Hearts At Stake - By Alyxandra Harvey Page 0,56

“Remember? Hart said he’d stay, but Hope insisted.”

“It’s a declaration of war,” London continued. “It means they’re on their way here right now, to set her free and kill anyone in their way. We have to get out of here.”

“We can’t just hand the farm house compound over to them, even saying they can get past Bruno and his crew,” Logan said.

“But someone does have to warn the others,” Nicholas argued.

“Call them,” London said. “But do it fast. We have to get out of here.”

“They’re in stealth mode. The phones’ll be off,” Nicholas said. “And I’d bet anything either Mom or Dad or both of them are on their way to the courts right now. You know Dad’ll try and talk his way out of the bounty. He’ll be walking right into her hands.”

Logan pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“Let’s at least warn Bruno.” He dialed, waited, his mouth tense. His fangs seemed longer, sharper. He hung up after a moment of quiet, clipped conversation. “Good news and bad news.” He started up the stairs, taking them two at a time. When the rest followed, I had to grab the back of Nicholas’s shirt to keep up. “They found Aunt Hyacinth. Bruno’s gone to get her.”

“So, we’re on our own,” London said grimly.

“Aside from the guards. What’s that noise?” Nicholas frowned as we rushed down the hall. Boudicca barked loudly, scratching at Hope’s door. It took Logan only one kick to break down the door.

The sound was the whirling of helicopter blades.

And Hope was launching herself out of the window, toward the rope. The trees bent, leaves whipping into the room from the force of the wind. The sound of the engine shook the walls. A painting fell off the wall, glass breaking.

Three vampires and a large dog leaped at Hope and not one of them reached her in time.

She swung out of reach, her blond ponytail and strappy sandals incongruous against the helicopter as the armed agents pulled her inside. Arrows rained through the window once she was safely out of the way. An arrow thudded into the bed, three into the floor, another missed Logan’s ear only because London shoved him behind the dresser. I leaped toward Boudicca, grabbing for her collar. I tugged her behind the door, Nicholas pushing us both when we weren’t moving fast enough for his liking. He cursed the entire time.

“You lunatic, leave the damn dog.”

“Shut up, she’s a member of this family, too!”

“And she knows how to get out of the way.”

“In your family you drink blood. In mine we look after animals.”

Boudicca was growling, straining against my grip, trying to get back to the window.

“If you two are done yelling at each other,” Logan said drily. “They’re gone.”

“But the rest are coming,” London said. “Ground crew,” she added when we just stared at her. “Do you really think they’ll let this opportunity pass them by? They know half the family’s scattered, looking for Solange or Hyacinth.”

“Well, shit.”

“Exactly.”

“I’ll go,” Logan declared.

“You can’t,” I said, chasing him down the stairs.

“I damn well can.” He nodded at Nicholas. “Get her in the safe room and lock her in.”

“Bite me, Logan,” I shot back hotly. “You can’t just go barging into the courts, you idiot. You’re a Drake, and every bounty hunter in the country is out for your blood.”

“So? We can’t just let the rest of them go in blind.”

“I know that. I’m suggesting you and London stay here and defend the farm.”

“And you?” Nicholas asked silkily, suspiciously. “What exactly do you think you’ll be doing?”

“Hope was so keen on having me join up with the Helios-Ra,” I said, crouching down to pick up Hope’s dented sun pendant. “So why don’t I?”

CHAPTER 21

Solange

Sunday evening, later

“You look awful,” Kieran said.

I would have glared at him but it was taking all of my concentration just to drag one foot in front of the other.

“Stop saying that,” I muttered. I hoped I wasn’t slurring my words. Even my tongue was tired. Nighttime helped, my metabolism was already stronger when the sun was down. Come morning though, I just knew I’d pass right out. Passing out didn’t worry me so much; it was not knowing if I was going to wake up again.

It was nearly my birthday. No party, obviously; no silver-wrapped presents or cake for me— just blood pudding. Gag. I couldn’t help but remember my brothers’ desperate fights to survive their bloodchanges. They’d weakened so much so fast, it was almost like they were in