Bound by Blood (Bound #1)(21)

The vamps spread out when they arrived at the battle. The snarls and growls of the wolves blended with the vicious cries of the demons. Blood bathed the ground.

“Don’t get any of their blood in you,” she warned, still tasting ash. “And make sure you cover the wolves.”

Because the dead were already on the ground, and she didn’t want to lose anyone else. Demons flew from the air at her. “Go!” She shouted to the vampires. She lifted her gun. The vamps had taken the time to load up before they’d gone hunting. She aimed. Fired. The closest demon hit the ground. A wolf jumped on him and bit into his neck.More shots fired. The vamps knew what to do. Take the demons down. Make them weak. Let the wolves finish the kill.

She fired as she ran through the heaving bodies. No sense calling for Jace. She didn’t see him there. Didn’t see Devon either.

The twist in her gut told her where she’d find them both.

Deeper, deeper into the dark she went.

Her enhanced vision allowed her to see easily as she leapt over fallen trees and darted into the thick brush.

The crackle and hiss of fire reached her ears. So close.

The grass disappeared. The ground hardened beneath her feet.

Then she saw the broken skeletons. The remains of the sacrifices. So many. Far more than she’d ever imagined. Hundreds of skulls and spines. Broken bones tossed aside like garbage. She stared at the stark white graveyard as rage filled her. Devon.

She leapt over the bones. There— there. A sunken, sloping entrance on the ground. Smoke trickled from the thick hole and…she could hear the faintest echo of screams emanating from within the pit.

“You always did let emotion rule you,” came Devon’s voice from the darkness. Morgan spun around, and took a few quick steps away from the pit. “You did this.”

He shrugged.

“They’ve been attacking us, Devon! Killing us! You were the Council leader, you had—”

“Fuck the Council.” He smiled, showing off his bloody fangs. “And f*ck you.”

Her hands fisted.

“Vampires were always so busy hiding. Oh, no, mustn’t let the humans know we’re here.” He smirked at her. “Wrong. It’s time for them to know. Time for us to show the humans that their only purpose is to feed us. They’re prey. We’re f*cking gods.”

She could only shake her head. “You bargained with the devil, you opened a doorway because—”

“Because I wanted a war. Because the vampires needed to learn…it’s kill or be killed. We weren’t meant to hide. We’re meant to dominate.”

Bastard. “And so you sent the demons after your own kind? How is that us dominating?”

“I sent the demons after the weak. Those vampires who can’t survive don’t belong in this world.” His lips still twisted in that sick grin as he said, “And it’s not like I can’t make more of our kind.”

More like him? No way. “You won’t be changing anyone. You won’t be killing anyone else.” Where was Jace? “This ends tonight.”

He laughed. “Funny. That’s exactly what your wolf said…”

A fist squeezed her heart.

“Right before I kicked his ass into hell.”

The screams behind her seemed louder. Like more demons were fighting to get out.

“Sounds like they’re enjoying their new meal.” His fangs flashed in the dark. “That’s how it works, you see. For them to come out, I offer a trade. A life.”

That’s why there were so many bones. A skeleton for each demon he’d brought forth.

“They devour the flesh, then toss out the parts that are too hard.”

Not Jace. He wasn’t in that pit. “We’re closing that hole.”

Devon took a step toward her. “You don’t have that kind of power. You think you’re so f*cking special.” Another step. “Just because you were born pureblood. You always thought you were better than me.”

“No, I didn’t.” But I do now. I’m not a psychotic *, so yes, that makes me better.

“Do you know why I wanted you to marry the wolf?”

Well, saving the vamp nest obviously wasn’t the reason. Morgan held her ground. Hell waited behind her, and this bastard caged her in front.

“I needed you to get close to him,” Devon said. “I needed you to take his blood…because I wanted to give the demons a special tribute.” He inclined his head. “You see, now that they’ve been killing, they’re developed a taste for wolf blood.”

“They’re not taking his blood!”

“But in order to close the deal with them, I had to prove how much I’d be willing to sacrifice.” His eyes narrowed. “With demons, it’s all about the sacrifice. You have to offer them something, or the lazy *s won’t do a thing.”

“You’ve offered them humans—”

“Because I’m f*cking tired of hiding in the shadows. The vampires wouldn’t take control, they were too scared of humans finding out the truth. But my demons— they’re not afraid of anything.”

The screams from the pit almost drowned out his words. “What are you sacrificing?”

Because, shit, this was a trap. For the wolves. For Jace. For—