Page 68 of Blood Code

And that’s exactly what we did, though Severin hadn’t gotten far. Just as we left the gossips behind, Severin disappeared into the house.

We followed close behind and found him standing with the Morozovs and Maks in front of a TV that Nika had hooked up to a DVD player.

Old school.

They were far too focused on their task to notice us sneaking in behind them, which was bad form on their part, but it worked for me.

Bad form on their part, but it worked for me.

Although Neeve and I both possessed excellent sneaking skills, so I couldn’t fault them completely.

A message flashed across the black screen.

Severin, I dare you to find me, but in the meantime, why don’t I help you find your little ghost.

XOXO,

Damon Bayswim Locke.

His tree-of-life symbol accompanied the message.

And he’d signed off with an XOXO.

How dare he show Severin more affection? A silent laugh escaped me.

Now, Damon was an entertainer.

But my amusement evaporated when the next footage appeared.

Neeve was bound to a bed in an Order prison cell. It looked like a marathon day. One I remembered well.

Damon was taunting me—exposing me—fuck, perhaps I’d gone a little too far with the code I’d unleashed on him the other day.

Because this was retaliation.

“Oh God,” Neeve gasped. I clamped a hand over her mouth, but the commotion around us had already swallowed the sound.

Everyone in the room reacted, but Nika’s voice rose above them all.

“Oh my God, that’s Neeve,” she said, her voice horrified.

Chapter Nineteen

Xeniya Morozova

Age 25

Ten Years Ago

Screams echoed from the next room, and unfortunately, I wasn’t the one causing them.

Which meant either my target was responsible for causing the screaming, or he was the one being tortured.

He seemed like a little bitch, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if those high-pitched shrieks were coming from him.

Unfortunately, neither of my assumptions was correct.

I walked through the wall, only to find my target, Patrick Crowley, with his dick out, masturbating to what looked like a horror movie.