AllFreeNovel
Share Us
All I give Jes is one defeated glance because she understands what I’m about to do. Sighing, she drops her arms and expresses, “I know not to argue with you by now, Lyssi. Go, baby girl. Stand by your man. And kick Mordere’s ass.”
The cargo train is surrounded on both sides by thick brush and woods. Nothing like the Spirit Realm woods, but enough covering for miles till they curve toward the Deep South mountain ranges where one enormous tunnel marks the entrance to Court Mordere borders.
By the time I arrive, after phasing to the train area, the families closest to the front of the train have evacuated. Meanwhile, Neo attacks Mordere’s vampires, grinding wings and bone to dust, protecting the other families. I protect the refugees’ retreat, surrounding them in glowing cocoons of holy fire that will burn any vampires who may try to touch them.
In the distance, I can make out a hundred of Neo’s knights flying from the Iron Walls to join him. But when I swing my head back to my Prince, I fear they won’t reach him in time!
Thanks to my father, I know better than anyone how bitten vampires are more difficult to kill than born ones. Why isn’t Neo transforming into his Dragon? As soon as he destroys another two individual vampires and breaks apart the door to the cargo train, I know why. He’s harnessed his power, caged it in such a way to allow for a surgical attack so he doesn’t harm any humans.
Court Mordere forces move in, but he hurls his vampire wings to shield himself. Several assault him, assault those wings, their fangs driving deep into him, tearing at flesh, spilling silver blood. I circle every rushing human, protecting them before racing in vampire speed to get to Neo.
Before I can even reach his side, before my hands can unleash my Halo power to fly, the strongest vampire I’ve ever felt, save for Neo, save for Death, commandeers my body, arresting me against his chest. My human skull crashes against his hardened shoulder, and I see stars. One powerful arm secures my waist, caging me.
“Mordere!” Neo’s thunderous scream roars as Mordere’s vampire teeth prowl my throat a second later, his fangs edging out. Goddess, preserve me! I buckle to those fangs pricking my flesh several times through the high neck of my coat.
“Stay down,Neoptolemus,” the bitten vampire chirps, and a moan catches in my throat at the sight of Neo falling to the ground. Immediately, more vampires set on him. No! How can one mere command overthrow the Prince of Destruction? Though Neo remains on the ground, he still battles them, roaring and reducing the ones he can to ash as blood pools around his body.
“Thank you for joining us, Angel Bride,” Mordere’s sinister voice bleeds into my ears, his hand bearing armored claws like mine, though his are formed of vampire bones and teeth that bite into my neck as he yanks me back by my hair, ripping at curls and blackening my vision.
Mordere looks every inch the warlord and butcher that his reputation boasts of. Hundreds of fang marks eclipse his fair skin like tattoos, like brands, like trophies. Not forsaking his face or the shaved sides of his head, they continue and only disappear beneath that exalted ponytail. His eyes are gray smoke following a bloody battle.
“Elysia…” he savors my name, and every scrap of his commanding force dives inside my blood. Damn it to hell!
Now, I understand why Neo is still down, why he cannot rise, why Mordere’s Deep South Court strikes fear into the Court O’ Nines—and why not even the Father can control him.
Beyond the Father’s inability to control bitten vampires, the same inability that transcribes to Neo, Mordere bears the power ofCommand. And he’s a damned master commander from just one utterance of my name. A name that Neo proclaimed at the border just over a week ago. Everything inside me shuts down because I know, I know, Iknow…Mordere will not let me leave without adding his bite mark to my flesh.
“Don’t move, Elysia,” Mordere commands.
I freeze.
Chapter25
No! I can’t lose him now
“Stay down, Neoptolemus,” Mordere issues the command again when Neo gets to his knees, battling the commander’s force, destroying what he can. More of Mordere’s vampires descend upon Neo, fangs gutting his wings, his muscles, his flesh.
“No!” I shriek, but Mordere silences me, collars me with that bone armor, restricting my breath to a rasp.
“Don’t move, Elysia.” There is no possible way I can. The command is stronger than all the trauma serpents surrounding my heart. Paralysis overcomes me. No matter what else happens, I must remain rooted to the ground. “Hisheart,” Mordere purrs low in my ear, then pricks the side of my neck again. Aggravated by my coat, the vampire rips at the fur and velvet so he may have full access to my skin glowing with my ethereal light. I flinch from his stubble—an abrasion on my skin. Webs of fear assault my spine.
“Stay down, Neoptolemus,” he orders again, rocketing my Prince to the earth with his power. I try to summon my Halo, but it falters, weakened by my emotions as Mordere raises his voice. Careless of however many soldiers he loses, the warlord is only content that Neo follows his command. “I must thank you, my Lord Prince. When you returned the scout to me, it put away all doubts. I had my suspicions from the first moment I heard of her standinghigherthan you in your Court. As ifyou, of all vampires, Neoptolemus, Prince of Destruction…the Dragon could allow such a thing!”
When my chest sparks with embers, when I wrestle against the force of his bruising mouth, the vampire growls, “Don’t move, Elysia. Stay down, Neoptolemus.”
Names have power. He must use them every time. His power shackles my whole body. No, it forms an impossible labyrinth, injecting deep into my blood, nullifying even my half-blood powers, causing my heart to retreat, to dig in deep.
“Time out, pretties. He’s had enough for a few moments,” Mordere orders to his mass of vampires, who back away from Neo, relieving him of their torture. “Stay down, Neoptolemus,” the warlord reminds him.
Could he rise if he desired? Any armor left has now shattered to smithereens, his cape is in shreds, and hundreds of bites and claw marks ravage his skin, including his face. Blood forms a deep pool around him.
“We don’t have long before Neo’s knight forces arrive, Princess. My tigers will delay them for a short time. Stay down, Neoptolemus,” he must repeat whenever Neo begins to rise, only to his knees. Mordere’s vampires still surround him like a wall.
I scream from the vampire slashing through my coat until only my thin bodysuit with its low neckline remains. Mordere grips my waist, jerks me around, and pins his chest to mine—those gray eyes like warships, anarchic brutality in what would otherwise be handsome features. Again, he commands me not to move, then inspects my face, eyes coasting lower to chuckle at my lack of marks.
“Mordere!” bellows Neo behind me. “Don’t you fucking touch her, do you hear me?! I’ll destroy you where you stand!”
“Stay down, Neoptolemus.” Mordere clicks his teeth as he examines me. A lightning bolt of fear prompts my body to quiver. “Why, she’s practically glowing! Suchangelicbeauty.”
