Aflora trembled again, her lips parting in agony.
I mimicked Zephyrus’s position, kneeling on her opposite side with Kolstov’s still form on the ground before us, and bither neck, her blood an aphrodisiac on my tongue that made me moan.Fuck, it’s been too long. I rarely drank from the vein. And lately, I had only indulged in blood-infused foods.
But Aflora…
Dear Fae,Aflora...
She cried out, causing my magic to instinctively react to her pain, cloaking her in my energy and giving her access to whatever she needed.
Puzzles ran through her mind as she sorted through the cacophony of information my essence provided.
Then she shoved all those details into her branch, using it to bolster her hold on Kolstov’s life, infusing him with dark magic once more.
Shade joined us next, taking a position across from Kolstov, wrapping his fingers through Aflora’s hair, and yanking her mouth to his. Rather than take her blood, he provided his own, feeding her his essence with his tongue before guiding her to his neck and encouraging her to bite down.
She didn’t hesitate, absorbing his power directly from the vein and engaging my Quandary side to learn all the Death Blood spells she needed to force Kolstov’s soul to heed her call.
Then she moved to Zephyrus, forcing him to release her shoulder so she could sink her teeth into his neck next. She used his Guardian bond to Kolstov to locate the remnants of the Midnight Fae Prince’s soul in the source, guiding them back to his being, pulling him back together one piece at a time.
Shade bent over Kolstov, whispering those words, his palms on the other man’s chest.
Air whirled around us, the source responding to the call torestore.
I closed my eyes, diving into my dark home and granting the required permission tocreate. The powers responded inwarm welcome, recognizing their chosen architect and allowing Aflora’s enchantment to flourish.
My hair blew back from my face, my teeth leaving Aflora’s throat as she yanked me into a demanding kiss, her incisors piercing my tongue.
I allowed it, groaning as she sucked my essence into her mouth, swallowing greedily. Then I guided her to the pulse point of my neck and closed my eyes as she bit down.
Euphoria poured through me, my reserves somehow replenishing as though she’d just gifted me with the bite of life. Then I felt her pull everything she could from my soul and shove it through her link to Kolstov.
I flinched, the redirection of power uncomfortable.
But I felt her doing it from her other bonds as well.
And then from herself.
She poured the mixture into her branch, infusing the strand with intense vitality.
Shade took hold of the mental cord, his hum of Death magic causing all the hairs along my arms to rise as he closed his eyes and unleashed it all through his palms into Kolstov’s chest.
Silence followed.
None of us daring to breathe.
Aflora shivered, her cerulean irises on Kolstov, her bloody lip clenched between her teeth.
I swallowed.
Everything had been done on instinct, Aflora taking charge and demonstrating why fate had chosen her for this destiny.
But had she done it right?
Shade’s palms remained on Kolstov’s chest, his focus on the prince’s face. He narrowed his gaze, then lifted his wrist to his mouth and bit down. “Blood,” Shade said. “He needs blood.” He started to lower his offering to Kolstov, but Aflora caught his arm.
“He needs mine.” She bit down on her wrist and pressed it to Kolstov’s lips.
Energy pooled around her as she combined all our essences inside her and poured it through her bloodline, directly into the man’s mouth.
