Addict (Hunter #2)(109)

It ending with me having the tools I needed to save one little boy and his father.

The queen looked at me, her eyes pleading for a moment, and then she calmed. She nodded and took a long breath. “Do what you need to do.”

Marcus reached for my hand. “She needs to prepare herself.”

Yeah, I did need to do that. I let the wolf in. She and I worked together now, and the good news was we both hated *s who used children as shields.

The queen’s lips turned up. “Yes, those are your father’s eyes, Kelsey.”

“Shit, that’s actually kind of scary,” Quinn said.

They could talk all they liked. I moved away from Marcus because he would try to stop me. I placed my foot on the second rung on the railing and let the adrenaline take over. I would get one shot and only one. I had two people to save because Lee really required two fathers. Three for good measure. He was hard to handle and I wasn’t going to let the kid down.

It flashed over me, the warmth that came when my arm changed. It sizzled along me and some people might call it pain. I liked the sensation. The burn meant I was stronger than I’d been before. More capable. A little more unhinged.

I was going to need that.

Matthew glanced up at his brother with almost sad eyes.

I no longer gave a shit. He could love his brother all he liked, but he was an evil son of a bitch and if he’d really killed my father, then I would have another demon to hunt.

“Long live the king,” I yelled to get Donovan’s attention. I held up one hand. The right hand. The one I was going to use to murder his enemy.

Donovan’s eyes flared briefly and I knew he’d gotten my message.

“Do it!” Winter yelled.

The minute the blade started to move, I did, too. I pushed myself off to the third rung and leapt, never taking my eyes off the demon.

He did exactly what I thought he would. He let go of Lee as the blade swung for Donovan’s neck. The contract worked both ways. It ensured there would be no betrayal from Winter. He wouldn’t wait until Donovan was down a head and then freeze Lee. Demons take contracts seriously, so I had an in. He relaxed, sure of the outcome. All eyes were on the king, who leaned back at precisely the right moment to avoid his head being cut from his body.

I had eyed my target perfectly. I landed right on top of Winter, who roared my way, but it didn’t matter because my demon hand knew where it wanted to go. I shoved it into his chest cavity as Lee screamed and scrambled back. I didn’t think twice about him. His dad would move heaven and earth to keep him safe.

Winter’s eyes widened when he fell back, my weight on top of him.

I made a fist and pulled my hand out with my prize. His withered and wintery heart.

Abbas Hiberna was no more.

Donovan stood, his son in his arms, and the minute he turned toward Matthew, the body he was occupying fell to the ground and the demons around us fled.

Ether was quiet.

“Dad? Did you see that? Kelsey pulled out that dude’s heart. It was so cool,” Lee was saying. “Can I see it?”

I dropped the heart. I’ve found whenever I’m forced to pull someone’s heart out that I’m almost overwhelmed by the instinct to lift it over my head in victory, but it feels weird when children are watching.

Donovan set his son down on his bare feet, his head drooping. I was pretty sure if he hadn’t had all that keep-him-young vampire DNA, he would have gone gray right then and there. “Lee, we’re going to have a serious talk about you and bedtime.”

The queen and Quinn were running down the stairs.

Lee stared up at his father, eyes wide. “I don’t suppose we could celebrate the fact that I’m alive, huh, Dad?”

“You are the most grounded child in the history of all time.” Donovan said before pulling his child close. There were tears in his eyes when he looked back at me. Thank you, he mouthed.

I didn’t need thanks. I needed the knowledge that they were alive.

I glanced up at the landing above me and Gray was staring down. He stared at the body of the human his brother had been occupying. He seemed so hollow, his eyes blank. He hadn’t known the truth. He hadn’t known his brother had been the one to lead my father to his death.

“You are getting a raise.” The queen fell to her knees beside her husband, but her eyes were on me. “Whatever the hell you want, you get.”

I kind of didn’t need the money, but a little goodwill might help me out. I’d been a bitch when I first got here, and now I kind of liked it and wanted to stay. “Actually, my assistant could use fifteen percent more. I’m afraid I made him think I’d killed his girlfriend, and he’s going to need some serious therapy.”

“Done,” Quinn said as he too surrounded their boy.

Marcus ran down the stairs and threw his arms around me, not minding the fact that I was covered in the blood of our enemy. “Bella, that was the single bravest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe you did that.”

His peace, his happiness with me flowed over my soul and I was eased. No matter what the prophet had shown me, I needed Marcus now. I held on to him even as Gray moved down the stairs.

I saw Jamie running in, smiling my way.

Marcus held me tight. “Forgive me, bella. I’ve been too cynical, too afraid of losing you.”

I let myself sigh and sink into his warmth. His joy seeped into me.