Peri started handing out silver short swords.

Jen grinned. “Hell. Yeah,” she said practically jumping on her toes. “I’m fixing to go all Peter Pan on these vamps’ butts.”

“Peter,” Jacque started.

“Pan?” Sally finished for her.

Jen paused in her happy feet bouncing. “What?”

“Peter Pan isn’t exactly an intimidating hero,” Jacque told her.

Jen thought about it for a minute and then she snapped her fingers. “Got it. I’m fixing to go all Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon on these vamps’ butts. Better?”

Jacque pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just remember you can’t fly, okay?”

“Noted,” Jen said giving her a thumbs up.

As soon as Peri held out a sword to Jen, a large hand snatched it before she could take it.

“That’s it!” Jen growled at the same time she stomped her foot.

“Oh hell,” Jacque muttered. “She totally foot stomped.

“Not a good sign,” Sally agreed.

“You” —Jen turned and pointed at her mate—“are going to stop being an overbearing, overprotective, but incredibly hot, asshat.” She paused. “Okay, so incredibly hot doesn’t really do you justice with that sword in your hand.” Jen’s eyes widened. “Did I just say what I think I said?”

The group around her was filled with chuckles, sighs, and groans.

“If you mean did you just talk about your mate’s sword and how he holds it,” Peri offered, “then, yes. Yes you did.”

“Okay, well, well.” Jen placed her hands on her hips and looked from Dec to Peri to the others. “Well, now I’ve lost my place.”

“You were telling him to quit being an asshat,” Cypher offered.

She snapped her fingers. “Perfect. Thank you, warlock.” She turned back to Decebel. “I am going to help. I am going to fight. And you are going to be okay with it.”

Decebel glowered at her. Finally he let out a resigned sigh and flipped the sword in the air so the blade was in his hand and the handle was held out to her. “Just be careful, please.”

“You’ve been training me, B. You know what I’m capable of. Have a little faith.” Jen paused and looked down at the sword. “Um, just to be clear, the pointy end goes into the vamp, right?”

Her two best friends snorted out laughter but quickly covered it when Decebel shot them menacing looks. Vasile cleared his throat. “Decebel, you keep your team up here. Alston will shield you from any humans that wander by. If we need assistance, Peri will flash out here and let you all know. Any questions?”

The group shook their heads.

“Let’s go,” Vasile rumbled as he made his way to the manhole cover.

Peri motioned her hands over the cover and it slowly slid open. Vasile was the first to jump down into the dark hole. Alina followed, then Cypher, Nissa, and Costin.

Just as Sally was about to step into the opening, no doubt trusting her mate to catch her, Jen called her name. “No heroics,” Jen said evenly.

Sally’s lips tightened and she nodded. “You either.”

Sally blinked several times, attempting to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She was acutely aware of the others staring at her, waiting until she was ready. They, of course, with their supernatural selves, didn’t have any problem seeing in the near dark.

“You good, brown eyes?” Costin asked her as he took her hand.

Sally nodded. “Just wasn’t expecting it to be so dark.”

“Nissa and I will give a hand with that,” Peri said as she whispered under her breath and held out her hand. Nissa did the same thing and both fae women released glowing orbs into the air. They lit up the area around them and at least fifteen feet in all directions.

“I will take the lead,” Vasile spoke up. “Cypher you take the rear.”

They moved into a single file line. Costin gently tugged Sally behind him. He turned his head to look at her as they continued forward. “Stay close to me.”

Sally glanced down just as a rat scurried in front of her. “You don’t have to tell me twice,” she told her mate as she moved closer to him.

The group was quiet as they followed the tunnel. Every fifty or so feet they would stop and Vasile, Alina, and Costin would all suck in deep breaths through their noses. She understood what they were sniffing for—blood. As they continued on, Sally noticed that the deeper they went, the heavier she felt. As though with every step she took, a brick of despair was being set upon her shoulders. Her heartbeat increased and her hands began to shake. Sweat trickled down her back despite the fact that it was cool underground.

“You okay?” Costin’s voice filled her mind and for a brief second his presence chased away the heavy feeling, but then it was back.

“I don’t know what it is, but there’s just so much sorrow down here.”

He reached back and grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

After ten more minutes of walking, Vasile held up his hand, stopping everyone in their tracks. “Do you smell it?” he asked turning to look at his mate and then to Costin.

Costin nodded. His jaw was clenched tight and his eyes had begun to glow.

“What is it?” Sally asked him, using their bond.

“Blood.” She heard the hesitation in his voice. There was more but he didn’t want to tell her.

“And?”

“It’s young.”

Sally swallowed back the bile that rose up in her throat. She’d known that they were targeting children, but to be this close to it was completely different than standing in Vasile’s office being told about it. The misery that had begun filling her continued to expand, and she was sure it was going to choke her.

“How much further?” Peri asked Vasile.

“A couple hundred yards.” Vasile turned to his mate. “You stay next to Sally.” Alina didn’t argue.

They continued forward and, after walking for a few more minutes, Peri extinguished the glowing orbs. Sally held onto Alina so she didn’t stumble in the blackness. They weren’t left in the darkness for long.

Sally could see light ahead of them coming through an arched doorway. They stopped only feet from it. Costin turned to her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Stay with Alina.”