Vampish: Blood Bonds, page 23
“Let Azara go!” Talon’s weak growl echoed from behind me. “Take some of her blood and release her.”
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
Red stepped forward, just out of my reach. “I’ll go with you if you release Azara.”
“No,” I hissed.
“You don’t seem to understand, little wolf. I need you both.”
Red released the stake from the sheath at her thigh and pressed it against her neck. The steady rise and fall of Thanatos’s chest halted. His jaw clenched, and lips drew into a thin line.
“What are you doing?” I cried.
“And if I kill myself, you’ll never get what you want. There is no other wolf like me. There is another female warlock.” She pressed the pointy tip into her throat, and my nostrils flared. Blood pooled at the tip. “Take us to her. Let Talon confirm she’s okay, and you can have me.”
My fingers curled into fists at my side, and another growl rumbled deep in my core. I’d never let that happen. I wouldn’t let Thanatos take our mate.
“What’s to stop me from taking you now?” Death smiled.
“I am.” Spark stood in the shadows with a crossbow trained at the back of Red’s head.
No…
“If you make a move, I’ll fire. She’ll be dead on the spot, and you’ll never get what you want.”
They’d planned this. Red had gone behind my back and made a pact with the dragon. He wouldn’t. That overgrown lizard didn’t have the balls… Fury tumbled through my insides, a mix of fear and panic writhing through every inch.
“Please, take me to her.” Talon’s voice was weak, but from the looks of it, Cal’s angel healing had stopped the blood loss. “I’ll do whatever you want.”
Thanatos dismissed him with a wave and turned to Red once again. “If I take you to Azara, you will stay?”
Red nodded, and I resisted the urge to strangle her. “You will not!” I growled.
“If you release her, I will. Take some of her blood, and you’ll always know where you can find more.” She glanced at Talon. “Right?”
He nodded slowly. “If it means saving her life, I’d give you whatever you asked for.”
“Azara wouldn’t approve of any of this,” I snarled. “I met the girl for a few days, and I already know that. Don’t do this.”
Thanatos eyed me, and his nostrils flared. I pressed my arms across my chest as if I could somehow hide my tiny soul. He couldn’t know or he would’ve acted by now. “Only the she-wolf and the dragon may come.”
“Absolutely not,” I barked. “I go where she goes.”
Red’s team muttered protests, but she whirled on them, steel carved into the hard line of her jaw. “I need you to keep the others safe. If we don’t return, tell the queen everything.”
Vera raced over and pulled her into a hug. “Don’t do this, Nix.”
“I have to.” She whispered something to her friend, but I couldn’t make it out over the roar of my thundering heart.
Archer and Cal moved in next, each giving their leader a solemn nod.
“I can’t believe you guys are okay with this,” I howled. “You can’t let her do this.” Grabbing Red’s hands, I squeezed her fingers. “He’ll never let you go.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“Then what are you doing?”
She leaned in and brushed her lips against the shell of my ear. “Just trust me, like I trust you.”
Trust her? Was she out of her mind? She was jumping headfirst right into a trap.
Sparky appeared behind her and pulled her into a hug. “Be careful.”
“How can you let her do this?” I shouted at the stupid dragon.
“Because I trust her.” He shot me a smug grin, and it took all my restraint not to bite him.
“So that’s it? You’re just going to blindly follow the god of death wherever he may take you?”
“Us. I’m going to follow him wherever he’ll take us. Because I know you’ll do the right thing when the time comes.”
What the hell did that mean? Did she want me to turn her?
She pivoted to Thanatos. “Ransom comes too or no deal.”
Death rolled his eyes and let out a grunt. Like life was so rough for the immortal being. “Fine, fine.” The chariot of bones reassembled, and he walked up the skeletal steps onto his throne. Once seated, he spread his hands out, and a dark mist crawled up from the ground. It snaked up my legs, then Red’s, a fine layer of frost working its way up my appendages. I reached for Red and held her tight against my chest as the dark shadows consumed us.
Chapter
Thirty-Five
Phoenix
* * *
The cold crept through every inch of my body until not even Ransom’s warm arms curled around me made a difference. But as quickly as it had come, the icy tingles vanished, and a room materialized around us. Or maybe it was the other way around, and we'd actually materialized in the dark chamber.
Obsidian made up the walls, the lanterns hung along the stone casting the dim room in shadows. Thanatos sat atop a throne made of the same creepy bones that had served as his mystical chariot, and to his right, stood Drakin. The warlock watched us, his fingers twitching in excitement.
Talon coalesced beside me a moment later, and a swell of relief filled my chest at the sight of him. The wound across the front of his shoulder had begun to heal, only the tattered shirt and blood splatter remained. Thank the gods for Cal and his half-angel healing power.
