Darryl arrived as the sky began to pale. He looked tired; there were dark rings under his eyes and the smell of blood was strong he wanted to taste the one Alistair gave him. A few warriors met him at the edge of the clearing and bowed. They led him over to where Elrich and Jonas waited.
“Alpha Elrich,” Darryl greeted as he stepped into the group.
“Sir Darryl,” Elrich said. His voice was calm, but his eyes were hard. He nodded to Jonas. “Jonas did the heavy work. The boy and his team held on until we arrive," he added.
Darryl walked closer. He saw the vampire on the ground — beaten, bound, and angry. He felt his stomach twist with a cold kind of disgust. He had seen many cruel things, but this trade of children made something in him burn hot.
“Jonas,” Darryl said, and held out his han
