I nod and tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Someone will be here to guide you out in half an hour. Do everything they say and you stand a chance of getting to the other side alive," I instruct. Sonia will do a good job with him. I'm glad I picked her to run this errand. Though originally, it was supposed to be the whole family coming.
The poor boy now has to go through the escape completely alone.
"And what do I do then?" he asks.
"You do what the rest of us can't. You live." It isn't much, but it's all I can suggest. I'm lucky enough not to have lost anyone like he just has.
"But, how? Don't I need an ID card? Permits..." Panic flits across his face.
"Someone will meet you on the other side too," I promise. I hope that person is a good one. I've never met any of them, so I don't know for sure.
"And what if I want to tell them what I know about the City?"
Despite the seriousness of the situation, a small chuckle escapes me. I can appreciate someone who wants to bring the city down. Perhaps he doesn't know anything, but his Father was high up. He could have information that leads to the city finally falling. I certainly hope so. It's time the Mayor's reign ends.
"Then you'll find that's expected. And that they already know who you are," I assure him. We send profiles of everyone leaving the city to the main den on the other side. They deal with the rest.
"But what if I want to talk to someone important?" He wrings his hands together, nerves clear in every movement.
I sigh. "Ask for Dimitri. If you don't get him anyway."
It isn't like the vampire leader can tell me off for sending the boy to him. He needs my way in and out of the city too much.
A knock sounds on the door, and we both look up to find Sonia looking in.
"I'm ready," she says.
I nod and gesture for her to come in.
"Hi, I'm Sonia," she says brightly, holding out a hand to the boy.
"Bryce," he mutters, staring down at the floor and ignoring her gesture.
Sonia glances at me, and I shake my head. I'll explain what's happened tomorrow once we have a debriefing, but there's no time now. She needs to get going if she's to get back before dawn.
She ushers him out of the room, and I watch them leave.
Benedict enters shortly after, and my shoulders sag with relief.
"Did everything go all right?" I ask.
He nods, then pulls me into his arms. "It was a textbook extraction," he assures me. "Was that the one who didn't show up with Sonia?" he asks.
"Yes. I'm glad I planned to spend the two trips to the wall anyway." Somehow we ended up with more people needing to leave today than normal.
"I thought it was a family."
"It was, until tonight," I admit.
"Ah."
He pulls me closer and drops a kiss against the top of my head.
"We'll put a stop to the unnecessary death," he promises.
"Maybe." But right now, I'm not sure how.
Benedict doesn't wait to distract me, and presses his lips against mine. I push my body against his, taking as much comfort from him as possible. This is a thankless task, but one I love doing. I enjoy knowing I can finally make a difference to people's lives.
And now I get to do it with Benedict.
"I love you," I whisper once we pull apart.
"I love you too," he responds.
Then his lips are back on mine. We still have plenty to do before we can close down the escape railroad for the evening, but it can wait. This moment is for us.
Thank you for reading Bite Of The Past, I hope you've enjoyed Catherine and Benedict's story. The series will continue with Sonia's story in Bite Of The Truth: http://books2read.com/biteofthetruth
Author Note
Thank you for reading Bite Of The Past, I hope you enjoyed Catherine and Benedict's story! If you haven't checked out First Bite (http://books2read.com/first-bite) yet, then it's the prequel to Bite Of The Past and includes how Catherine and Benedict met. Both Catherine and Benedict will continue to appear as side characters in the rest of The Black Fan series. Next up will be Sonia's story.
Catherine also appears as a side character in the City Of Blood trilogy, which starts with Drop Of Blood (http://books2read.com/dropofblood). You can read both series completely separately, but they are set in the same world (and within the city walls). The events of The Black Fan series happen before those in the City Of Blood.
Bryce, from the epilogue of Bite Of The Past also makes an appearance in another series - Grimalkin Academy: Stakes (starting with No Stakes Allowed: http://books2read.com/nostakesallowed) and you can find the escape from his point of view here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/gwlxutr7ku
I hope you're all staying safe and well! Happy reading!
Laura
Also by Laura Greenwood
Books in the Obscure World
Ashryn Barker Trilogy (urban fantasy, completed series)
Grimalkin Academy: Kittens Series (paranormal academy, completed series)
Grimalkin Academy: Catacombs Trilogy (paranormal academy, completed series)
City Of Blood Trilogy (urban fantasy)
Grimalkin Academy: Stakes Trilogy (paranormal academy)
The Harpy Bounty Hunter Trilogy (urban fantasy)
The Black Fan (vampire romance)
Sabre Woods Academy (paranormal academy)
The Shadow Seer Association (urban fantasy)
Carnival Of Knives (urban fantasy)
* * *
Books in the Forgotten Gods World
The Queen of Gods Trilogy (paranormal/mythology romance)
Forgotten Gods Series (paranormal/mythology romance, completed series)
* * *
The Grimm World
Grimm Academy Series (fairy tale academy)
Fate Of The Crown Duology (Arthurian Academy)
Once Upon An Academy Series (Fairy Tale Academy)
* * *
Books in the Paranormal Council Universe
The Paranormal Council Series (shifter romance, completed series)
The Fae Queen Of Winter Trilogy (paranormal/fantasy)
Thornheart Coven Series (witch romance)
Return Of The Fae Series (paranormal post-apocalyptic, completed series)
Paranormal Criminal Investigations Series (urban fantasy mystery)
MatchMater Paranormal Dating App Series (paranormal romance, completed series)
The Necromancer Council Trilogy (urban fantasy)
Standalone Stories From the Paranormal Council Universe
* * *
Other Series
Untold Tales Series (urban fantasy fairy tales)
The Dragon Duels Trilogy (urban fantasy dystopia)
ME Contemporary Standalones (contemporary romance)
Standalones
Seven Wardens, co-written with Skye MacKinnon (paranormal/fantasy romance, completed series)
Tales Of Clan Robbins, co-written with L.A. Boruff (urban fantasy Western)
The Firehouse Feline, co-written with Lacey Carter Andersen & L.A. Boruff (paranormal/urban fantasy romance)
Kingdom Of Fairytales Snow White, co-written with J.A. Armitage (fantasy fairy tale)
* * *
Twin Souls Universe
Twin Souls Trilogy, co-written with Arizona Tape (paranormal romance, completed series)
Dragon Soul Series, co-written with Arizona Tape (paranormal romance, completed series)
The Renegade Dragons Trilogy, co-written with Arizona Tape (paranormal romance, completed series)
The Vampire Detective Trilogy, co-written with Arizona Tape (urban fantasy mystery, completed series)
Amethyst’s Wand Shop Mysteries Series, co-written with Arizona Tape (urban fantasy)
* * *
Mountain Shifters Universe
Valentine Pride Trilogy, co-written with L.A. Boruff (paranormal shifter romance, completed series)
Magic and Meta
physics Academy Trilogy, co-written with L.A. Boruff (paranormal academy, completed series)
Mountain Shifters Standalones, co-written with L.A. Boruff (paranormal romance)
* * *
Audiobooks: www.authorlauragreenwood.co.uk/p/audio.html
About the Author
Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal and fantasy romance. When she's not writing, she can be found drinking ridiculous amounts of tea, trying to resist French Macaroons, and watching the Pitch Perfect trilogy for the hundredth time (at least!)
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Bite Of The Past (The Black Fan Book 1) Page 9