A powerful punch landed against Vitus’s cheek. For a moment he saw stars at the impact. Something warm ran along his face that he could only assume was blood.
Thrax jumped off him and tossed him with ease into the wall. He fell with a thud, the world around him spinning. Only one thing came into focus. The woman across the room.
“Please,” he said as he coughed blood up into his mouth. “Run, Grace.”
He grunted as Thrax kicked him.
It was nearly over now. Vitus could tell there was too much bleeding for him to take much more punishment.
“Stop!” Grace shouted.
Vitus struggled to keep his eyes open but heard her.
“Please,” she cried. “Please stop.”
Despite himself, Vitus sighed when her body leaned over him.
“You should have run,” he said to her.
Grace turned to look him in the face. “Not without you,” she said softly.
Vitus tried to turn away from her, but his strength was gone.
“You’ll die,” he said bitterly.
Grace straightened from where she sat and stared up at Thrax. “Then we die together.”
Chapter Nineteen
Grace’s words felt bigger than she actually felt inside, but she still held herself up strongly as she stared up at the giant red-eyed man. His face rested somewhere between rage and confusion. She only hoped the latter had won out.
“Move,” Thrax said to her. “You get hurt.”
She shook her head and leaned farther over Vitus, using her body as a shield despite how he tried to move her to the side. She had to make Thrax understand how serious she was.
“Not if you’re going to just kill him,” she said firmly. “If you kill him. You kill me.”
Something she’d seen before once again flashed over his face. A very human-like look came over him.
Thrax took a step back but continued to stare at her. It was clear that her words brought him pain. She knew he wanted her to want him, and she only hoped he could understand her own feelings.
Vitus struggled to sit upright, and she turned to him. His chest was bare, meaning it was easy to see the bruising and blood. She could see he wasn’t well, and if she didn’t get him out of there soon, it was very likely he would not make it long. Grace looked around the room for a way out and some means to leave quickly.
A slow clap filled the room. Grace frowned as she tried to figure out just where it was from. Hearing clapping was about the last thing she’d expected.
Over in the corner, a woman dressed in a white flowing one-piece romper stepped out of the darkness. A white stole was wrapped around her shoulders.
The pale blonde woman turned and stared directly at them. Half of her face curved into a smile.
Grace swallowed. Never in her life had she seen someone who had been so badly burned that their face looked like it had melted. For a moment, she felt pity for the woman.
“This is what you’ve been doing?” the woman shouted at Thrax. “Playing with the trash?”
Grace looked over to where Thrax stood, and despite what had happened, she couldn’t help feel a bit sorry for him at the harsh words.
“Thrax find mate,” he said firmly.
The woman turned and scoffed loudly. “She already has a mate,” she said loudly. “So she’s useless to me. Kill them both and end this farce.”
Grace’s heart hammered in her chest, and she glanced back to Vitus. He held a finger to his lips and weakly shook his head.
When Grace turned back to where Thrax was, he stared firmly at the woman.
“No,” Thrax said, and growled.
The woman’s perfect side of her face contorted to match the other side, rage clearly written on every aspect of her.
“What did you say to me?” the woman said.
Thrax frowned. “No, Agatha. No kill mate.”
Something warmed in Grace at his words. She’d been able to get through to him at least a little.
She watched as Agatha made her way over to where he stood. Despite the size difference, she could tell that Thrax was intimidated by the woman. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at his arm.
“You’ve let yourself be maimed,” she hissed. “You’re hardly any good to me now. I’ll give you one last chance. Kill them.”
Grace felt a tug around her waist as Vitus struggled to pull her over to where a few bales of hay were.
“Give me your hand,” he said quickly.
She frowned as she glanced over to where Agatha and Thrax stood staring one another down and handed Vitus her hand. Quickly he placed it against his tattoo, and a low hum filled her. She watched as it glowed.
“What—” she said.
He cupped a hand over her mouth. “Just be ready,” he said quietly.
Grace nodded as he took his hand from her mouth. She turned and peeked out around the hay.
“Kill them,” Agatha said again.
She gasped as Thrax reached out and lifted Agatha off the ground with his one good hand.
“No,” he roared. “Thrax kill Agatha.”
“Pathetic creature,” Agatha said, not a hint of fear on her face.
A chill swept through her as the woman smiled and pulled out a glowing blue stone.
