Chapter 34: The Threat

“I knew our paths would cross again, Kassie,” Silas grinned, circling me in the maze.

“I’ll scream,” I snapped, not letting him get close.

“And who will care? Your alphas? They’re going to be a little preoccupied, I am afraid.” His stupid smile made my anger feral. Power thrashed in my veins, and the urge to use my voice became unbearable.

I clamped my jaw shut and eyed him, turning as he circled.

“Why are you doing this, Silas? For my voice?”

He nodded slowly. “You are a powerful siren, Kassandra Kane. Your family knew that, which is why they hid you in the mountains. Songs were written about it. The mountain song where the words in the wind haunted the villages. The one where vampires heard the call, and it was to their deaths. The one where wolves slaughtered each other just to hear it. That power lies in your voice. I want it.”

“I can give it to you,” I snarled, threatening him with power I had no idea how to use.

He stopped circling me and tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. “Yes. You have learned quite a bit in your time of freedom. Never mind, I will have your obedience back in no time once we get back.”

“I won’t go. I will use my voice on you.” I threatened him, but it made him smile that creepy smile.

“No, you won’t—or you would have already. You have learned the power in your voice, but you have no idea how to control it, do you? So go ahead, use it. Let’s see who you manage to ensnare. Me? Or the packs? They are close enough to fall to the suffocation too.”

I parted my lips, my voice ready. But I knew he was right. I only knew how to make the magic come out in my song. I had no idea how to make sure Silas was the only one who heard it.

So I pursed my lips.

He laughed darkly. “I thought so. I have hunted you for a while now, Kassie. I have gone to a lot of trouble to track you down, called in all my favors—”

“Sorry you wasted your time,” I interrupted, my nails digging into my arms. I needed to get out of here. I couldn’t let him take me again.

But how could I run from a vampire?

“I didn’t. I have you now, Kassie, and this time, I will make sure you can’t run.” He glared at my legs, and I knew he was thinking about all the awful things he could do to them just by that look he gave them.

I trembled and knew I had to try. I couldn’t just stand there and wait to be taken. So I ran.

I darted through the maze, running as fast as I could, panting the whole time.

Silas came straight after me, his hissing the only clue that he was close.

Something brushed against me, and I spun to it, screaming at it, using my hands to guide it. The sound that came out was only on instinct, but it was a lyrical sound that was part song, part scream.

And it worked. It launched Silas through the maze. So I kept running.

But the maze stalks were high and surrounding me, so I couldn’t tell which direction I was going. So I went on instinct. I leaned into my power, breathing hard as I ran and focused on the feelings beneath my skin. The buzzing got louder when I faced left, so I ran that way.

The hum in my brain directed me, and I ran.

Silas was still chasing me, though.

“That is the Kassie I want. The one with the power to throw a vampire off her trail. Where are you, sweetheart? I can hear your breathing, but your scent is broken. I can’t get a read. Are you trying to do that? Are you that in control, or is the power controlling you?”

I ignored him. I couldn’t focus on him and the direction I was going.

My instincts led me back to the damn clearing.

Panting, my heart racing like a stampede in my chest. My eyes were wide as I turned, waiting for him to find me and catch me back at the start.

He came through with a smirk, and I sucked in a breath. He had blood over his chin. “Sorry. Stopped for a snack. Your power wiped me out. That wasn’t very nice of you, was it?”

I couldn’t breathe. Had he killed someone? Or had he found one of the animals in the barn that was close?

I couldn’t hear any screaming, but I also didn’t have the sense my alphas did.

“Silas.” Dorian’s voice came from behind me, his body shaking as he stepped through the maze, standing before me, growling from deep in his chest. He was taller than Silas, even scarier when he was in alpha mode.

Silas had a young look, a fresh look that kept him looking charming despite the evil in his eyes.

“And finally you have a weakness, Young Alpha. Dorian Achlis, everyone!” Silas laughed, opening his arms like he was addressing an audience. “Our strongest alpha with the weakest weakness of them all. Love.” Silas looked disappointed, but Dorian stood strong.

His eyes were locked on Silas, his body still in front of mine.

“Leave,” Dorian warned.

Silas shook his head and pulled the lapels of his coat, tugging it into place.

“I have hunted for too long to let her go that easily, Dorian.”

“Alpha Dorian,” he snarled.

Silas just smirked. That smirk dropped when Atticus came out of the maze on his left. “Last chance, little vamp. You leave willingly, or we make you.”

Silas chuckled darkly. “Can’t say I am surprised. Her voice is enthralling; it makes sense for you two to fall under her spell.”

“I put them under no spell!” I snapped, his words hitting a trigger. That made him laugh.

“Sure you didn’t. But it doesn’t matter. Because you were mine first—and I will be taking you back.”

Silas went to step forward, but my alphas closed in on him. And then Zachariah was there with a blade on the vamp’s throat.

Silas snarled. “A blade will not stop me!”

Zach laughed darkly, pinning him there. “This one will. Do you not recognize this blade? It was forged in your territory—a sacrificial dagger built for winterborns. Now there are no winterborns here, but I assume the blade won’t mind as long as I feed it something.”

The color from Silas’ face drained. “How did you get that?”

“Does it matter?” Zach argued.

“It is forbidden for a wolf to have it.”

“Which is why it is on the table as an offering. I will give you the dagger, and you will leave Kassandra Kane alone.”

Silas’ eyes flicked to me. They narrowed, and I shivered beneath the weight of it.

Atticus growled and Silas pursed his lips. “Fine!” he snapped.

Zachariah pushed him away, between my three alphas.

“Your word is ours, the blade is yours,” Zachariah said, holding out the dagger.

Silas sneered, straightened his clothes, then took the dagger.

He twirled it between his fingers, checked it over with a frown, then smiled darkly.

He looked at me and started backing up to the maze.

My alphas stayed in front of me.

And then we heard the screaming. I tensed as the alphas did too. Zach spun to the sounds, his eyes widening at whatever he sensed.

“The packs are in trouble,” he whispered.

Silas laughed darkly. “Hmm, it seems that is my cue then.”

“You did this!” I said, pushing past Dorian, who tried to stop me.

Silas shrugged. “I said I would leave you alone. I did not say I would stop my attack on the packs.”

And then he was gone in a wave of black smoke that smelled like sulfur.

I coughed, my eyes tearing as the screams echoed in the night.

“Taylin!” Zachariah roared and took off, ripping into his wolf and racing to the village. Dorian grabbed my hand, and we ran after him.

Atticus was behind us, jogging as he howled into the air.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, knowing they could hear me.

“Don’t be, Sweet Siren. Whatever happens is Silas’ fault alone. Now let’s get back and protect our packs.”

We ran back to the villages, to the ceremony on the grasslands.

It was destroyed. The stage was in flames, the fire pit leaking everywhere and up the wooden poles. The chairs were all overturned, blood spattered over them.

Wolves were shifting, the tearing of clothes and skin filling the air as they clashed with vampires.

We were overrun, and the packs were under attack.

And all because Silas wanted me.

I should never have come here.

***

“No, Sweet Siren. I can see what is in your head, and you don’t get to think that. Not now. We are together, all of us, and we are going to fight like that is the case whether temporary or not, okay?” Dorian reassured.

I looked up at him and then nodded, needing to feel what he felt. We had to fight.

I couldn’t run; the pack needed us all. Which meant I had to be stronger than I had ever been.

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