“Where is Azara?” Talon barked.
Thanatos wiggled his fingers at Drakin, and the warlock stomped out of the room with a dramatic eyeroll. Damn, that warlock was pretty ballsy. Or Thanatos was less scary than he seemed. Or the god really needed Drakin to break the curse.
“So, what’s your grand plan?” Ransom whispered.
That was an excellent question. The truth was I didn’t have one. I was just winging it. Getting Azara away from Thanatos was as far as I’d gotten, and I had been completely serious about giving myself up for her. But I couldn’t tell my vampire mate that or he would go ballistic.
“It’s a surprise,” I finally muttered.
“Red, I’m not sure I’m going to like this surprise.”
I weaved my fingers through his and gave his hand a squeeze. “Just remember I love you.”
A shot of his panic surged through our bond. “Don’t say that, Red. Nothing ever good happens when the hero says that in the movies.”
“Well, then, it’s a good thing I’m the heroine.”
Drakin reappeared, tugging Azara along behind him. Or what used to be Azara. Dark circles lined her eyes, and a thick layer of dirt and mud covered her arms and legs. Thick iron manacles were fastened around her ankles and wrists and judging by the potent odor of magic in the air, they were no ordinary handcuffs.
Talon sucked in a sharp breath as she staggered in. He raced toward her, but Drakin’s hand shot up and the dragon bounced off an invisible wall and flew back. “No further, shifter.”
“Talon,” Azara murmured when her mate hit the floor.
“What have you done to her?” he growled as he pushed off his hands and knees to stand.
“What I had to in order to keep her subdued,” Drakin answered. His dark navy irises pulsed. “She’s quite powerful. I daresay she might come close to my abilities, but her demon side makes her volatile.”
“Take these cuffs off, and I’ll show you how volatile I can be,” Azara hissed.
I squared my shoulders at the dark deity. “Let her go, Thanatos. That was the deal, me for her.”
Azara’s hazy eyes lifted to mine, and she slowly shook her head. “No…”
Drakin spun at Thanatos, arms flailing. “You can’t be serious. We are so close.”
The god waved a nonchalant hand. “Just take a healthy serving of the female warlock’s blood. The she-wolf is far more valuable to us.”
“But Thanatos, we still don’t know how much we need.”
“We’ll know where to find her, and there’s always her mother. There is only one wolf with the kiss of death, and I won’t lose the opportunity to capture her.”
“This is foolish,” Drakin grumbled under his breath.
Thanatos’s eyes darkened to twin pools of obsidian, and he leapt off the throne. “You dare question me, you insignificant warlock? You don’t think I could replace you with ten others? You have no idea what the future holds for the girl. Only I do.”
Drakin’s eyes narrowed, but he lowered his gaze.
Me?
Ransom’s panic streaked through the bond. “Don’t do it, Red,” he murmured. “Please, I can’t lose you. I won’t.”
“Take the female warlock’s blood and get out of my sight,” Thanatos shouted.
Drakin revealed a dagger from the folds of his robe and dragged it across Azara’s wrist. She winced but didn’t make a sound as her blood began to spill.
“No, I won’t let this happen.” Ransom pressed his lips to mine and before I could blink, he was gone. A dark blur darted across the room.
All the air siphoned out of my lungs as Ransom leapt at Azara and knocked her to the ground. His fangs lengthened, and he chomped down on her throat.
Talon let out a strangled cry, and an odd choking sound burst from my mouth. “Ransom, no!” I finally shouted once I dragged in enough air to speak.
Chaos exploded across the room. Drakin and Talon lunged for Ransom, and Thanatos darted toward me. His speed was uncanny. I searched my core for my wolf and before Death could reach me, I was down on all fours. Flames danced over my fur, the crimson fire illuminating across my periphery.
All around I could just make out the bones and skulls reassembling into animate forms. The scary skeletal soldiers closed in around us, their creepy unseeing orbs trained on me. When Thanatos reached me, he froze, his dark gaze raking over me.
“Good goddess,” he muttered. “What has she done?”
He reached for me, but I darted out of the way and tiny flames jumped off my fur and landed on his black cloak. He let out a curse as the mystical flames singed the fabric.
Yes! Point for my wolf.
I raced across the room searching for Ransom and Azara. Oh gods, please don’t let her be dead. Anger and fear for my mate spiraled inside, a wicked tornado battering my insides. How could he have done this? He swore…
Azara lay on the floor, blood dripping from her neck and wrist. Talon crouched beside her, anguish contorting his handsome face. I slid down beside him and cocked my wolfy head.
