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“Benedict, your word you will not hurt me,” Lucian called.
“Why would I harm my brother? You did not lie to me faithlessly,” Benedict retorted.
Lucian looked towards Mariah and then stepped over the threshold. No sooner had he done so than Benedict had him in a headlock, and his fangs were at Lucian’s throat. Maggie and Mariah both screamed.
“You will not drink from me!” Lucian commanded.
Benedict shook him like a ragdoll as Vemis cackled. “Two Nortons! The power I shall wield!”
“Never! You’ll not have a Norton as a blood slave!” Lucian denied.
“Oh Mariahhhhhh, come inside and take your punishment, or I’ll drain my brother right in front of you and your insipid friend,” Benedict crowed.
Mariah looked around. The twelve remained chanting while their spouses watched in horror. Maggie had collapsed to her knees and was sobbing. There was nobody else left. Only her. Without a word, Mariah broke into a run and ducked past Harcourt as he reached for her and passed over the threshold. Vemis grabbed her and was blasted back by a bright white light from the pendant Benedict had given her.
He swore fluently as he flew through the air and hit the wall with a crack. Benedict shook Lucian, flung him away, and pounced on Mariah. The light flared again, but much more weakly, and Benedict was able to grab her. His fangs sunk towards her throat as Mariah panted in fear. She could feel her pulse fluttering.
“I love you,” she muttered, and Benedict paused.
“False lies,” he murmured.
“Look at me. I love you, and if this saves Lucian and your life, I give mine willingly,” Mariah whispered again.
Benedict held her gaze as something jolted his body. The light wrapped around them, and Benedict froze with his teeth at her throat.
Without warning, he uttered a strangled cry and thrust Mariah away. She fell and landed on her bottom. Benedict turned and spotted Vemis rising to his feet.
“You’ll have no Nortons this day!” Benedict roared and shot forward. His hand raised, and Mariah saw a broken piece of wood in it. With a lunge, Benedict stabbed Vemis, who staggered backwards as Benedict moved. That movement saved his life, and he batted Benedict away as he jabbed into his shoulder, not his heart. Benedict landed in a heap and lay still. Vemis’s eyes focused on Lucian, and as quick as a flash, he darted toward him.
“No!” Mariah screamed.
She grabbed a piece of the broken chair from Lucian’s fall and stabbed Vemis in the back. His teeth snapped shut on empty air as Lucian twisted and jabbed his thumbs into Vemis’s eye sockets. Vemis backhanded Lucian and slammed his head into the floor.
Mariah scrambled towards the door when a hand latched onto her ankle and brought her down. Mariah tried to free herself as Vemis crawled up her body with a sick grin on his face.
“I will have both Nortons, you annoying wretch. How dare you raise arms against your master!” Vemis cursed as he clawed at her.
Mariah wriggled, trying to escape, and her frightened glance took in Lucian unconscious. Vemis twisted her head violently to one side and sank his teeth into her throat. Mariah’s shriek echoed through the inn, and the pendant pulsed weakly but failed.
A scream came from Vemis as he tore his fangs away without drinking from her. He scuttled backwards, clawing at his back. Above him, like a vengeful angel, stood Benedict. Vemis turned on the spot, trying to reach the stake that had pierced his heart from behind.
“This is for three centuries!” Benedict snarled and stabbed him in the chest.
The stake sunk deeper and deeper.
Vemis screeched, bursting into a cloud of dust.
“Mariah!” Benedict cried as he fell to his knees.
A clock chimed in the inn, and Mariah hauled herself up and crawled across the floor to him. She cradled his head in her lap and stroked his hair. His face was changing before her very eyes as she gazed with love at him.
The bags and shadows disappeared; his fangs returned to normal molars. The bloodlust fled from his eyes, and she regarded him as he would have appeared in life. Benedict struggled to breathe as Lady Catherine arrived in front of them. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she stared at them.
“What’s happening?” Mariah demanded.
“I’m dying,” Benedict whispered.
“No! We killed Vemis, so you should live!” Mariah exploded.
