special bullets with them. The rogues had brought swords and claws. There had really been no contest.
Which was kind of odd once Dmitri thought about it.
"Sire, are you injured?"
"No." Marcus shook his head. "Either they were really lousy fighters or—"
A scream ripped through trees.
"Quinn!" Every muscle in his body tensed. Everything in him wanted to run to his rajaaka, but he also had a duty to protect his prince. Dmitri was torn between the two in ways he never could have imagined.
"Go!" Marcus shouted. "We're right behind you."
Dmitri took off running. Fear spurred him on. Fear that something had happened to Quinn. Fear that he wouldn't be able to save both his rajaaka and his prince. Fear that he would fail in his duty and be left alone for the rest of eternity.
When he broke through the trees, those fears came together in one chaotic stab of pure terror. He quickly squatted down in the shadows cast from the thick trees and took in the horrific scene in front of him.
Quinn knelt on the ground in front of a dark SUV, his hands folded together in front of him. The headlights illuminated the terror in his eyes and the paleness of his face. Saul lay on the ground in front of Quinn, unmoving. Nico and the other two enforcers knelt to one side of the little scene, rogues standing over them. They had their hands clasped behind their heads.
Mara had her hands held out to the vampire standing over the top of Quinn, a sword in his hand. Tears streamed down her face. It wasn't until Dmitri got a bit closer that he realized Mara was pleading for Quinn's life.
"I'll come home with you," she said. "I'll go to whoever you tell me to with no arguments. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't kill him."
"It's too late for that," Chambers snarled.
Dmitri growled as the former councilman pressed the blade of his sword hard enough against Quinn's throat to create a cut. Blood trickled down Quinn's throat.
"Bloody hell," Marcus murmured as he squatted down next to Dmitri.
Dmitri swallowed hard. "Sire, I—"
Marcus ignored him and started gesturing to the others. Dmitri figured out what his prince was doing as the other men began to spread out, moving silently through the trees until they had the entire area encircled.
"You were warned, Marilyn. You were told several times not to consort with humans, and yet you still do it. They are evil, vile creatures, good for nothing but their blood. I tried to teach you this lesson once, and you ignored it. I believe you need to learn that lesson again."
Chambers held out his sword. "Come now, daughter. It's time for you to take your place at my side."
Mara gasped. "You want me to kill my own son?"
"He is an abomination!" Chambers shouted.
"He's my son!"
Chambers grabbed a handful of Quinn's hair and jerked his head back before placing the sword against his throat again. "If you force me to do it, I'll make it as painful as possible. Is that what you want, Marilyn? Do you want him to suffer? Do you want your precious son to feel every inch of my blade as it enters his body?"
"No, don't." Mara pressed his fingers to her lips. "Please, don't."
"Either you do it quickly," Chambers said, "or I do it as slowly and as painfully as I can. The choice is yours, Marilyn, but one way or the other, this human is going to die here in the next five minutes."
Mara let out a mournful sob. Her entire body shook as she took a step forward and then another and another until she stood right in front of Chambers and Quinn. She trembled so hard, she could barely grab the sword Chambers held out to her.
"I'm so sorry, Quinn," she whispered. "I loved you so much. I just wanted to you to live."
Quinn sniffled, and tears began to pour down his face. "I know, Mom."
Dmitri tensed when she raised the sword in the air. He wanted to jump up and run to them, but he knew he'd never make it in time. He was too far away. He raised his gun, ready to pull the trigger, and praying Quinn would forgive him for shooting his mother.
"I hate you," Mara whispered. "I'd rather die than see you hurt another living soul."
Dmitri's jaw dropped when she swung the sword into a wide arch. Instead of burying it in Quinn's throat, she neatly took off her father's head.
Chaos