Hunted Hybrid Aegis War Saga 1 novel Chapter 181

Vaelrix punched straight through its skull with a snail.

“I hate when they try to snack on kids,” he muttered, shaking off bone dust.

“Remind me to never piss you off,” I said, panting.

“Bite me later, darling,” he smirked, his eyes flashing.

(35)

The portal shimmered closed behind us, and the room went eerily quiet. We were safe. But I was shaking. Bram was on his knees beside a little girl, brushing blood matted hair off her face like she was made of glass.

Ashrian stood like a statue, holding two unconscious boys against his chest. Lachlan had dropped to the floor, whispering, “Mother Moon preserve us all…”

And Daxon? He walked straight up to me and crushed me in his arms. “You did it,” he whispered into my hair.

“No,” I breathed, looking around at the broken children we’d saved. “We started it.”

Soria POV

Crucible Compound

Courtyard

The moment Lucien heard the news about Duskwell, he didn’t speak. He just… stared. And then? He laughed. A low, eerie sound that made my spine crawl. Vaela leaned against him like a dark queen, eyes wild with devotion.

“They thought they could take from us?” Lucien finally said, pacing slowly. “From me?”

Varek and I exchanged a glance. His jaw was tight, his expression pure rage. Practiced. Controlled. Just like we rehearsed.

“I say we burn whatever hole they’re hiding in,” Varek muttered darkly, his eyes flaring. “Make an example.”

Lucien turned to us, nodding once. “Exactly. No mercy. But first…”

He lifted his hand, his fingers slick with tension. “Bring everyone. Now. Every blood born, every human loyalist, every creature in this goddamned building. I want them lined up.”

And so they were.

The courtyard flooded with bodies, shivering humans, smug vampires, wary witches. The Aegis Lock stood just behind Lucien like statues carved from old nightmares. Valira was practically seething, glaring daggers at Vaela. Damael sniffed the air like he was bored. Ezekiel smirked, probably hoping for a reason to flay someone.

Lucien strolled down the lines like a serpent, weaving between people with his fingers twitching, tapping into minds. One by one, they

1/3

20:12 Sat, Oct 18

Chapter 181

flinched. Gasped. Whimpered.

Sierra whispered calmly in my mind, “Steady, girl. Breathe. You’re solid as stone. Let him pass.”

When he reached Victor Brandt…Aegis tech god and surveillance freak….I knew it was over for someone.

Lucien stopped, sniffed the air, and tilted his head. “Victor… what have you been up to?”

Victor stammered. “I…I don’t even know what you’re talking about…”

Lucien didn’t wait. Snap. His hand was in Victor’s hair.

35

Crack.

Victor’s head separated from his body in one clean, gruesome motion. Blood hit the stone like a stormcloud.

Vaela moaned. No joke. The psycho actually moaned.

I didn’t move. Neither did Varek. We stood like loyal soldiers, unshaken, like we were born in blood and raised by fire. Lucien wiped his hands down his coat and turned back to the crowd, his voice cold as a blizzard.

“That was your warning. The next rat dies slower.”

He stormed off, dragging Victor’s corpse like trash. The Lock followed, the shadows moving with them.

Once the courtyard emptied and only a few guards remained, I slipped my hand into my coat pocket and felt the cool surface of the comm crystal Luna Aelira had enchanted for me.

I turned slightly away, pretending to adjust my gear, and whispered my message….

“They know about Duskwell.

We are safe. No one suspects.

A human was killed as the traitor.

They plan to strike soon.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify