Chapter 33 · The Second Mark

The camera's already rolling when I walk in.

I can see the red light on the studio rig Marcus set up in the corner of the safe house. He's got his laptop open, streaming to every vampire council feed and hunter network he could crack. Said if I'm gonna do this, I do it where everyone's watching at once. No edits. No takebacks.

Karl's on his knees in the center of the room. Chains again. Silver this time, the kind that smoke when they touch his skin. Eli's standing behind him, one hand on Karl's shoulder like he's posing for a family portrait. The other hand's holding a blade. Short, black, the edge lined with something that glows faint red.

Blood iron. Marcus told me about it. Melted down from old execution stakes. One cut and a vampire's healing shuts off for good.

"Amy." Eli's voice is pleasant. He's smiling. "I'm so glad you could join us. We were just discussing your options."

I don't look at him. I look at Karl.

His head's down. There's blood on his jaw, fresh, and his shirt's torn open across the ribs.