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  She turned right as three Vamps entered, Paula leading the charge. Emma leapt up, landing on the island, and crouched slightly, sword held in front of her. “Where the fuck is Malachi? If you killed him, I’ll take your damn heads.”

  Paula looked shocked. “You’re not human.”

  “No shit, bitch. What did you do with my master?”

  “You aren’t a Vampire, either.”

  “Two for two,” Emma yelled. “Is he alive?” She rose up as more Vampires entered the kitchen after they’d dragged the broken cabinet out of the hallway. Seven of them stared up at her on the island. “Answer me, damn it. Where is he? What have you done with him?”

  Eduardo came into the kitchen, stomping on the broken glass. “I told you she was VampLycan. I didn’t lie.”

  “You lie about everything, asshole.” Emma tightened both hands on the hilt of the sword. “Why don’t you come at me now, you coward? I’ll tell you where another sword is to even the fight. I want to fucking kill you so bad. You murdered my mother! I’ll take your fucking head! I’d shove it up your own ass but you’d ash too fast.”

  Two more Vampires came in. Emma silently wondered how many others there were, and if her grandpa was even alive. If he wasn’t, they’d all die. She didn’t care what Velder wanted. They’d pay for killing him.

  For now, she had their attention. That’s all that mattered at the moment.

  She jumped off the island, away from them, and swung her blade, taking out everything on the counter. More glass shattered and the coffee maker broke apart. “Did you kill him?”

  “Put down the sword. We’re not going to kill you,” Paula hissed. “I’m from the council, and that’s a fucking order, Emma.”

  “They aren’t my council.” She swung the sword again, this time taking out the mugs that hung from the cute hooks she’d bought on the internet. It was a good thing she knew they’d never stay in the house again. The mess she was making would take forever to clean. “Where. Is. Mal?”

  “He’s fine. Just contained,” Paula took a step closer. “Put down that sword.” Her eyes lit up.

  Emma dropped her gaze to her lip. “Guess what? Your voice doesn’t do shit for me and I’m not stupid enough to let you look into my eyes. Fuck you. I want to see him. Where is he? I’m not telling you shit or doing anything you want unless you can prove he’s alive.”

  “He’s in his office.”

  “In the safe, to be precise,” Eduardo snickered.

  Horror hit—and Emma lost her shit. “The tiny one in the wall? You ashed him?”

  She screamed and lunged for Eduardo.

  He tried to dodge but he didn’t seem to understand she could move faster than he expected. Part of the blade sliced his arm and he roared. Three of the Vamps jumped toward her and the sword was torn from her hands. She hit the wall hard enough that part of it gave way. Drywall dug into her skin. She screamed and fought.

  They didn’t expect that and tried to get a better hold on her. She collapsed her legs and ended up on her ass. It loosened their holds and she twisted, rolling into their legs, and went for the blade Micah hand given her. She remembered to twist her wrist back in time to prevent the blade from impaling her palm.

  She shoved it upward, nailing one of the bastards in the groin. His scream was piercing.

  The kitchen wasn’t a big space with the massive island. She stayed down on the floor, slashing at them as they tried to grab her, and more came forward to help. They tripped over each other, going down. She braced against the floor for traction and leapt up, landing on the island, and was tackled from the side.

  “Don’t kill her!” Paula shouted.

  That answered that. Not that Emma had time to care, as she was slammed hard into the floor with some asshole on top of her. He pinned the arm with the weapon beside her head.

  She avoided his eyes, the pain, and used her free hand to grab his crotch. Squeeze hard and twist.

  He shrieked in pain and let go of her arm with the blade to try to remove her hand from his nuts. It was a mistake, and she rammed the blade into his throat. He threw his body off her. She scrambled away, into the corner, and stood up.

  More Vamps came at her, until she was pinned like a bug to the wall. They held her arms out to her sides. Her body felt crushed, there were so many hands.

  Paula shoved her way in close enough to grab her chin.

  “Look at me.”

  Emma squeezed her eyes closed. “Fuck you!”

  A roar tore through the kitchen…and then all hell really broke loose.

  Something smashed through the window nearest her, and Emma was able to turn her head when Paula released her jaw. She opened her eyes, seeing the shade was torn off and a body-size hole now gaped where the glass used to be. Someone screamed. Probably the Vamp who was thrown out the hole and was now burning in the sun.

  There was a twenty-something-foot drop on that side to the walkout basement area, and no shade.

  The cavalry had arrived. Vamps let her go as they turned to fight but were grabbed and pinned instead by enraged VampLycans.

  Red got to her first. He lifted her, hugging her so tight she felt pretty sure he cracked some ribs, if they weren’t already in that condition. She burst into sobs.

  “I’ve got you, baby. Where are you hurt? What did those bastards do to you?”

  She remembered the blade and tried hard not to stab him as she clung to him. “They killed Grandpa!”

  “God. It’s going to be okay, baby. I’ve got you.”

  Her sobs grew worse. She was safe…but she hadn’t been able to rescue her grandpa.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The Vampires were subdued. There were fourteen in all. It seemed Graves had brought industrial handcuffs and some spiked chains. They were trussed up and shoved on their knees. The rescue team had dragged all of them inside the living room and had shoved back the furniture to keep them all together.

  Emma sipped the water that Red had made her drink. She had cried while they’d cleared the house and captured every Vampire trapped inside. It wasn’t as if the Vamps could run outside into the sunshine. Graves and Micah had protected the tunnel once they’d entered the house. No one had gotten past them.

  She glared at Eduardo.

  “He’s mine.” She locked gazes with Velder. “I get his head. He killed my mother. But they all die since they murdered my grandpa. None of them get to live. Do what you must, then it’s my right to ash these bastards.”

  “Master Malachi is not dead,” Paula stated clearly. She tried to stand.

  Lake shoved her back on her ass. “Stay down,” he snarled.

  Emma pulled out of Red’s hold. “Where did you take him then? The house was searched, and that asshat,” she pointed at Eduardo, “said you put Grandpa in his office safe. It’s twelve inches by ten inches.”

  “We found one upstairs in a walk-in closet, carried it downstairs, and crammed him inside.” Paula sighed. “The master will be fine once he’s given some blood. He was too difficult to control. We had to put him to sleep.”

  “Oh my God!” Emma was glad Red stayed close as her knees almost buckled. He caught her and held her against his front. “You assholes suffocated him? When? How long has he been in there?” She tried to wiggle out of Red’s hold to rush to find her grandpa but he tightened his arms around her.

  “Not yet,” he whispered. “We’ll get him.”

  Paula directed her attention to Velder. “You seem to be the one in charge. I’m here on behalf of the Vampire Council. Master Malachi and his granddaughter have been accused of crimes. We’re here to capture and bring them both in to be tried.”

  “That’s a lie. Who said we broke laws? The asshat?” Emma wanted to wring Eduardo’s neck and then rip it off his body. “He’s a liar.”

  Velder growled low and shook his head at her. “Silence, Emma. Let’s hear what they have to say. I’m more than curious.” He faced her and grinned. It was gone in an instant when he turned