Page 34 of Fractured Fate

Medication side effects? Maybe.

Overactive imagination because of my interests? Not out of the realm of possibility.

Heatstroke? Highly likely.

Her mind whirled with possible reasons to explain what she saw, ignoring the obvious need to accept reality.

She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the mental image of the look of pain on the young guy’s face from the alley.

Why didn’t he ask for help?

Not that she could have done much, but usually someone cried for help when attacked, not thought of the other person’s safety.

She would have called out for help.

Her mind kept trying to rationalize what happened and find a logical explanation.

One thing she knew for certain: if she found herself face to face with one again, she wouldn’t stop and stare. She wouldn’t hesitate to run.

It was one thing to read about it, but discovering the truth was a whole different ballgame.

In the shadows, far more sinister things lurked than creepy stalkers. Vampires existed, and tonight, they snuffed out an innocent life without restraint.

8

SLEEPLESSNESS

The heavy double doors separating the throne room from the rest of Blackthorn Manor splintered. The shrill alarm that followed threatened to make Aiden’s eardrums bleed. His preternatural healing would repair the damage, but the sudden shock made his head reel.

Chaos erupted around him.

Dozens of rogue Vasirian charged down the long hallways, weapons in hand. Somehow, rogues had breached the security of the manor and were headed straight for them.

King Adrian rose to his feet, the vein at his temple standing out in a clear sign of his rage at the intrusion into their sanctum.

“Clear the area!” he shouted. “Take the side doors and head toward the staff quarters. Libby, show them where to go. Quickly!” He pivoted when a tall woman dressed like the servants of the manor approached him. “Where is my security detail?” The unmasked ferocity in his bellow made her spine straighten.

Libby turned to the Blackthorn Academy group. “Hurry! Quickly!”

As they followed her at a run toward a side door, Lukas covered Blaire’s ears to protect her human eardrums. If the alarm had shocked his system, Aiden couldn’t imagine how difficult it was for her to endure. Headmistress Velastra, Seth, and Riley followed as the shouting grew louder.

Aiden glanced back. A couple of rogues were converging on them. If he didn’t do something, they wouldn’t all make it through the door before the rogues stopped them.

His eyes met his little sister Riley’s. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

“Get her out of here,” he snapped, his gaze connecting with Seth’s.

He pushed Riley into Seth’s arms and pulled the door closed as her screams of protest filtered through the door.

“What? No! Don’t you leave him!”

Swallowing down the emotion bubbling up in his throat, he turned from the door to face the incoming attack. He hoped this wasn’t the last time he would see his family.

His eyes flew open, and he took in huge swallows of air, trying to resurface from the miasma that held his mind captive.

Sitting up and pushing the covers away from him, he drew his knees up and propped his elbows on them. He held his face with trembling hands. Sweat ran in rivulets down his temples from his damp hair.

After taking a moment to compose himself, he turned on the lamp on his bedside table. Light flooded the room, and he took a breath when the familiar sights of his dorm came into focus.