Free Vengeance (The Captive Series, Book 6) by Erica Stevens Page A

chance to escape,” she murmured.
    Pallas glanced at her before focusing on the street again. “If you’re caught…”
    “We can’t stay here and do nothing,” she whispered. “I think they’re going to kill those of us who don’t join them no matter what. I’m more concerned about what will happen to all of you when they realize I’m gone.”
    “We’ll be fine,” Abbott replied. “There’s no reason to worry about us.”
    “They may throw you in jail because of me.”
    “That’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
    “Abbott…”
    “You’re right, Tempest. They’re either going to integrate us, or they’re going to kill us, and I refuse to stand here and take it. I’ll go if you don’t. We have the cloak,” he reminded her. “It will help one of us to blend in with them.”
    “You’re not fully matured yet,” she reminded him.
    Throwing back his shoulders, his green eyes burned with determination when they met hers. “I don’t care. I’m not going down without a fight, not like those other saps out there.” He waved his hand at the window and the vampires walking by. “It’s like they’re brainwashed or something. Besides that’s a big part of the point, I’m not mature yet, and neither are the other children here. I know you’ve noticed that there were no children with them when they entered this town.”
    She had, she’d just been hoping the children hadn’t noticed. She should have known that detail wouldn’t have slipped by them; they were far too astute not to have noticed. Whatever was going on out there, it didn’t include anyone who wasn’t strong enough to fight.
    She liked to believe the children in the towns the invading group had already passed through were all safe and sound, but she couldn’t bring herself to buy that lie. These vampires were ruthless. They were also trying to work under the radar and not draw attention to themselves until they were ready for their presence to be known.
    They wouldn’t be recruiting in her little town, in the middle of nowhere, if they were ready to reveal themselves yet. They definitely wouldn’t take the chance of leaving behind any survivors who could tell the tale of what they’d seen.
    “The people in town are scared,” Pallas whispered. “That’s why they’re joining them.”
    “They’re not even putting up a fight,” Abbott protested hotly.
    Tempest rested her hands on his shoulders to calm him. “No one understands what is going on. They don’t know what to do or where to turn.”
    “I know, but we can’t stand by and do nothing, like they are.”
    She focused on the few straggling vampires still moving down the road. “There may be others trying to do something. That’s most certainly the reason why some of them are in the stocks and in jail, but we can’t talk to each other about it.”
    Down the road, she saw the doors of the hotel open. She couldn’t see what was going on over the sea of heads, but the murmuring voices of the crowd ceased abruptly. Tempest’s hands fell from Abbott’s shoulders as they all stepped closer to the window. She fought the urge to press her nose against the glass in order to get a better look, but it wouldn’t do anything to help her view.
    “Hello everyone.” A man’s clear voice traveled down the street and carried with it an air of confidence and authority. She placed her hands against the window and craned her head to try and see better. “Thank you all for joining us here tonight and for your unwavering support toward our mission. For helping to fix the wrongs this new regime has placed upon vampires by forcing us to deny our true nature. When the one true queen is restored to the throne, vampires will once again know their rightful position in this world.”
    Abbott glanced at her, but she didn’t look at him as the mob pushed closer to the hotel. The excitement of the crowd pulsated out in waves so fierce she could feel the vibrations of it against her