Chapter 476: Kill Us All

Music Recommendation For this Chapter : Winter has come - Ramin Djawadi

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Violet was on fire.

Whatever Henry had done to her, it felt like venom rushing through her bloodstream at the speed of light. Her heart was pounding so loudly she could hear the blood roaring in her ears.

She was screaming now—shouting at the top of her lungs, clawing at her skin as if a thousand fire ants were crawling all over her. She was being burned from the inside out, and she wanted it to stop.

Something was happening to her. Something awful.

It was tearing her apart, shredding her from within like it wanted to break free.

Maybe she needed to let it out.

Maybe she needed to be free.

"Violet?!" Griffin shouted, starting forward, but Micah blocked him with a firm arm.

"Don’t!" he snapped. "Mate or not, she’s unraveling right now."

"What do you mean by that?"

Micah pointed to the ground. "You look at that and tell me!"

Griffin’s eyes dropped and froze. The earth where Violet had been lying had blackened like scorched coal. Worse, it was spreading, creeping outward in every direction. They had to take several steps back just to stay clear.

Pulses of light twisted beneath Violet’s skin, flickering erratically like lightning trapped in a glass jar. With each scream she let out, the creeping darkness expanded, withering everything in its path. A small patch of vegetation near her blackened in seconds and disintegrated into ash.

Not only that, Violet herself was starting to glow. The pulses were intensifying, radiating brighter and faster.

"She’s going to explode!"

"She’s going to kill us!"

Asher and Micah said at the same time, exchanging wide-eyed looks.

"Whatever’s happening to her, she’s not in control," Micah said, his voice tight with concern. "We need to get out of here."

"And leave her here alone?" Griffin said in disbelief. The growl that came from Roman’s throat showed he agreed.

Micah snarled back. "Right now, Violet is more dangerous to us than she is to herself. Whoever’s standing near her when that energy explodes is the real sorry one." He added in a low, mocking voice, "You’re her mate. Maybe you’ll survive. Maybe not."

Griffin’s face twisted with conflict. Micah’s words stung because they were true. He knew what it meant to lose control, to hurt people. If Violet harmed someone she loved, even by accident, she’d never forgive herself.

"Then what about her?" Roman suddenly snapped. "What happens if she’s hurt?"

He didn’t look at Micah this time. His eyes were locked on Adele and Alaric, the brains, and the ones who were supposed to have the answers.

But neither of them answered. Adele’s eyes were filled with helpless concern while Alaric swallowed hard, his eyes traveling back to Violet’s glowing, writhing body.

That silence broke something in Roman.

"I’m getting her out of here!" he barked.

"No, Roman!"

"Don’t!"

They lunged to stop him only for a bullet to slice through the air and hit Roman in the leg. He howled in pain, dropping hard to one knee as blood spilled down his calf.

"Do these cockroaches never die?!" Asher roared. His claws burst out as he charged forward, fury and frustration flashing in his eyes.

They had been found. Again.

More armed men were stepping out of the treeline. The fight was far from over.

"No, no, this is not the time for this," Micah groaned, running his hand down his face.

He should be in his place back at the academy, chilling and not giving a damn about others. But lo, here he was, trying to save these teenage boys from dying.

He eyed his sister, Violet, who only blazed brighter with each heartbeat, the glow beneath her skin turning dangerously unstable.

But it was too late. The boys had already run into battle, claws out and fury unleashed. Only Adele remained behind, focused on Roman, her hands glowing as she worked to heal him.

Even they had to move back when the spreading darkness slithered closer, devouring the earth inch by inch.

Griffin didn’t hold back.

He launched into the air like a beast unleashed, vengeance blazing in his eyes. The first mercenary barely had time to shoot before Griffin crashed into him with brutal force.

Then he lifted the man up, his scream splitting the night as Griffin pulled him apart like tissue paper. Intestines spilled to the ground and Griffin didn’t stop until the man was split clean in two, blood spilling on him like showers.

Meanwhile, Asher ducked, swerved, and twisted through the gunfire, dancing between them as if he were untouchable.

He got in close and punched the first man, sending him sprawling.

The second mercenary raised his gun, but Asher was already moving, ducking under the barrel and driving his claws straight into the man’s kneecap. The bone crunched loudly causing the mercenary to fall with a strangled cry. Asher raked his claws across the man’s chest mercilessly, blood spurting in thick arcs.

A sharp gunshot cracked behind him and Asher leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the next round. In a blur, he reached the shooter and delivered a punishing strike that shattered the man’s mask completely. Their eyes met.

Asher grabbed him by the collar. "Find the others. Kill them all. Don’t stop until they’re dead. Then kill yourself."

The man’s pupils dilated. Numbly, he nodded and took off to carry out the command.

As for Alaric, he was drained and could no longer summon his lightning. But that didn’t stop him. He snatched a fallen gun beside him, and got to work.

Alaric had always had a thing for precision, hence his aim was lethal. Just one squeeze of the trigger, and a sharp yelp echoed as his bullet found its target. And just like that, he took them out one after the other.

Blood coated the forest floor, but none of them cared. They had brought the fight to their doorstep, now they’d be the ones to finish it.