AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Your plan must be pretty flimsy if everything could fall apart because of a little bite.”
Taunting him was probably not the best idea, but I needed to keep Jeremy talking long enough to formulate some kind of escape plan. There were no rakes in sight, and I backed up through the overgrown foliage, desperately seeking some alternative weapon.
“You can’t escape me, Sky.” Jeremy sneered, his fangs gleaming in the dim light. “Your pathetic human existence will come to an end tonight. Jordan may be difficult to kill, but you—you’re nothing, it’s as easy as swatting a fly. Once you’re gone, my cousin will crumble.”
“Need I remind you,” I said, nearly tripping over a snaking root, barely managing to catch myself as I backed further into the shadows. “You tried to kill me once before. And that didn’t go very well for you.”
Jeremy’s eyes flashed with anger, bristling at the dent to his ego. “A fluke victory won’t save you a second time. Your death is long overdue.”
“Has it ever occurred to you that your pride might be your downfall?” I retorted, my back brushing against the cool glass of the back wall. “Keep up the cocky attitude and you’ll find another garden rake in your chest.”
“Shut up!” Jeremy snapped, a vehement snarl bursting from his lips. “Everything was going well until you came along. Alberich was dead at my hands, along with the witch who bedded him. Everything,Everythingwas falling into place. And then Jordan found you.”
As the battle raged on outside the greenhouse, the sound of clashing fangs and desperate cries reached our ears. A cruel smile broke out on Jeremy’s face. “Do you hear that? They’re all going to die tonight. And it’s all because of you.”
I was still processing the fact that we had been right about Jeremy’s involvement in Alberich’s death, I barely had time to process how the raging battle between vampires and evil creatures of unspeakable horror was my fault.
“My army will wipe them out, your precious mate along with them.” Jeremy hissed, that sly smile widening as he cornered me. “And when we’re done, I’ll have to go after those two little loose ends my cousin is so fiercely protective of.”
“You’re a monster.” I snarled, his threat fanning the flames of fury that burned in my chest.
“Yes,” Jeremy agreed, matter-of-factly. “And you’re my prey.”
The vampire lunged without warning, his movements a blur to my weaker human eyes. I dodged his attack with a grace born of pure desperation, but he easily regained his balance and pressed his advantage. With every move, his strength and speed surpassed mine, and my time was rapidly running out.
He managed to knock me off my feet, barreling into me with a force that knocked the wind from my chest. A spearing pain in my side signified a broken – something, and I fought back the bile that bubbled up in the back of my throat, clutching my side as I climbed to my feet.
Gloating with sadistic pleasure, Jeremy circled me as I staggered in place, reveling in my impending demise. “Do you know what the mating bond truly is, human?” he hissed, his voice dripping with malice.
“To lower oneself to bonding with a mere human—it is an abomination, a mockery of our kind. You think you can trifle with the power that has governed us for centuries? I will show you the consequences of your foolishness.”
His eyes glowed with malevolence as he intensified his assault, fueled by his desperation to overcome his human adversary before I could fling a few more insults and hit him where it hurt.
“You fight well for a human,” Jeremy snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. “But it is a futile endeavor. Once you’re gone, I will ensure Jordan suffers a fate worse than death. She will witness the destruction of everything she holds dear.”
I gritted my teeth, muscles aching from the strain of the battle. I could feel the weight of Jeremy’s threats bearing down on my dwindling courage, but I refused to succumb to fear. With each parry and strike I defied his taunts, my resolve burning brighter than ever at the thought of my mate. Somewhere out there she was fighting, and I had to return to her.
The dance of combat intensified, each movement a calculated risk. Finally, I spotted a silver-tipped salvation nestled amongst the undergrowth. Jordan’s dagger—I must have dropped it when Jeremy transported us to the greenhouse. With another roll that set my insides on fire, I made a grab for the dagger. Lifting it up I slashed through the air, narrowly missing Jeremy’s throat.
I may have been swift, but he was cunning, countering attacks with a kick to my sensitive middle area. I wheezed as the sharp pain overcame me, black dots crawling across my vision as I swayed on my feet. But I wasn’t down yet.
As we circled each other, a storm of emotions raged within me. Love for my mate fueled my determination, intertwining with my own intrinsically human survival instinct. I refused to let this monster’s malevolence snuff out that flame.
My strikes grew bolder, my movements becoming an intricate dance of defense and offense. With each successful blow, a desperate hope surged through my veins, banishing the doubts that eroded my confidence. My body was at its limit, beaten and broken, but I was still fighting. I would go down fighting to the very last breath.
This was the unyielding nature of human beings, something Jeremy could not have anticipated. Humans are irrational, passionate, sometimes violent creatures, and we have fought tooth and nail for centuries to hold our own against the forces that wish to extinguish us. I could see fear flicker in the vampire’s eyes, a realization that his victory may be marred by the singular fury of a human woman scorned.
Jeremy’s voice dripped with venom as he pressed closer, his voice barely a whisper as he tried to taunt me down from my determination to win. “I can taste your fear, Sky. Your precious mate will watch as I drain the life from your veins. Her anguish will be the final blow to her spirit, your empty, lifeless eyes will be the last thing she sees before she dies.”
The words hung heavy in the air, and I screamed in an amalgamation of pain, anguish and unbridled rage. I threw the blade with all my strength, the glinting metal finding its mark and burying it to the hilt in Jeremy’s left eye.
The vampire roared in agony, knocking me to the ground and pinning me in place with a hand around my neck. “This is where you die, human.”
I fought the urge to close my eyes, choosing to watch my approaching demise as Jeremy’s claws speared toward my heart.
That same heart hammered like a war drum in my chest as I writhed against Jeremy’s incoming assault. My mind raced, searching for a way to turn the tide. And then, as if in answer to my silent plea, a strange purple fog began to creep into the greenhouse, enveloping everything in its mysterious embrace.
Confusion clouded Jeremy’s face as the fog thickened, obscuring his vision. He swiped at it, but the tendrils of mist grew stronger, restraining his movements. Panic tinged his voice as he struggled against the unseen force.
