Chapter 46 The Escape Begins
Lyra's POV
The bullets hang frozen in the air, suspended by power I didn't know I had.
Through our triple bond, I feel Kaelen's shock and Stella's wonder. We're doing this together—sharing hybrid abilities through our connection.
"Impossible," Corbin breathes.
"Nothing's impossible when you have family," I say.
Then I release the bullets. But instead of continuing toward us, they reverse direction—flying back toward the people who fired them.
Chaos erupts. Humans and vampires dive for cover as their own weapons betray them.
"Run!" Kaelen grabs Mrs. Chen, breaking her restraints. "Everyone out!"
We sprint for the cathedral exit. Behind us, Corbin screams orders, but his alliance is already falling apart. Humans blame vampires for the reversed bullets. Vampires blame humans. They're fighting each other now instead of us.
Good.
We burst into the street. Kaelen's car is where we left it.
"Get in!" he shouts.
But as we approach, figures step from the shadows. More vampires. More humans. This isn't over.
"Go!" I shove Stella toward Vivienne. "Get her out of here!"
"Lyra—"
"Now!"
Vivienne doesn't argue. She grabs Stella and Mrs. Chen, pulling them toward a different car.
Kaelen and I stand back-to-back, facing at least twenty attackers.
"Together?" he asks.
"Together."
We fight with everything we have. His ancient strength combined with my hybrid power. Every move synchronized through the bond. We're magnificent and desperate and probably going to die.
A blade slashes my arm. Pain explodes. Through the bond, Kaelen feels it and roars with rage, killing the vampire who hurt me.
But there are too many. We're being overwhelmed.
"Enough!" A new voice cuts through the battle.
Everyone freezes.
Morgana, the First Vampire, materializes in the center of the street. She looks at the assembled extremists with disappointment that feels worse than anger.
"You dare attack the bridge-makers in my presence?"
The extremists pale. Even Corbin looks terrified.
"First Vampire," he stammers. "We were just—"
"Destroying the future I commanded you to build." Her ancient eyes sweep across them. "I gave you one order: coexist. You chose chaos instead."
She raises her hand, and half the extremists collapse—not dead, but unconscious. Removed from the fight with a thought.
"The rest of you, choose now. Accept the new world, or join Thaddeus in oblivion."
One by one, weapons lower. Extremists back away. Even Corbin retreats, knowing he can't fight a being this ancient.
When they're gone, Morgana turns to us.
"You're learning to use the bond," she observes. "Good. You'll need that strength for what's coming."
"What's coming?" Kaelen asks.
"War. Not between vampires and humans, but between those who accept change and those who fear it." Her expression is grave. "This was just the beginning. More will come. Stronger. Angrier."
My heart sinks. "So this never ends?"
"All wars end eventually. But this one will cost more than you can imagine." She touches my shoulder gently. "Rest while you can. Build your strength. Because in three months, the real battle begins."
She vanishes, leaving us standing in the wreckage.
Kaelen finds me in our room that night, unable to sleep.
"You should rest," he says softly.
"I can't. Every time I close my eyes, I see more fighting. More death." I look at him. "Is this our life now? Running and fighting forever?"
"I don't know." He sits beside me. "But I know we face it together."
Through the bond, I feel his exhaustion matching mine. We're both so tired.
"Kaelen?" I lean against his shoulder. "Do you ever regret it? The marking? Everything that happened?"
"No." His answer is immediate. "You gave me a reason to care again. Made me remember what it feels like to have family. I'd choose this—choose you—a thousand times over."
"Even with all the danger?"
"Especially with the danger. Because it means you're worth fighting for."
We sit in silence, drawing strength from each other's presence.
Then my phone buzzes. A message from an unknown number.
"Three months. Morgana said three months. She was optimistic. We're coming for you in three days. Every extremist, human and vampire, united by hatred of what you represent. Sleep well, bridge-maker. These are your last peaceful nights."
Below the message is an image that stops my heart.
It's Vivienne. Stella. Mrs. Chen. Ashcroft. Everyone I love.
With red crosshairs over their faces.
And the caption: "We can't kill you. So we'll kill everyone you care about. Starting with the child."
I show Kaelen the message, and through the bond, I feel his rage ignite.
"They're targeting Stella," I whisper.
"Then we move her. Tonight. Somewhere even I don't know, so I can't accidentally reveal the location."
"That won't stop them—"
"No. But it buys time." His mercury eyes meet mine. "Three days. We have three days to prepare for a war we can't win."
"What do we do?"
"We do what we've always done. Fight. Survive. Protect each other." He takes my hand. "And we do it together."
Through the window, I see the first rays of dawn breaking.
Three days.
Just three days until every extremist in the city comes for my family.
I should be terrified. Helpless.
Instead, I feel my hybrid power stirring. My bond with Kaelen strengthening. My connection to Stella glowing brighter.
They want to destroy us for being different.
We'll show them exactly how dangerous "different" can be.
Somewhere in the city, extremists are planning our deaths.
But they're about to learn something important:
You don't threaten a hybrid's family and expect to survive.
The war is coming.
And this time, we're ready.