Chapter 5
Chapter Five
I pull Lena out of bed and grab a robe from the closet, wrapping her in it. She shivers, the sudden change in temperature hitting her, but she doesn't complain. She trusts me.
We move through the apartment in silence, my senses on high alert.
Every shadow seems to hold a threat, every sound amplified.
The front door is already splintered, a jagged hole where it once stood.
The hallway is filled with a hazy, violet mist—the signature of the Commanders, powerful vampires who can manipulate the very fabric of the shadow world.
I drag Lena behind me, pushing her through the debris.
We need to get to the car, but the way there is blocked.
The mist coalesces around us, forming the towering, imposing figures of the Commanders.
They look like men, but their eyes are voids of blackness, and their teeth are serrated, like sharks.
One of them steps forward, his voice echoing in the chamber. "Delphine. You've been hiding for too long. Hand over the human."
I stop, pulling Lena behind me. I can feel her trembling against my back, her heart hammering against me. I place a hand in hers, grounding her. "She's mine," I say, my voice rising with defiance.
The first Commander laughs, a harsh, grating sound. "Yours? You think a human can bond with you? You're a monster. A child of the night. She belongs to the world, not to you."
The other Commanders move in, their movements too fast to track. They surround us, trapping us in a circle of violet light. The air grows thick with magic, and I can feel the power radiating off them. Lena’s eyes widen as she watches the violet light swirl around us.
"I'm warning you," I growl, my fangs descending. "Touch her and you’ll all fucking die.”
The Commander steps closer, his eyes boring into mine. "You don't have the strength to fight us all. You're alone. And now, you have a liability."
He raises a hand, and violet energy gathers in his palm. "Say goodbye to your little plaything."
"No!" Lena cries out, throwing herself in front of me. "Delphine, run! I've got this."
I stare at her, my heart breaking. She’s throwing herself into the line of fire, sacrificing herself for me. "Lena," I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. "Don't do this."
"It's the only way," she says, her eyes flashing with determination. "I have to."
She raises her hands, and I see the crescent moon mark on her neck begin to glow. A wave of dark energy radiates outward, knocking the Commanders back. Lena gasps, her body straining under the pressure. The mark is responding to her will, unlocking the power I gave her.
The Commander recovers quickly, his eyes widening. "You... you've awoken the mark? But how?"
"It's a map," I say, stepping forward and grabbing Lena’s arm. "A way back to me. And now, she's not just a victim. She's a weapon."
The Commanders are momentarily stunned, but they quickly regroup. They launch another wave of violet energy, aimed directly at Lena. I don't think, I just act. I push Lena behind me and wrap my arms around her, pulling her close. I take the full brunt of the impact.
The violet energy slams into my back, sending me flying backward. I crash into the wall, my body smoking. I feel my bones rattling, my skin burning. The pain is blinding, but I don't let go of Lena. I hold her tight, my arms a shield against the dark magic.
Lena screams as she sees me fall. "Delphine! No!"
I struggle to get up, my legs shaking. I can feel the Commanders advancing. They’re closing in, their eyes fixed on us. They want me dead, and they want Lena now more than ever. But I won't let them take her.
I look at Lena. She’s terrified, her eyes wide and swimming with tears. But she’s not giving up. She reaches out to me, her hand trembling as she touches the crescent moon mark on her neck. The mark flares brighter, and a wave of power washes over her.
The Commanders don't give me a chance to respond. They launch a final, massive wave of violet energy. It’s too big to dodge, too powerful to block. I can see the end coming. I wrap my arms around Lena one last time, pulling her close, and I whisper a final, desperate prayer.