Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 615

Chapter 115 : Ally in Crimson Creek

*Xander*

Fire. It was everywhere. And out of the fire currently ripping through one of the many small, abandoned villages we’d passed on our way to Crimson Creek, Oliver was sprinting toward us, his mouth opened wide as he sucked in his breath.

A wall of flames rushed toward us, barreling through the dry, dead winter grass like a book of matches on the outskirts of the village. Whatever vampires had been hiding from the sun within the half-dozen buildings would be no match for the absolute hell Oliver had just unleashed.

“You’re on fire,” John said, waving a casual hand at Oliver, who was indeed on fire.

Oliver dropped to the ground, rolling across the grass until the flames that had been licking up his pant legs sent a trail of acrid smoke toward the sky.

This wasn’t the first time Oliver had caught himself on fire today, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. We were only an hour outside of Crimson Creek at this point, and we had burned six villages and two larger towns down to the foundation since the sun came up this morning.

It was unfortunate. I hated it. But, it had to be done. If we killed every hive hiding out along the highway, well, our warriors back in Breles might stand a chance of holding onto the city for one more night, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

But daylight was fading into an overcast afternoon. In a few hours, it would be dark enough for a fresh round of vampire warriors to make their way through the portal and into this realm. They were fast, and a journey that had taken us nearly ten hours on foot would take them half the time.

Oliver jumped to his feet, turning around to survey the damage he’d inflicted on the village. Screeching cut through the air, then faded into the crackling flames and splintering buildings as the fire ate away at the village and everything that had been taking shelter within the walls.

Oliver clapped his hands together, a wild look in his eyes. I’d underestimated him. He was the scrappiest son of a b***h I’d ever met in my life.

He’d also been able to snap his fingers and create a flame, just like that.

“Nothing more than a party trick,” he’d shrugged the first time he’d done it.

We’d all been stunned, but hadn’t had an opportunity to say anything about it before Oliver was skipping toward the first village, burning it to the ground within minutes.

“Something is wrong with this family,” Colton breathed.

“Probably,” I said beneath my breath before turning to face our three comrades who were still in their wolf forms.

on to the final two villages along the highway, letting Oliver do his worst. I’d grown accustomed to the painful screeching of the dying vampires over the course of the day, and by the time we reached the final stop along our journey, I barely heard them at all as I instead gazed out toward the horizon, where Crimson Creek was just

I prayed to whatever gods were listening, or

need them. All

we were going into the portal to finish

***

every window and roof. The train station had blackened, oily vines growing up the sides of its awning. It had

we walked through the village. Oliver was walking ahead of us like he owned the place, kicking a path through the blood root. I realized he’d just been here, after all. He’d spent nearly a month in Crimson Creek while Lena and I were in the vampire realm. He’d come through the portal that glimmered on the horizon as

blood root. The black infection seemed to suffocate the house, closing it off from the outside world completely. I exhaled in annoyance as Oliver kicked open the front

I broke into a run, weapons drawn, as a struggle ensued inside. The wolves stayed back, guarding the front door as John, Colton, and I stepped inside. Oliver was flat on

my eyes widening as he

He blinked several times, bringing his arm up to shield

as I commanded. Gideon immediately relaxed, then swayed, his body thudding to

man, a descendent of those few lower vampires who had been lucky enough to escape their

I said hoarsely, dropping to my

wish, Xander,” Gideon growled, his eyes darting to my warriors who were standing shellshocked at the front door, weapons drawn. “What the hell are you doing

s**t! You cracked my tooth!” Oliver spit more blood onto the ground before reaching up to cup his

a choked laugh

family?” I asked, and Gideon’s eyes

tongue along his teeth. I swallowed back the unease prickling over my

came here to make sure you were

he

sucked on my lower lip before squatting in front of

“You look like hell–”

used to be? They used to be like me–lower vampires, the so-called children

all gray and ugly?” Oliver asked painfully, propping

over decades, maybe even centuries for some of the older ones. Nothing but death, that’s what they are. Death Walkers is what our kind calls them. And there’s an endless supply of them, trust me. Whatever you plan to do, it won’t be enough. You can close that portal but they’ll open more, and more, and

this entire continent to them unless we stop this now–right now, preferably.” Oliver wiped a trail of blood from his nostrils and straightened his

opened. When it stayed open, that is. War is brewing on the other side. The kings of the lower vampires had banded together. I don’t know if they ever acted on their plans. That was months

Gideon’s eyes flicked to mine. “I met him and Queen

Gideon asked, then smiled,