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I pulled out my other stake, but he flew at me, swatting my hand, sending the bit of wood flying over the ledge. I fell from the impact and scuttled backward.
My stakes were gone, but I still had my stars. I had to hope they’d be good enough. He watched, avid curiosity on his face, as I plucked them from my boot. Seeing the steel stars in my hand, he laughed.
He wore the strangest cockeyed grin as he began to prowl toward me.
I threw a star. And another. And the third. Two hit; none did any damage.
His grin turned dark. He looked hungry, stalking toward me like an eager lover. “What other treasures do you hide, sweet pretty?”
I backed up, screamed. He backed me against the ledge. I hated how I screamed. But this was it. I had nowhere else to go. The end. My screams filled my head.
The vampire bent down to me. Cold, bony fingers threaded through my hair, so gently. But then he pulled, yanking me to standing. I yelped with the shocking pain of it.
“They all scream,” he said angrily. He wrenched my neck back, locking his eyes with mine, and I was instantly lost. “Silence,” he whispered, and the words came to me as though through a tunnel. Those pale red irises became my gravity, sucking me toward him, in and down. “Yes,” he cooed, sounding so pleased. “Yessss. ”
I shut my eyes, waiting for it. Waiting to die.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
A shout cleared my head. A “No” growled so fiercely, it pierced my consciousness. “No,” bellowed in a voice deep enough to reverberate through me. Shaking me.
Carden.
I exploded to life, wriggling and scratching and fighting. This thing wouldn’t kill me. Not today.
“No,” Carden shouted again.
I watched as fingers appeared around the rogue vampire’s neck. I watched Carden, and his fury had altered his face to some other thing, some powerful, savage force I hadn’t seen before. He grabbed harder, and harder still, until his fingertips disappeared into the vampire’s flesh. He grasped the rogue’s neck and lifted him off the ground. Flung him away.
The vampire landed hard and bounced, but then he was up again, swooshing right back to Carden, swinging at him.
But Carden had seen it coming, and as he ducked, he reached back and swung. His arm arced wide, his fist slamming into the vampire. The creature flew backward, off the cliff.
I clung to the ledge not to fall. “How did—” I began breathlessly, but Carden jumped after the rogue, disappearing before I could sputter a thought.
I skittered down the hill after him, gathering up a stake and a star as I went. I didn’t have time to find the other weapons.
I slid down, and something punched me from the side as I landed. The world went black for a moment. I came to and found myself restrained. The rogue held me. I flailed, struggled, and kicked, but those hands only clawed more tightly into me.
“This one is mine,” the thing said to Carden.
I heard Carden’s approach, footfalls in the sand. But this time the creature was ready, and he hauled his arm back and punched Carden, sending him flying.
The vampire curled over me, hugging me. “Time to die, pretty. Are you ready?” His whole body enveloped mine.
I was unable to move. I felt his breath on my neck. I forced my eyes to look away.
Where was Carden? I was frantic to find him. I’d see Carden as I died—I’d have Carden be the last sight I saw.
And I found him—he was running back toward us. Running back for more.
Carden, who’d somehow gotten free of his dungeon. Carden, who could’ve left me—he could’ve fled the island—but we were in this together, and he was running toward me.
Time slowed. He ran at us, his focus only on the vampire.
But then I had an idea, and the moment the thought came to me, his eyes flashed to mine.
The stake.
