Chapter 23

• They moved deeper, each step a calculated risk, their senses strained to their absolute limit. The scent of Tallia was stronger here, mingled with the pervasive, chilling aroma of the vampires. Kael felt a surge of primal protective instinct, a fierce urge to tear through the darkness and reclaim his mate. But he knew that rushing headlong into the unknown would be a fatal mistake. They had to be strategic, to use their strengths and exploit any weaknesses they could find.
• “The scent is strongest near that passage,” Kael indicated, pointing to a narrow crevice in the cavern wall. “It leads further down, into the heart of this place.” He could feel the pulse of the vampires’ power growing stronger, a malevolent hum that vibrated through his very bones. They were close. Too close.
• Roric, ever vigilant, sniffed the air near the crevice. “Alpha, there’s a… a dampening field here. It’s designed to mask scent, to confuse trackers.”