Chapter 23
Amora
Ican’t process what I’m seeing. A blade hovers over Lumi, pressing into her neck, but there is no person holding the blade.
I scan quickly, looking for the witch who must be using magic, but I can’t find them.
Yet, they have to be here. I’ve never seen such strong magic.
Never known a witch who could hide themselves or be this far away, controlling an object like this.
Despite not knowing where the threat is and how to help, I run to Lumi’s side.
I have to save her. I have to keep her alive.
She has to break the curse for the vampires.
Every day, I can feel myself losing myself.
Vampires are dying every day or turning into rage machines, killing everything in sight.
I try to grab the knife. Try to pull it away, but I can’t. Every second that I wait, Lumi is closer to dying. She’s looking into my eyes, begging me to save her, while she fights against the blade with everything that she has.
And then it hits me—I know what’s causing this. I know why I’m seeing the impossible happen before my eyes.
“Do you trust me?” I ask her.
She gurgles, not able to get any words out.
“I’m going to take that as a yes,” even though I know she doesn’t trust me, and with good reason. I shouldn’t be trusted. I’m not on her side, not really.
I lean down, carefully holding my breath so as not to scent her blood.
This is going to take all the willpower I have.
I concentrate with everything I have. Hoping it will be enough to save us both.
Because if I kill her, it will be a death sentence for me.
Ambrose or Nyx will kill me before my own curse gets me.
I lower my lips, already anticipating the warm blood on my tongue. Instinctively, my fangs dip out first, trying to pierce her skin. But I don’t need to do that to get a drop of her blood. It’s already gushing out of her neck.
I pull my fangs back, going against every instinct, and then I get the single drop. Lapping it up.
More, more, more.
I can’t have more. My throat burns. My body shakes. All I want is her blood. It’s been days since I’ve drunk. I need it. But I can’t.
With a strangled breath, I breathe out the single word, using all of my mental power to control her mind, “Shift.”
I watch as her body twists and pulls in on itself. Turning her skin instantly into a wolf’s body. The second she shifts, my theory holds true. The knife drops to the ground. And her wolf shifter body starts trying to heal the wound. But it won’t be enough to keep her alive. She needs help now.
I press my hands over her gaping wound, trying to keep her remaining blood in her body.
“Hold on, Lumi, help will be here soon,” I say, as much to reassure myself as her. But she passes out, going completely unconscious beneath me.
Every second that passes is painful. The control it takes for me not to take more of her blood overwhelms me. I can’t think about anything else. All I want is blood, blood, blood.
Her blood is exquisite. Like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. I can see why Nyx and Ambrose are so obsessed with her. There is something so unique about her that makes me want more of her.
I listen to her heart beat. Over and over and over. Despite everything, it’s steady, stubborn, refusing to stop or even slow. It keeps her alive, despite everything.
I don’t know how long, how much time passes, but I hear them before I scent them. I’ve been doing my best to keep from breathing this entire time.
“Lumi!” they both scream in unison.
I don’t know which man loves her more. But you can hear it in both of their voices with the single word.
Before I can speak, both men are kneeling next to Lumi, assessing her.
“Riven will be in here in three minutes,” Nyx says.
“We don’t have three minutes,” Ambrose says.
I’m still holding my hands over her wound, but blood still leaks out around my hands.
“I’m very rusty and nowhere as good as Riven, but I think I can get the bleeding to stop at least until he gets here,” Ambrose says.
“You’d better, if not, I’m taking matters into my own hands,” Nyx says.
Ambrose and I both snap our heads in Nyx’s direction. “Turning her into a vampire would be a death sentence.”
“It wouldn’t. It’d keep her alive.”
“And turn her into an abomination like you! She’d never forgive you for that.”
“I don’t care if she’d forgive me. She’d be alive.”
“And not be able to break any of the curses. Save herself. Or save you, you asshole.”
“We don’t know any of that.”
“Boys, can we argue later? If someone doesn’t stop the bleeding soon, I can’t promise that I’m not going to suck her dry right now.”
Ambrose growls in my direction, and Nyx gives me a look that says try it, and he’ll snap my neck, rip out my heart, and set me on fire faster than it takes me to blink.
But my words have the desired effect. Ambrose closes his eyes and places his hands on Lumi’s body.
I feel her body heating beneath my hands, feel the wound tugging, trying to pull together.
“You can remove your hands now,” Ambrose says calmly.
I’m not sure I should. Another second or two of blood loss could be the difference between her living or dying. But I do what he says.
My shoulders slump in relief. The wound has pulled together, and the bleeding has stopped.
“Riven will be able to do more, but for now, that should be enough,” Ambrose says.
“Who did this?” Nyx asks me, never taking his eyes off Lumi. He doesn’t touch her. Doesn’t kneel next to her. Doesn’t move close to her. Just watches.
I should tell them. I want to tell them. I need to tell them my theory.
I open my mouth, and the words stick in my throat. I try again and again, but the words refuse to leave.
“What’s wrong? Answer him! Who tried to kill her?” Ambrose asks angrily.
I try to explain. Try to tell him anything that could be helpful. Anything that could save her next time. Anything to help them. But once again, the words die in my throat.
Nyx studies me. “She’s bound either by a blood deal or mind control.”
I don’t react. I can’t confirm or deny the words he’s saying.
“Fight it! We have to know who tried to kill her. Was it a witch? A Moonfire witch? Someone else? Who?” Ambrose is desperate. His voice demanding answers I can’t give him.
I shake my head, and a tear forms in the corner of my eye. I haven’t cried since I turned. But there’s that pesky tear, threatening to fall now.
I look at Nyx. Begging him to figure it out. To put the pieces together himself. For the first time ever, I wish he could read my mind. Wish we had the bond between us.
“Amora can’t help us. She’s bound by the vampire king,” Nyx says.
The tear falls.
He sees it.
“I don’t care what deal, oath, or control he has over her; she needs to tell us what happened. It could be the key to breaking the curse and saving Lumi!”
“She can’t, and even if she could, she’d die,” Nyx says, taking a step toward me.
I tremble, my world shaking around me. I don’t know what he’s going to do.
And then, his hand reaches up, his thumb brushing so softly against my cheek, brushing the tear away. With the single touch, my world comes back together. Under his touch, my body feels at peace.
He gives me the most subtle of smiles. It’s a small act, but it’s more than enough.
“Go,” he whispers. “We’ll figure it out.”
I don’t wait. I run. Needing to get away from here before my emotions get the best of me. Or I figure out how to fight the control the vampire king has on me and end up dead.
But the distance doesn’t stop me from hearing Nyx’s words whispered through the night sky, “Thank you, Amora. I’ll never be able to repay you for what you did. Thank you.”