Vengeance (The Captive Series, Book 6) by Erica Stevens

wood beneath him burst into flames.
    Her hand flew to her mouth. More screams echoed through the night as the flames licked over his body, sizzling and blistering his skin. Tempest had never seen anything so gruesome in her life, yet the crowd had begun to stomp their feet and cheer again. Another fire erupted from somewhere to the left, more shrieks pierced the air and reverberated off the mountains.
    “And anyone who stands in our way will be dealt with swiftly!” The woman vowed. “I am the most powerful vampire alive and those who follow me will know superiority once more! They will follow the one true leader and be rewarded for their loyalty!”
    The shouts of joy and bloodlust from the crowd swelled ever higher, making it almost impossible for her to think. This was far beyond her scope of comprehension.
    She’d experienced cruelty at the hands of some of the vampires who had run the orphanage. One had locked her in the attic for a week when she’d been late, another had once beaten her so badly she’d been unable to walk for two days, but never had she imagined such brutality as what she witnessed now.
    Worse, she’d never expected for so many to take pleasure in what was being done to their fellow vampires. Either far more of them had agreed vampires should take over the top position than she’d realized, or they were being swept up by this woman’s promises and the excitement of the moment. She would like to believe they would come to their senses later, but she wasn’t so sure that would happen.
    More cheers erupted from the crowd as another fire surged into the air.
    “Tempest…” Abbott started; his skin looked oddly green in the reflection of the window.
    “I’m going,” she whispered. “I’ll go now.”
    Maybe she could have justified staying with the children instead of trying to get help before, but there was no doubt now they would either join the mass outside or die, and she certainly wanted no part of this, nor did she want to be burned alive. The children would have no choice, now more than ever she was convinced the children in the other towns had not survived.
    “I’ll need the cloak,” she murmured.
    Pallas walked over to the piano and pulled up the lid. From inside the piano, she pulled the pieced together white cloak she’d sewn from whatever white clothes, sheets or pillows she could find. Pallas had started to piece the cloak together on the second day after the invaders arrived. It was nowhere near as fine in quality as the cloaks the invaders wore, but Tempest would pass a cursory examination, and it would help her to blend into her environment.
    She hadn't been certain she’d ever attempt an escape. Who was she kidding, she had as much courage as a cat most of the time? She’d survived by living like a cat too, slinking through the shadows, keeping her head down, and hunting for her food. Like a cat, she’d also learned how to be sneaky, and how to survive by bringing as little attention to herself as possible.
    Not once had she ever stood up to any of the vampires who’d run the home and abused her. She’d never envisioned leaving the security of her village behind for the unknown, and aside from these mountains she’d never dreamed of adventure or being something more than what she was.
    Years ago, she’d accepted her lot in life and been content with it. She’d never dreamed she’d one day be looking to flee her village. She tried not to shake like a leaf at the realization of what she was doing, and what would happen to her if they caught her.
    This was about more than just her, she reminded herself as she tugged off her heavy black cloak and dropped it on the couch. She pulled on the much lighter, makeshift one Pallas handed to her and clasped it at her neck. When she was done, she shoved her heavier, wool cloak into the waistband of her pants, against her back. The thicker material of her cloak would be a lot better for her once she was free of these