The glass shards lay scattered across the conservatory floor like diamonds in the dirt. Outside, the forest was dark and chaotic, the trees swaying under the pressure of the sudden energy vacuum. Julian stood in the center of the wreckage, his white eyes glowing with a brilliance that made it hard for Elena to look at him directly.
"Step back, Elena," Silas shouted, his voice barely audible over the wind whistling through the broken walls. He, Kael, and Jax had followed her into the conservatory, forming a protective line between her and the man who was currently siphoning the life out of their home.
Julian tilted his head, his movements jerky and unnatural. "You're too late, Silas. The wards are already mine. I can feel the house breathing through me now. It’s much stronger than you eve
