A Bond of Blood (A Shade of Vampire #9)(28)

“She’s coming,” I shouted.

I vanished and reappeared in all the other watchpoints around the island, screaming out warnings at the top of my lungs. By the time I’d finished, it felt like the whole island was holding its breath.

Once I was sure everyone had been alerted, I returned to the Sanctuary. The witches all stood in a circle, their eyes shut tight, fists clenched in concentration.

I pushed between two of them and stood there with them in the circle, closing my eyes. My heart hammered in my chest as the ground shuddered. Chills ran from my neck down to the base of my spine.

I knew what had just happened, and judging by the look on my fellow witches’ faces, so did they.

Instructing them to stay put, I vanished from the room and reappeared at the Port. Eli stood staring at the swirling column that had just penetrated our spell’s boundary.

I knew Annora was strong, but I hadn’t expected her to break through so quickly. That spell was the strongest protection we had. It can only go downhill from here.

Eli and I stumbled backward, leaving the jetty and rushing to the raised ground above the Port as the whirlwind drew closer. Eli left my side and ran into the woods. I was about to follow, but when I cast one last glance over my shoulder, I stood rooted to the spot. The vortex had now approached within a few feet from the shoreline. I expected it to form into a full-fledged tornado and begin tearing our island apart, but instead, as soon as it touched the sand, it disintegrated into thin air, leaving in its place a crowd of vampires… and wolves.

I squinted as two figures stepped out from the crowd and looked toward me. A tall dark-haired man, and a shorter, blonde woman. As I approached closer, my jaw dropped. My mouth dried out.

The blonde woman I’d never seen before, but the man… how could I ever forget such a man?

I shut my eyes, memories flashing through my mind. Memories of perhaps the most traumatic night of my existence.

Two newborns in my arms, barely half an hour old. The flash of red eyes. Sofia’s baby boy ripped from my arms and carried away into the night…

There was something different about this man. But his appearance was still unmistakeable.

This was the first, most dangerous and darkest child of the Elder.

This was Kiev Novalic.

Chapter 26: Ben

One hour ago…

There was a circular hole in the center of the room. A woman was peering out of it, trapped behind a swirling blue substance.

I looked closer at the woman as I approached. Dark blonde hair, deep blue eyes. She wore a black dress that was torn and frayed. She appeared to be floating—beneath her was an abyss.

She stopped shouting as soon as she caught sight of us and began striking her fists against the translucent ceiling. It was bizarre—the substance was so solid that it wouldn’t budge as she struck it, yet we could still hear her voice through it.

Abby’s grip on my arm tightened as I inched closer to the hole. I bent down over it, staring at the woman.

“Boy,” the woman said, relief washing over her face. “Place your hand against this ceiling.”

I frowned at her.

“Who are you?”

She breathed out in frustration. “Please, just do as I say.”

I stood up and took a step back. How could this woman be the answer to my family’s disappearance when she appeared trapped and helpless herself? “I have no idea what you are,” I said. “Why would I help you out?”

She stared up at me, scrutinizing me closely for the first time. “Did Corrine send you?”

My heart pounded in my ears. “So it was you? You’re the one who’s been trying to communicate with her?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Then you’re a witch?”

“I am. Who are you?”

I paused, considering whether there could be any possible downside to informing her that I was a Novak. “Benjamin Novak,” I said finally.

“Oh, good,” she said, her breathing coming quicker now. “Benjamin, I need you to help me out of here. This gate hasn’t been used for so long, it’s sealed off at the end. It’s not responding to even my magic. We need someone from outside to help. Try to push your fingers right through it. It should give way to you.” When she still saw me hesitating, she said, “We have a mother and baby to deliver back to The Shade.”

Mother and baby. Although the words filled me with anticipation, I frowned, my eyes narrowing on her.

“Anna?” Abby gasped.

The witch nodded.

I bent down closer to the tunnel again. Anna’s name ringing in my ears, I was on the verge of cooperating with her, but I stopped with my hand two inches away from the ceiling. Everything about this situation just seemed too strange and unbelievable. “Show me Anna,” I said, glaring down at the witch. “Then we’ll talk.”

She turned her face away from me and looked back down into the dark abyss. “Someone has come!” she hollered. “Bring Anna.”

I squinted, staring down into the dark crater.

“She’s coming,” the witch said, turning back to us.

Two specks appeared in the distance, gradually becoming larger and larger until their backs hit the ceiling next to the witch and bounced off it. Clearly a male and a female. The female let out a loud groan. As she turned around, my breath hitched. It was a thin Anna, worn and tired, clutching an infant in her arms.