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Chapter 16 - IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

"No," Adrian said immediately. "Absolutely not. You are not trading me for hostages."

"I'm not planning to," Kieran said, but his eyes were calculating. "But we need a strategy. We can't fight them all head-on—there are too many. And we can't let those villagers die."

"So we create a distraction," Adrian said. "I'll go out there—"

"Absolutely not."

"Let me finish! I'll go out there with a tracker or something, lead them away from the monastery. You and Marcus can circle around, free the hostages, then come get me before Viktor does whatever creepy ritual he's planning."

Kieran looked at him like he'd suggested they strip naked and dance. "That's possibly the worst plan I've ever heard."

"Do you have a better one?"

Silence.

"Exactly," Adrian said. "Look, I know you've spent a thousand years waiting for me, but I'm not going to let innocent people die because of me. That's not who I am. That's not who Elias was either."

Kieran's jaw clenched. "You're right. Elias would have said the exact same thing. Which is why he died."

The words hung heavy between them.

"Kieran," Adrian said softly, taking his hand. "I'm not planning to die. I'm planning to be bait long enough for you to save those people. Then you come get me, we take down Viktor, and we figure out our incredibly complicated relationship without a vampire army breathing down our necks."

"I can't lose you again," Kieran whispered. "I won't survive it a second time."

Adrian stood on his toes and kissed him gently. "Then don't let him catch me. Easy."

"Nothing about this is easy."

"But you'll do it anyway, because it's the right thing." Adrian smiled. "That's the Kieran I remember. The boy who hated his father's cruelty, who wanted to build a better world."

Kieran closed his eyes. "I hate that you're right."

"Get used to it."

Two hours later, as false dawn painted the sky purple, Adrian walked out of the monastery alone.

Hidden in his jacket pocket was a tracker. Strapped to his chest under his shirt was a tiny camera so Kieran could see everything. And tucked into his boot was a silver knife that Kieran swore would buy him a few seconds if things went wrong.

"There he is," Viktor purred as Adrian descended the steps. Up close, the Russian vampire was even more beautiful—and more unsettling. His eyes were too bright, his smile too sharp. "The famous reincarnation. You look nothing like the paintings."

"Yeah, well, a thousand years will do that," Adrian said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Let's get this over with."

"Eager. I like that." Viktor circled him like a predator. "Did Kieran tell you what you are? What your blood can do?"

"Something about resurrecting old vampires. Sounds messy."

Viktor laughed. "Such spirit! Yes, your blood carries the echo of death and return. Very rare. Very powerful. The old lords—the ones who ruled in the shadows before we were forced to hide—can be brought back with it. And then, we'll take our rightful place again."

"Rightful place? You mean terrorizing humanity?"

"I mean ruling it. As we were meant to." Viktor grabbed Adrian's chin, forcing him to meet those too-bright eyes. "Humans are cattle. Food. And I'm tired of pretending otherwise."

Adrian jerked away. "You're insane."

"Perhaps. But I'll be an insane god soon enough." Viktor snapped his fingers. "Bring him."

Vampire hands grabbed Adrian, cold and impossibly strong. They dragged him toward a waiting car, and Adrian let them, watching the tracker count down on the hidden screen in his pocket.

Come on, Kieran. Don't be late.

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