I lunge for him, but Viggo is quicker in holding me back.
“Not like this,” he says. “Let Allison change him. Then we can use him for our benefit. We know Bogdan is coming after her.”
I take a moment to consider it. “I want to find out who betrayed me.”
Viggo nods. “After we deal with him, I won’t stop until I find out who it is.”
I move closer to Allison, whispering in her ear for only her to hear. “And after Rao’s done working for us, I’ll kill him myself.” I bend down on one knee before Allison’s chair. “Are you up for this?”
She glances at Rao. “I think so.”
“If you need me, I’ll be right here.” I stand, reaching my hand down for her to take.
She rises, and steps toward where Viggo has Rao pinned on the couch. He squirms but he’s not a match for Viggo’s strength.
Allison stops a breath away from Rao, holding out her hand and closing her eyes. “I don’t know if it’ll work.”
Viggo shrugs. “If he dies, that’s fine too.”
“Just do your best,” I say. “I know you can do it.”
A small beam of yellow light encases her hand as she stretches her arm out and touches Rao. He screams and a shudder trembles Allison’s body.
She jerks her hand away.
“Did it work?” Viggo asks, but no one needs to answer once we look at Rao.
Once we smell the blood pumping through his veins.
He no longer has that certain glow about him. There is color to his skin. There is life.
Has it really worked?
Rao stares at me, shock etched in his features. “Am I alive?” he asks, his voice softer than before.
“I think so.” I lift Allison in my arms, glancing at Viggo. “I’m going to take her upstairs.”
Viggo nods. “I’ll keep an eye on the human.”
I race an exhausted Allison up the stairs, holding her close to my chest. Before I reach the room, she’s passed out. I kiss the top of her head when I lie her down in my bed. “You did good,” I whisper.
Lina steps into the room, eyes full of worry. “Viggo told me you were up here.”
I turn to her. “Thank you for coming.”
“What happened?”
I give her the condensed version of events that just transpired, and then leave her to watch Allison while I go downstairs and deal with Rao. I’m still not sure if turning him into a human was our best idea, but it was better than ripping his head off his body, even though that’s what I wanted to do most.
“Bogdan’s plans. What are they?” I ask Rao as I enter the living room.
He cowers on the couch, as if he’s unable to process what Allison just did to him. His black eyes tear up as he stares at Viggo and me with complete horror.
“I… I…” He can’t formulate a thought.
Viggo kicks the bottom of the couch, and Rao jumps. “Get it together, Rao. Answer the question.”
“He wants to kill all of you,” Rao shouts. “You, Viggo, the girl, your family. Even half your clan. He wants to wipe them all out for good at your masquerade ball.”