Once Bitten, Twice Burned

“I can change anytime I want.” Malcolm jumped forward, moving lightning-fast. His claws wrapped around Cassie’s neck and he hauled her against him. “I told you, I made them. My blood. Genesis wanted to play with genetics and mutations, but before they even started experimenting on humans, they first played with me.”

And his brother had become even more of a monster.

“Old Man Wyatt tried to punch up the vampire evolution.” Malcolm’s hold tightened on Cassie. “The scientists understood what I could be. How strong. How deadly. But I could change back, any f**king time I wanted.”

From the corner of his eye, Ryder saw Sabine crouch and pick up a chunk of wood.

Vaughn was still screaming. Snarling.

“After they experimented on the humans, they realized—too late—that they couldn’t change back.” He bent his head and licked Cassie’s neck. She held herself statue-still within his arms, eyes stricken and terrified. “They couldn’t do anything because they weren’t strong enough. They weren’t like me.”

Or me. Ryder realized as he stared at Malcolm. No wonder Richard Wyatt had been so desperate for his blood. Malcolm’s blood had sent the test subjects straight to hell. Richard must have thought that an infusion of blood from the first vampire—untainted blood—could help them.

He’d been wrong, so Richard’s only option had been . . .

Ryder’s gaze jumped to Sabine. She’d hidden the stake behind her back.

The tears of a phoenix.

“I made my army,” Malcolm said, as he looked up to smirk at Ryder. “One victim at a time. I controlled the humans. Even from inside my prison at Genesis, I sent the humans out to find vampires who would aid me.”

Vamps who would be willing to turn on me. Ryder stared back at his brother and didn’t allow any emotion to show on his face.

“When my army was strong enough, when I knew Genesis had you,” Malcolm continued, “I escaped.”

By acting like a victim. By using Cassie.

He hadn’t realized his brother was such a damn good actor.

“I’ve been wanting to taste you for a while,” Malcolm muttered as his mouth lowered near Cassie’s throat once more. “There were always too many cameras on us. Too many watching you so closely.”

Ryder saw Cassie’s eyes. The fear faded and gave way to . . . satisfaction? But when Cassie spoke, her voice trembled. “Don’t,” she said. “Please.”

Maybe his brother wasn’t the only good actor in the room.

Malcolm sank his fangs into her throat.

Sabine screamed and ran forward, with her stake clutched tightly in her hands. “Leave her alone! No more! No more!”

But Ryder grabbed Sabine around the waist and hauled her back. He held her against his chest.

She didn’t need to save Cassie. Malcolm was already shoving the doctor away and trying to spit out her blood.

His claws retracted. His mouthful of fangs vanished.

“Surprise, surprise,” Cassie said, her voice sad. “I’m not what you thought, either, bastard.”

Malcolm stared at her with horror blazing in his eyes. Blood dripped from his chin.

And then he fell to the floor, his body frozen, apparently stone-cold dead.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ryder’s hands were like steel bands around Sabine’s stomach. Her neck ached and fury clawed at her gut.

And Malcolm was dead?

“You’re like Richard Wyatt.” Ryder’s voice came out, low and deadly, from behind her.

Cassie gave them a sad smile, even as her gaze dipped back to Malcolm’s still figure. “No, Richard’s blood contained a diluted poison. Mine is much more potent, as you can see.”

Poison? In the woman’s blood? What the hell was going on there?

Sabine tried to pull free. Ryder just held her tighter.

“I made sure that Malcolm never got my blood while we were in Genesis.” Now Cassie’s voice sounded sad. “Because I thought I could help him. I knew if he tasted so much as a sip . . .”

“He’d be dead,” Ryder finished.

She nodded slowly and said, “I wanted to save him. Genesis had already hurt so many, killed them.” Her chin lifted. “I’m truly trying to make amends.”

Yeah, well, good luck with that. Sabine stilled in Ryder’s arms. “Some things can never be fixed.”

Cassie’s stare turned to Sabine. The woman’s eyes were green. A familiar green. The same shade as Richard Wyatt’s eyes. “No,” Cassie sighed out the word. “They can’t.”