much, because they’ll have to be pressed in order to straighten them.

“Do you have a steamer or an iron around here?” I ask, as I begin undoing my trousers.

“Really?” he asks with pure incredulity, as though this is shocking.

My body aches with the heavy need to shower, shave, and brush my teeth.

“I’ve been stuck in my own damn silver with nothing to do but think and go mad from not being able to move. If she thinks she’s locking me away like that until I break, she’s really going to hate it when I shove a sword through her fucking throat and bury her head under the ocean,” I state, barely keeping my calm, as I sway on unsteady legs.

Emit forces me to a chair, just as Arion practically appears out of nowhere.

“What do you mean locking you away