“Time to go,” Vitus whispered.
Grace nodded and followed as he moved toward the door, but her eyes continued to stay on Thrax.
“I have all the power,” Agatha whispered. “You’re nothing. You’re a disposable tool.”
They had nearly reached the exit when she turned one last time and watched as Agatha placed the stone against the giant man’s chest.
Thrax dropped Agatha and let out a blood-curdling scream that would haunt Grace for the rest of her life.
“We have to save him,” she said, and started to move forward, but a massive arm wound around her middle.
Vitus shook his head. Grace struggled against his hold.
“There’s nothing to be done,” Vitus said against her ear. “He gave his life so we could escape.”
It was then that she spotted Thrax on the floor. His now blue eyes turned toward her, pleading for them to run.
“I’m sorry,” Grace whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
Vitus knew what was next. More than anything he wanted to spare her from watching, but as the blinding blue light filled the air, in horror, they watched as Thrax dissolved into a puddle on the floor.
Across the room Agatha cackled loudly. Her eyes locked onto his, and she grinned, like it was the most entertaining thing she’d seen in a while.
Time to go.
Grace sobbed against Vitus as he picked her up and ran. As fast as his battered body would let him, Vitus ran until they had reached the line of the dead forest. He knew it wasn’t far enough, but he had to place her on the ground.
The touch of his Vestal had helped give him enough strength to run, but it wasn’t enough to heal all his wounds so quickly.
Vitus fell to the ground. They may have escaped, but they weren’t safe yet, and he doubted he could move much further on his own.
Tears still ran down Grace’s cheeks as she dropped to the ground beside him.
“You need to run,” he said. “There’s a ranch down the road, past the hill. One of my people should be there. They will keep you safe.”
“Taylor’s boyfriend?”
Vitus nodded.
Grace shook her head, and Vitus wanted to release the beast. They had come so far, and yet it wasn’t enough.
Something rustled nearby, and he placed himself over her.
Relief washed over him when Rem and Joran stepped out of the woods, both holding guns.
“Here,” Joran called out.
Alec and Lucan stepped into view, also armed.
“You look like hell,” Rem said, and raised a brow.
He didn’t even have it in him to disagree. Vitus just nodded.
A loud hum suddenly filled the air, and a blue aura began t
o glow around the barn.
Joran helped Vitus to his feet. Vitus linked his hand with Grace’s.
“Agatha is using the stone,” he said firmly. “She used it on Thrax.”
Rem shook his head. “That would explain the forest. That woman is insane.”
The aura began to slowly grow.
“We need to move,” Vitus said.
Rem nodded. “We get to our asses to Taylor’s ranch.”
They made their way down the road. The blue dome stopped just at the dead forest. The barn door opened, and Vitus could just make out the form of a woman all in white as she watched them walk away.
Clearly the fight was over for the day, but Agatha had moved another piece on the chess board, keeping one step ahead of them.
Chapter Twenty
Grace sat on the floor after a long shift at the store and finished stocking the candy near the front with Tina’s help. Every now and again, she would find her mind wandering to the bizarre night just a few weeks before. She couldn’t help but think about where it all started, there in front of the store, and what she could have done differently to stop it all.
Even if Thrax had been a monster, he hadn’t deserved to be murdered by a madwoman who, from what Rem had explained to her, had taken his very life essence. Maybe even his soul. She shivered at the thought.
It had taken a lot of thinking, but she’d come to conclusion that there likely wasn’t anything she could have done.
Thrax had been acting on instinct. It was just what his nature was, and eventually things were going to end up the way they were.
Still, it didn’t stop it from hurting any less. Although he might have been the reason she was there to witness it, no being deserved to go out that way. Ever.
One thought kept also returning to Grace, as it concerned one of the few things she was certain about when it came to people like Agatha. If you play too close to the flame, you’ll eventually get burned. She’d already done this once and barely escaped. Grace doubted she would escape again.
At least luck had been on their side up to this point. Rem and the hybrids had been concerned about people spotting the dome and reporting it to the authorities. If they did that, the Horatius Group would likely come with their own army of monsters.
But nothing had changed after the blue dome went up. No one seemed to notice, which was likely because it was so far out that local town folk weren’t likely to venture that way in the winter. The closest ranch, Taylor’s, was run by a Vestal and a hybrid.
