Oops. Guess Ben had skipped that part of the lesson.

“Carmen, no!”

“¡Pinche cabrón!” she screamed a second before she fired.

Carlos arched back and dropped the girl when the shock hit him. There was a second that time seemed to stand still as Baojia leapt toward her, then the earth around her exploded and everything went black.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“No!” Baojia screamed into the night as Carwyn carried Natalie’s body out of the cave. They were still digging up Carmen and the other girls. “No. You promised, Natalie. You can’t die. Tenzin!”

Carwyn laid her gently on the ground. Her pculse was weak and irregular, her face pale. A root had pierced her side and hot blood spilled onto the ground. Tenzin knelt beside her and pressed a cloth to her side.

“She can be saved,” the wind immortal said, looking at Baojia. “I can get her to the healers, and they can save her life.”

“Are you sure?” He bared his fangs as he spoke.

“Nothing is sure.”

“Then change her. Turn her now.”

Tenzin shook her head. “She does not want this. I know she doesn’t.”

“I tried to give her time, but she doesn’t have it. Turn her.” He felt Carwyn put a hand on his shoulder. “Do it, Tenzin!”

“Baojia,” the priest said quietly, “she does not want this. Let Tenzin take her to a hospital. Let the doctors save her mortal life.”

“She is not your woman!” he roared, punching Carwyn back as he knelt beside Natalie and took her hand. His eyes met Tenzin’s over the limp form of the human woman who had become the center of his world. He bit his lip and made the bargain that had been teasing the back of his mind. The deal he knew the other vampire would never pass up.

“Take her to the hospital, Tenzin. As fast as you can. And let them heal her.” Tenzin moved to go, but he grabbed her wrist. “But if they cannot…”

Tenzin raised one eyebrow in curiosity. “What?”

“I will not live without her. You and your friends face something far larger than any of this. If she lives—however she lives—I am yours in any fight. I give you my word. You will call on me, and I will answer you. But know this.” His voice dropped to a low growl. “I will not live without her.”

He saw Tenzin’s mouth quirk up and the dark satisfaction gleam in her eyes. Then she lifted Natalie from the ground and disappeared into the night.

A cold resolve filled Baojia’s chest as he stood and walked toward the tunnel where he had kissed Natalie the last time. Where she had lain in his arms. Where she had been safe. For a little while, he had made her safe.

“Where are you going?” Carwyn ran after him.

“The keys to the car are in my backpack. Get out of here and get all of them to safety. Use your amnis to get across the border, but leave Mexico as quickly as you can. The cartel cannot know we were here. The bodies will burn up in the morning, so don’t worry about that. They can think what they like about the cars. Take the girls to Tulio’s. Beatrice will know how to find him.”

“Baojia!”

He stopped for a moment, but did not turn. The rain poured over his skin, but it brought no comfort. “Or destroy my car. Sink it in the desert if you want and tunnel north. But leave quickly.”

“Where are you going? She’s going to live. I’ve seen many injuries of that kind, and I know—”

“I really can’t talk, Carwyn.” He wiped the mud from his face, enjoying the scrape of grit as it raised blood along his cheek. It made him feel—just for a second—not quite as dead inside. “I need to go kill my brother now.”

The rain might have been pouring, but the casino was still busy, even at two in the morning. Baojia left the tunnel Tulio had dug and walked across the parking lot, past the tour buses and pickup trucks. He walked into the entry, not pausing when the human security guards came toward him. He saw them speaking into their headsets in mild panic, but they did not try to stop him. He did not . He didstop at the odd looks the patrons gave the shirtless man, dripping with mud and traces of blood painted across his chest. They backed away but said nothing. Baojia looked up at each and every security camera he passed, willing the machines he had installed to transmit his image to the vampire he had come to kill. Willing the cold terror to enter his brother’s heart.

He walked past the slot machines. Past the bar. Past each and every human, not caring what they thought. Were his fangs visible?

He didn’t care about that, either. That, he decided, was Rory’s mess. Not that Rory was going to be alive to clean it up.

The electronic door lock shorted out as soon as he touched it, then patrons finally began screaming and running for the exits when he reared back and punched it in.

One punch. One kick. Another punch and a roar as the humans scrambled for the doors, then he was in.

The hallway was dead already, deserted except for the flickering fluorescent lights that guided him toward his brother’s office.

“You comin’ to kill me, brother?” The voice came from the speakers above.

Baojia looked into the nearest camera and said, “Yes.” He kept walking.

“Gonna kill your sister, you know? To lose her mate. Sure you want to do that?”

Baojia paused. Thought. “Yes, I am.” He turned right and a girl in a casino uniform darted into a room. He heard the lock turn behind her.