Chapter 132: Chapter 132
His soulmate’s eyes burned with determination, showing that he couldn’t change her mind, and perhaps it was better this way. If confronting the murderer of her parents would give her closure, then he would support her decision. She had already faced him before and apparently caused a lot of trouble—Ryder was proud of her development as a person and as a witch. She had cultivated her powers throughout the past months and conquered her fear of vampires, which had been her weakness. Ryder didn’t doubt she would become as strong as Grace in the future.
“Then we fight together.”
She hadn’t expected him to agree so easily, but when her green eyes collided with his red ones, she understood. He put his trust in her because he knew she was capable and strong. It gave her confidence another boost, so she showed him a grin.
“Perfect,” she hummed. “Let’s teach them a lesson they’ll never forget.”
Ryder nodded, his fangs digging into his lower lip. The more he thought about Louis and Jacob, the harder it was to rein in his instincts. The need to spill blood simply became too powerful, and the cries and shouts that reached his ears caused the beast within him to reawaken. A low growl rumbled in his throat. He would enjoy his revenge.
The group left the staircase and found themselves in a ravaged hallway. The once beautiful glass chandeliers lay shattered on the ground. Windows were broken, and furniture was smashed. Nothing had been left intact, not even the paintings on the walls. Further ahead, in the glow of the morning sun, Elena caught movement but merely made out blurred shadows. The vampires moved so fast that her inferior senses couldn’t keep up with the speed. It demonstrated how strong they were—perfect predators with barely any natural enemies that could keep up with them. She clenched her fists. Regardless of the glaring difference in physical strength, her resolve prevailed.
Ryder inhaled, hoping to catch a hint of Jacob’s scent. He would be able to recognize the smell that had lingered in the alley where his soulmate had disappeared. However, the air was layered with many different scents since the building was swarmed with people, and finding the one he searched for was difficult. But Ryder wouldn’t be Ryder if he didn’t succeed—there was a reason he was the best tracker of the clan.
“I got him. Follow me,” he muttered and walked in the direction where he suspected Jacob. The scent seemed fresh, so the vampire must have passed by not long ago, most likely a few minutes prior.
The clan let the witches and wizards walk in the center of the group as they made their way through the destroyed building. They crossed a large living area where several fights occurred simultaneously. The dead body of a vampire in the corner caught Elena’s eye, and she wondered if this one had been an ally or an enemy. It seemed like her neck had been broken. Elena looked away from the bizarre sight. It wasn’t long before Louis’s clan members noticed the group—and they didn’t like what they saw.
One broke away from his opponent and ran straight at Charles. “How dare you?” he screeched. “You can’t escape.”
Luckily, the wind wizard reacted in time. His magic flared up, and a sharp gust smashed into the vampire, slowing him considerably. Not having expected the attack, the vampire was caught off guard. It was the opportunity his opponent needed to gain the upper hand against him. The vampire had been fighting Declan—a trusted ally of Elena’s clan. Declan caught the vampire’s wrist, smashing his body straight through a window. Glass shards shot off in all directions, but Charles deflected them with a quick-witted use of his wind magic. Both vampires disappeared from view, but their fight wasn’t over. Elena heard them struggling outside in the garden. She wasn’t worried, though. Declan had injured his enemy severely, so he would likely soon put an end to the struggle…
“Hey,” someone yelled, his voice reaching through the chaos in the living area. Ryder’s gaze followed the sound, finding Harry in the corner behind several broken bookshelves and a coffee table that was cracked in the middle. The council member was covered in blood—it was hard to tell whether it was his or his enemy’s.
“Louis is in there. Get him before he makes a run for it,” he called and pointed to a large wooden door at the other end of the room, prompting his opponent to scream in anger.
“You won’t touch our leader.”
“Shut up,” Harry growled and stopped the vampire’s fist before it could collide with his jaw. “Go on, we’ll take care of the rest here,” he called to Ryder and Edgar.
“I’ll fucking kill you for this.”
“Finally, you’re getting serious,” Harry grinned and disappeared in a blur when he and his opponent exchanged more punches.
“Looks like they got everything under control here,” Edgar remarked and passed Ryder, stopping in front of the door—he heard voices from the other side, so he quietly reminded his clan to be cautious. Dorian and Chump positioned themselves near the door while the others formed a defensive line in front of the witches and wizards.
Elena was ready. The warmth of her magic pooled in her palms as her eyes drifted over Ryder’s wide shoulders to the door. Chump’s and Dorian’s powerful kicks damaged the wood. It splintered and gave in as easily as a straw when it was bent. The ensuing noise briefly drowned out the shouts that erupted inside the room.
“We got them,” Elena heard Alex utter. The heat of his magic prickled on her skin as it clashed with Belle’s icy aura—although the lack of proper nutrition had kept their powers weak, their combined magic would be a force to be reckoned with, Elena was convinced.
She steeled herself for the worst when she followed her clan into the lion’s den and counted more enemies than she had expected. Louis must have ordered his most trusted clan members to stay close to him while the rest had been instructed to defend the building.