Epilogue
ERYX
It had taken a full week for Eryx to reach the cliffs of the Northern Sea. Seven days of cowering in primitive shelters and hunting small game for sustenance. It was behavior unbecoming of someone his age, but survival didn’t give credence to titles.
The sharp rocks that stood tall against the gales of the sea were unforgiving against his palms, slicing his skin as he descended their face to a familiar ledge.
The maker’s bond called to him from within the cave, lulling him as his strides turned to liquid and swaying him in the direction of her voice.
“Eryxxxx.” Her call stretched his name and echoed in the dark seaside resting place.
Eryx spread his hands wide over the stone that held her.
His undead heart pounded against his chest from anticipation and fear of seeing her again after all of this time.
“You failed me.” Her whisper hung between the sound of crashing waves outside.
A stake to the heart would have been more pleasurable than admitting the truth to her.
Eryx tried to swallow the words down. But the pull to obey and answer truthfully outweighed his fear of disappointing her. His maker’s wrath was what made her most notorious.
“I did,” Eryx choked out.
Stone ground against stone and the heavy tomb shifted.
“Come here, sweet boy,” she crooned. A crooked, gray finger beckoned.
“Please, no,” he pleaded, but she pulled at their bond like he was a disobedient hound. His reluctance skittered as she commanded Eryx to lie beside her.
The stench of stale, ancient decay hung in the small enclosure.
“Failure.” Each syllable dragged with her hiss through the dark. “You will try again.”
Eryx nodded silently. Eyes squeezed shut. A vampire regent reduced to nothing next to his maker.
“But Eryx.” Her labored breaths drew closer. “You will not fail me again.”
A guttural scream ripped through the tomb as her fangs sank into his neck.
She drank and drank but it wouldn’t matter what she took from him. Her curse made her insatiable—the curse he was meant to break.
White spots blinked into his vision as Eryx’s maker pulled his lifeforce from his flesh and he swore, just before he fell unconscious at her feet, that Reyva Bergmont would pay dearly for interfering in his plans.