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“Of course she’s alive,” Ursula snapped, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “No thanks to you. You should keep a better eye on that woman. She seems to have a talent for poking around in places she’s not supposed to. We found her fighting your cousin like she was Rambo himself.”
“She is in the Green House, protected by members of our clan,” one of the witches said. “Go swiftly, vampire, for time is of the essence. We shall ensure your path remains clear.”
With a nod of thanks, I turned on my heel and sprinted through the chaos, vampiric speed propelling me faster than ever. I maneuvered effortlessly, my senses sharpened by urgency. The cries of battle echoed around me as I tore through the wreckage of the once-pristine hallways. Somehow, Ursula managed to keep up, zipping alongside me on her branch and clearing a path through the carnage.
We fought through the throngs of enemies, my seething rage allowing me to dispatch adversaries with lethal efficiency. Ursula turned her nose up at my reckless behavior, and her hands glowed with a gentle, radiant energy.
With a wave of her hand, she conjured a protective shield around the both of us, deflecting the blows and providing a brief respite.
“This is to protect you from those guys and from yourself,” she muttered, somehow managing to fold her arms and look me up and down while flying sideways at a hundred miles an hour. “Honestly, you can’t expect to protect your woman if you wind up dead.”
“Yeah, well. Thank you.” I acknowledged the young witch’s assistance, too caught up in my mission to be offended by her prodding. Together, we surged forward, our combined strength carving a path through the horde of adversaries. The witch’s magic complemented my lethal skills surprisingly well, each strike met with a burst of mystic energy that disintegrated our foes on the spot.
“You have to teach me some of this magic,” I insisted, my eyes bulging when Ursula buckled a shifter with a simple clench of her fist. “How come you guys don’t use this stuff more often?”
“Because witches are peaceful creatures,” Ursula grumbled, but her rosy cheeks flushed with pride. “We only use this kind of magic when absolutely necessary. And it’s as draining as it is effective. I’m going to nap for days when all of this is over.”
The battles raged around us, a cacophony of violence and chaos. But our newfound allies were making quick work of the attackers. Somewhere in the back of my mind, it occurred to me that this was a monumental shift in the world, something that could only have happened because of Sky’s willingness to reach out a helping hand to a potential friend. My heart clenched in my chest at the thought of my mate, Ursula’s words swimming back to the forefront of my mind. Sky had faced off against Jeremy and survived. Again.
“Focus!” Ursula yelled as we burst out of the building, making a beeline for the greenhouse. “You nearly ran right into a bush.”
The witch’s voice rose above the chaos, her incantations slicing through the air like a clarion call. Her magic shimmered and swirled, creating temporary barriers and illusions that diverted the attention of our pursuers. With each obstacle overcome, the path to Sky became clearer, the distance between us shrinking. The tether that tied us together wound tighter, drawing me toward her.
Outside, the greenhouse loomed before us, its splendor now marred by the surrounding destruction. My heart thundered as I burst through the open doors, eyes scanning frantically for my lover’s familiar form amidst the shadows.
And there, amidst the foliage and bathed in moonlight, I spotted Sky. My human lover stood in the center of the building, surrounded by witches. Her eyes were wide with fear, her delicate frame trembling, but she stood with her dagger poised over the writhing body of another vampire. Jeremy, held in place by the witches’ magic.
My heart surged with relief as I called out to her, my mortal lover who had fought battles that no human ever would.
“Sky!” My words cut through the stillness, reaching my lover’s ears like a lifeline.
Sky’s eyes locked with mine, a glimmer of hope igniting within them. She dropped the knife at her feet, tears spilling down her dirty cheeks as she staggered toward me, her voice quivering but resolute. “I’m alive! You’re alive! We’re unkillable!”
She leapt into my arms, nearly knocking me over. At last, we stood together, our bodies pressed close, seeking solace in each other’s embrace. My arms encircled my mate, holding her tight and the young witch stood guard, her magic swirling around us like a protective cocoon.
“I thought you were dead,” I whispered, grief cracking my voice as I brushed tears from her eyes. “I thought I’d lost you for good.”
Sky clung to me, her bottom lip quivering as she buried her face in my neck. “Do you happen to have any family members who don’t want me dead? Just wondering.”
“My great aunt, twice removed.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead, something I thought I would never get to do again. “You’ll meet her at our wedding, she’ll adore you.”
“There’s going to be a wedding?” Sky’s squeak was muffled against my neck and I chuckled. But my fury was not yet forgotten and my eyes narrowed over her shoulder.
My gaze shifted from the comforting embrace of my lover to the vampire who had stolen her away. A seething rage burned within me, fueling a newfound strength and resolve. The taste of vengeance was sweet on my tongue as my eyes locked onto him, my fangs bared in a feral snarl.
“You dare lay a hand on what is mine?” My voice dripped with venom, my words laced with a primal fury that had even the witches looking nervous. My entire being was consumed by a singular purpose: to make him pay for the pain he had inflicted upon me and my mate and my people.
I stepped away from Sky, leaving her in the care of Ursula as I stalked toward the pitiful man.
Jeremy, his face contorted with a mixture of arrogance and fear, winced at my approach, realizing the full extent of my wrath. A silver dagger—my dagger—protruded from his left eye, lodged so deep in the socket that part of the hilt was hidden under congealing red fluid. I was surprised it hadn’t mangled his brain.
No doubt this was the work of my mate. That thought spurred a twinge of pride in my chest, but it was quickly overcome by anger at the fact that she had to defend herself in the first place.
Jeremy’s earlier confidence wavered as he struggled to maintain his composure.
“I underestimated you, Jordan,” he stammered, his voice quivering with a mixture of desperation and defiance. “But it does not matter. Your coven is no match for my army and your pitiful mate will die at my hands.”
My movements were slow and predatory as I closed the distance between us. My hands trembled with a glorious blend of anger and anticipation. I had tasted the darkness that resided within my own heart, awakened by the threat to my beloved. And now, I would unleash it upon her tormentor.