None of them were sure what would happen in the thaw, but, as mayor, Grace’s sister was looking into options. They weren’t long-term, but they would be a good temporary fix.
The new Glycon army Agatha was making was the real worry though. Already Rem was working with Anassa to find some way of combating them.
Although judging by his recent expressions, he wasn’t thrilled with her answer. What little exposure Grace to Anassa made her uneasy. Something about the creepy woman reminded her of Agatha.
“All done,” Tina said, and smiled down at her.
Grace nodded and stood to let the teen out the door.
She waved to the car parked outside waiting for her. Grace glanced down the quiet road.
People were feeling less worried now. There had been no incidents of animals being killed or taken. Most thought the “bear” that had reportedly attacked Vitus had likely moved on looking for better hunting grounds.
She snorted. Things were more dangerous than ever, but somehow the people in town felt safer. Grace knew they wouldn’t be able to keep all this secret for long. The townspeople would have to know and would likely have to take up arms to protect themselves.
There was no way in hell she was sacrificing the people there to Agatha. They deserved more. And when it come down to it, she knew they would choose the right path. The hybrids weren’t the enemy. Agatha was.
Warm arms wrapped around her middle.
“What are you doing here?” Vitus whispered in her ear. “Can’t that candy wait?”
She smiled. “Just thinking.” She sighed and leaned against his warm body.
He hummed, but it sounded more like a growl. “What about?”
Grace had been waiting for the right time to say something, but when you had a business, there was never really a right time for these sorts of things. Everything in her life was about to change. She’d thought it’d changed before, but this was a whole different level.
Heaving a deep sigh, she pulled a plastic stick from her pocket and held it up for him to see. She only hoped he understood what it meant. His arms stiffened around her, and she turned to look at him.
“You’re pregnant?” Vitus said.
Grace nodded. “I was late, and so I took a test,” she said softly. “I’m pregnant.”
For a moment she thought he might be upset until he grinned broadly down at her and lifted her in his arms, twirling her around. Grace laughed as he did so.
“You’re still not fully healed,” she said, and laughed. “Put me down, you maniac.”
Vitus placed her on the ground and pressed his mouth against hers. She sighed against his lips. When he’d pulled away, she was crying.
He reached down and swiped the tears.
“You’re not upset then?” she asked. Despite how Vitus was acting, she needed to hear the words.
He pulled her against his chest in a warm hug.
“I’m beyond happy,” he said. “I have a family and a place where I belong. It’s all I ever wanted.”
She smiled against his chest and wrapped her arms around him.
“Me too,” she whispered.
Through Vitus she had found a new life. It wasn’t one she was used to or without sorrow, but it was filled with love and joy. Two things she lacked before.
She snorted as one of his hands drifted a little lower to her ass.
“Maybe we should go in and celebrate,” he mumbled against her ear.
Grace shook her head. “Only you would want to celebrate that way.”
Vitus leaned back and stared down at her. She could already see the light blue glow behind his contacts.
“Seems like the best way to celebrate,” he said, and grinned.
Grace shook her head and pushed past the man. She turned when he didn’t follow and smiled. “Better lock the door if we’re going to really celebrate.” She winked.
A low growl came from him, and she giggled as he stepped inside.
“See?” Vitus said. “Best way to celebrate.”
Grace laughed as she made her way to the back room, ready to celebrate now and every day of their lives together, no matter what the future might bring.
A Note from Madison
Thank you for reading Vitus. If you enjoyed this book, please consider reviewing it. We authors live and die by reviews.
Please keep an eye out for the next book in the series, Joran.
You can join my mailing list at http://eepurl.com/OX9r5
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Author Bio
Madison currently lives with her husband and two children in the Valley of the Sun in Arizona. After leaving the frozen tundra of the north, she was more surprised than anyone with how much she has enjoyed living in the desert. Seeing as she stated on more than one occasion before moving to Arizona how much she hated heat, it was an odd move, but it seems her hatred for sub-zero temperatures and ice has won out in the end.
When she’s not writing, she’s enjoying time with her family. Madison and her family frequent festivals in the area, as well as local cultural events, and spend time with family in the area. In the summer, she is most likely to be found in the pool with the family and in the winter by the fireplace. Since both her children are autistic, days can be a little chaotic, but with her husband beside her, there’s nothing she can’t handle.
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