Chapter 111
Nix
My knees connect with grass, and I clumsily stretch my hands out to catch myself as I fall forward.
I cough and gag, my lungs burning as I try to fill them with oxygen.
Tears drip from my eyes, and my heart won’t stop racing.
I can’t make my heart stop racing.
“Pathetic.” The awful man laughs from behind me. “The mighty Volik with a worthless mate like you…” A boot slams against my hip.
The force sends me skidding across the grass.
My throat aches at the sound that leaves me as pain rocks through my bones.
This bitch.
“Coward.” I choke on the word, my lungs still struggling to inhale.
“What?” The ground trembles with his footsteps, and I get my first real look at Morell.
And standing here in this field at dusk… he’s entirely unremarkable.
Plain.
Forgettable.
“I said you’re a coward, Morell.”
He jumps the few feet between us, and I jerk back.
He sneers as he crouches, his breath in my face. “So, Volik told you about me?”
“He t-told me you’re delusional.” I cough.
Morell leans closer. “No. I’m. Not.”
I didn’t know vampires could have bad breath, but Morell’s smells rotten. Like copper and mold.
I lean farther away from him. “You are.”
He bares his teeth. “Shut. Up.”
I don’t. Because the more time I spend talking, the less time I spend being strangled, and the more time Volik has to find me. “Even if your story was true, why punish Volik? That’s hardly fair.”
“He’s just as responsible.” Spit flies from Morell’s mouth as he snarls.
“Are you going to fight him? Or are you just going to kill me?”
He darts his hand out and grips my throat.
“I’m going to kill you.” He stands, lifting me by the neck.
He’s not cutting off my airway yet, but it feels like he’s about to rip my head off.
I wrap both hands around his forearm and use all my strength to pull myself up, easing the pressure.
“You have to go after me…” I struggle to keep my chin up. “B-because you’re too weak to fight Volik.”
His hold tightens.
My heart keeps sprinting.
“I will kill you because he will have a moment between his heart stopping and his death, when he will know that you are dead.” He grins.
And I see it.
The madness in his eyes.
He’ll never see reason.
He won’t stop until my mate is dead.
… Or until he’s dead.
“I’ve been waiting so long for this.” He shakes me.
I tighten my hold on his arm, and I mumble.
“What was that?” He pulls me closer.
I spit in his face.
His roar is drowned out by the feel and sound of his hand cracking across my cheek.
“You disgusting bitch. I’m going to—”
He jerks his attention to the side. And despair fills my stomach when I see a pitch-black doorway framed in glowing gold magic.
He has a portal.
A druid steps through.
It’s not Dread. The person is much smaller than him. But their robe is tied shut, and even their hands are hidden in the long sleeves, so I can’t see a single thing about them. Except the golden glow coming from beneath their hood.
Morell walks us toward the portal. And my panic doubles.
If he’s using a portal to get away, he might not be waiting to kill me in front of Volik.
I assumed that was his plan. Figured he’d want to make Volik watch.
And I assumed I just had to waste time. Give Volik a chance to find me.
So he could save us.
But if Morell doesn’t wait… then no one’s coming to save me.
And I’ll never see Volik again.
My blood thrums painfully fast through my veins.
I close my eyes.
And I focus on the weight inside my chest.
I think about Volik.
I think about the way he makes me feel.
I think about pulling him to me, the way he draws me to him.
I focus on the weight swirling inside me.
And I push that feeling out as Morell throws me through the portal.