104. Dread
Dread
Isit up, jolting awake.
Something hit my perimeter.
I stand from my couch.
That shouldn’t be possible.
I close my eyes and feel my magic for the location.
A bellow vibrates through the link.
My eyes snap open, glowing bright.
How?
I flick a portal open and step through it, into my forest.
The portal disappears. And I stop.
Vameer kneels on the ground, holding his mate in his arms. Blood drenches them both.
This is bad.
I follow the stain of red up to the line across Rune’s throat.
A shimmer covers it, gravito sealing the wound. But… she’s lost too much blood.
“What happened?” I close the space between us.
Tears slide down Vameer’s cheeks as he looks up at me. “A magicked dagger meant for me.” His voice is quiet. Choppy. But he holds her tight. “She is not a full vampire. It was meant for me.”
Worry presses in around me.
Too much magic.
That’s what he means.
A dagger magicked to kill Vameer would be incredibly powerful. Even if Rune was a full vampire…
An injury poisoned with too much magic will not heal.
If Rune doesn’t heal, she will die.
They will die.
Another tear drips off Vameer’s cheek.
I watch it sizzle as it burns through Rune’s shirt. Soaking into her skin, not leaving a mark.
“You have to save her. He told me only you could save her.” More venom drips from his fangs, absorbing into Rune’s hair.
Vameer’s breath hitches, and the power around Rune’s throat flickers yellow, then pink.
There is one way.
“Fuck.” I meet Vameer’s eyes. “You will take this to your grave. Or I will put you in one.”
“I will give you my half of our soul. Just save her.”
I drop to my knees before them. “I do not want your soul, Interfector.” I press my hands to Rune’s throat. “Give me your trust.”
More dangerous tears fall from his eyes as he dips his chin.
The gravito under my palms disappears.
And I concentrate.
My eyes glow.
And my hands glow. As I pull the magic away from Rune’s slit throat.
Carefully. Meticulously. I drag each grain of druid magic out of her. And pull it into me.
The golden glow crawls up my wrists.
Up my arms.
Vameer watches as I do what no being should be able to do.
Stealing magic from another living thing… It’s an abomination.
One I’ll be hunted for. Eventually.
The last spark of magic from the dagger meant to kill Vameer releases from Rune’s body.
Holding still, I think about the fact that I haven’t felt a heartbeat since I put my hands on her throat.
I lift my gaze to Vameer’s.
His heart has stopped. But he’s still staring back at me. Promising me an eternity of torment if this goes wrong.
I think about his brother’s mate.
How killing her mate’s enemy gave her horns. Made her all vampire.
Except the wound under my hands is still not healing. She doesn’t have the energy.
She doesn’t have the power.
But… what if sacrificing yourself for your mate has the same outcome?
What if it doesn’t work?
As another second goes by without a heartbeat, I accept that any chance is a chance. Because without help, they will both die.
Holding Vameer’s gaze, I drop my palms to Rune’s chest, over her heart. And my hands shine with light as I slam the power back into her.
Her back arches.
The massive warrior bares his fangs at me.
But just then, minutes after his last heartbeat, Vameer finally closes his eyes.
I shove against his shoulders as he starts to tip. And I watch as Vameer drops onto his back, taking his mate with him.