Haven was possessedâa glimmer of evil in her eye that stole Kyanaâs breath as Haven leaped with ease behind a folding card table. Her mouth spread into a grin Kyana had never seen before. The grin of a madwoman.
âGoing to take me home, Kyana?â Her blue eyes were blackened with malice and as she spoke, her eerily long fangs caressed her bottom lip. âAnd to think I was just about to say good-bye to Daddy.â
She couldnât pull her gaze away from Haven to look at the man who had, apparently, sired her before Kyana. As she moved toward the table, Rykerâs hand held steady on the small of her back. Unwilling to risk him restraining her when she found her moment to pounce, she brushed his touch away.
âWhy would you hurt your father, Haven? You donât want to do this. This isnât you.â She held out her hand. âCome with me, please. I can help you.â
Haven cracked her knuckles and licked her lips. âWhy would I want to hurt him? Do you want to tell them, Dad?â
When the man did nothing but whimper, she continued. âHe beat me every day until my mother finally got me out of here. His perversion took my innocence and stole Hopeâs life. He killed her, and Iâm not leaving till I taste his heart beating in my throat.â
She glared down at her father. âItâs okay, Kyana. Heâd like to see Mama and Hope again before the shadows drag his sorry ass to Hell, wouldnât you, Daddy?â
No, no, no . If Haven acted on her impulses right now, sheâd never be able to live with herself once sheâd been purged and made right again.
Retribution made some stronger, gave them purpose and direction, but for someone kind and compassionate like Haven, it would slowly eat away at her soul until there was nothing left. It would steal the last of her humanity, and Kyana would lose her forever to Cronos.
âHaven, you donât want to do this,â she repeated. âWhereâs the trident?â
Sheâd hoped the reminder of her bigger task might pull Haven from the intent to kill. She was wrong. Haven ignored her and dove over the table, rolling across the floor and popping back onto her feet just inches away from her semiconscious father.
âGet him out of here,â she growled at Silas before diving over the counter and knocking Haven off her feet.
Haven crouched on the floor and hissed. âWhen Iâve given him a taste of what itâs like to be beaten until you canât think without hurting, Iâll finish him off. Then itâs your turn.â
âI canât let you do this, Haven.â
She threw back her head and laughed. âYou donât get a say. Because of you, Iâm not bound by honor anymore.â
Havenâs gaze shifted. Kyana didnât need to look to know Ryker had moved behind her. That likely he was standing guard to allow Silas to get the human out of the trailer.
Haven bared her teeth. âDonât push your luck, Ryker. I donât give a shit what you are. You try to stand in my way and Iâll kill you too.â
âYou can try,â Ryker said, his voice so low and deadly that it caused the fine hairs on Kyanaâs neck to stand up.
For an instant, she wondered if Haven was out of control enough to attack Ryker. Haven knew what he was capable of, had to know that attacking him would be suicide. Kyana didnât have to wait long to find out. When he stepped around her, Havenâs roar of outrage rattled the dirty windows and she threw herself at him. Rykerâs eyes swirled bloodred.
He was going to kill her.
âNo!â Kyana roared, launching herself at her best friend. Her sister.
They crashed to the floor. Haven wiggled out from under her and charged again, but Kyana caught her ankle and pulled. Haven hit the floor with a bone-rattling thud.
Behind them, she heard Silas shuffling Havenâs father out the door, and glanced up to