Chapter 47: Chapter 47

EVIE

I flicked on the TV, aimlessly surfing through channels as I waited for Noah to come back. Sawyer was in the living room, giving me some room to digest the whirlwind of events. The idea that Noah’s dad could conspire against us was hard to swallow.

But Russell coming after us? That, I could believe.

A sudden noise outside my window startled me, and I hopped off the bed. I stared at the window, considering whether to call Sawyer. I chuckled at my own paranoia.

“Pull yourself together, Everleigh,” I muttered to myself.

I was just letting my imagination run wild, fueled by the conspiracy theories Noah and I had cooked up earlier. I shook my head, dismissing my fears, and settled back on the bed.

I should’ve trusted my gut.

A shadowy figure burst through my window, eerily silent. I leapt off the bed, my scream stifled by a cold hand clamping over my mouth.

“Hush, little human, we wouldn’t want to cause a scene,” a spine-chilling voice whispered in my ear.

I shivered, feeling the icy grip on my wrist.

“Unless you fancy being my dinner, I suggest you come quietly,” the man threatened.

I managed to get a glimpse of his face—fangs jutting out from his mouth and red irises dominating his pupils. A vampire. I knew nothing about real-world vampires. For all I knew, they could be immune to garlic and holy water, sparkle in sunlight, and shrug off a wooden stake like it was a splinter.

My resistance drained away as I surrendered to my captor. I reached out to Noah with all my might, hoping he could sense my fear and come to my rescue. I cursed my inability to mind-link.

“There’s a good girl, let’s go,” the vampire cooed, pushing me out the window.

I shut my eyes as we plummeted from the balcony, falling four stories. He held me tight, and before I knew it, we had landed. He dragged me toward the bayou and tossed me into an airboat waiting in the swamp.

He bound my hands and feet, blindfolded me, and gagged me while someone else steered the boat.

“You’re off to meet the vampire king, little human,” the man announced once he was sure I was securely tied down on the boat floor.

Just my luck.

***

The journey to the vampire king—or whoever he was—felt endless. I remained bound and gagged even after we disembarked. I knew we had entered a building when the ground beneath my feet changed to a hard, stone-like surface. I heard the creaking of metal gates and the clinking of chains.

Eventually, I was thrown forward. I tripped and landed face-first, unable to break my fall with my bound hands. I felt the ropes around my hands and feet being cut, the gag yanked from my mouth, and the blindfold removed. I blinked against the darkness, taking in my surroundings. I was in a small prison cell. My kidnapper stood on the other side of the cage door.

“Your alpha was so suspicious of our offer, I thought getting to you would be more difficult.” The vampire smirked, his sharp fangs glinting in the moonlight filtering through the wall cracks.

“Who are you?” I demanded, speaking for the first time.

“I’m Gabriel, the crowned prince,” he replied smugly.

This was one of the vampires Noah had met.

“What do you want?” I shouted.

“I just want to see that pathetic pup overthrown. My father, the vampire king, wants to see him suffer and beg for death. Then, my father will kill him and appoint a new alpha who will obey the vampire king. With the werewolves under our control, we will overthrow the Council and seize power for ourselves.”

This vampire was living in a fantasy.

“And how is kidnapping me going to achieve that?” I retorted, rolling my eyes.

“You’re incredibly naive, even for a human,” Gabriel scoffed. “Without you, the alpha will crumble. He’ll be weak and vulnerable. We’ll easily infiltrate his pack and finish him off.”

A wave of nausea washed over me at the mere thought of anyone laying a finger on ~my~ Noah. But I had to admit, this monster was onto something. Noah would be devastated when he discovered my absence. He’s confessed to me before that without my presence, he and Remi would spiral out of control.

“Noah won’t rest until he finds me. This will only ignite his determination, not diminish it.” I shot a defiant look at the vampire, my hands gripping the icy metal bars, praying with all my might that I was right.

“You don’t even believe that yourself,” Gabriel taunted, his smirk the last thing I saw before he vanished into the shadows.

“Noah, I love you.” I sobbed into my palms, reaching out to him, pleading with the universe for him to somehow hear me.