“She’s alive,” he whispered, “but barely.”
Drakin held Ransom in a glowing crimson orb, and if I hadn’t been so furious with my mate, I would’ve found the sight comical. He smacked at the invisible edges, like a mime with a seriously bad attitude. His panicked eyes met mine, Azara’s blood still dripping from his chin, and he mouthed something I couldn’t quite make out. Warring sensations surged through the bond, and my heart stuttered out an erratic rhythm. My human form sprang out of my wolf, the shift instantaneous. The fact that I was naked barely registered amidst the chaos.
“How could you?” I mouthed at Ransom. He shook his head still shouting through the invisible barrier. “What is he saying?” I yelled at Drakin.
“Who cares?”
“I need to know!”
Thanatos appeared beside me with his army of skeletal soldiers. “Let’s hear what the traitor has to say before I take his life.”
Drakin snapped his fingers, and Ransom’s shouts blasted through the bubble. “I’m the vampire with the soul!”
My eyes widened, and icy fear crawled up my spine. I started shaking my head, but it was too late.
Thanatos moved closer. “Release him now,” he called out.
“But…”
“Do it now, Drakin. I thought I sensed something earlier…”
The bubble burst, and Ransom slumped forward. “I’m the vampire you need, and now I have the blood of the last three pieces you were missing running through my veins.”
My jaw nearly came unhinged. “No…”
“The wolf and I have been bloodsharing for months. My blood is as much hers as it is mine. And I nearly drained the female warlock. You should have plenty. Now, let them go.”
My hand wrapped around Ransom’s arm, and I spun him toward me. “What are you doing?”
“I’m saving you. I’m finally going to be the mate you deserve. Better late than never, right?” A rueful smirk curled up the corners of his lips as he tugged his shirt over his head and pulled it over mine. The gesture was so familiar, so sweet, tears burned my eyes.
“Don’t do this, Ransom.” Emotion tightened my throat.
His strong hands framed my face, and a tear trailed down his cheek. “I love you, Red. It was all worth it to spend these last few months with you.”
“But you promised. You promised me forever.”
He smiled, a heartbreaking smile that would forever be emblazoned in my mind. “Never trust a vampire.” He released me and shouted at Thanatos. “Do we have a deal?”
Thanatos grinned, flashing a row of perfect white teeth. “Let the others go, Drakin. We finally have what we need.”
“No, no, no!” I reached for Ransom, but he spun out of my grasp.
“I love you,” he mouthed, then he turned to Talon. “Get her out of here, now!”
Talon’s arms snaked around my waist, and I let out a shriek, struggling against his hold. “Let go of me!” Azara was slung over his shoulder and still somehow, I couldn’t escape his steel grip. “Talon, let go!”
“I’m sorry, I can’t.” His wings snapped out, and my stomach bottomed out. As he flew across the room, my gaze chased to Ransom’s. A serene smile stretched across his face despite the fear crushing my lungs.
“Ransom, please!” I cried out. “Don’t leave me. I love you!”
The chamber disintegrated around us, and cool night air blanketed my feverish skin. Ransom’s smile was the last thing I remembered before the icy chill returned and everything went black.
* * *
To Be Continued…
* * *
Read on for a special sneak peek of book four, Vampish: Blood Mate, which will be out on August 23rd! And you can preorder it here.
Sneak Peek of Vampish: Blood Mate
Chapter 1
Ransom
I saved her.
For once in my life, I did the right thing, and I didn’t care what it cost me. Death could bleed me dry for all I cared. As long as Red was safe. My heart fluttered out a triumphant beat despite the agony tearing through our bond. I kept my gaze fixed to Red’s as Talon flew higher. She struggled against his hold, and I did my best to shoot reassuring vibes through our connection. “I love you,” I mouthed. Her screams echoed across my eardrums as she grew further and further away until Thanatos’s dark magic wrapped around their forms and presumably transported them home.
I gritted my teeth refusing to succumb to the hot tears burning my eyes. I’d see Red again someday, whether in this life or the next. The only comfort was that we hadn’t completed the mate bond. Losing me would be painful, but it wouldn’t be a death sentence. In time, our tie would fade, and she’d be able to move on.
I forced my feet to move from the spot. Red was gone. It was time to get this over with. I whirled around to face Thanatos and Drakin. The warlock eyed me suspiciously as the god leaned against his skeletal throne. It was clear Drakin wasn’t onboard with this blood thing. He would’ve preferred to have all three of us in person and live. But I had enough of Red’s blood coursing through my veins and after taking a bite of the dark lord, Azara’s neck, I should have plenty of hers as well.
It had been a gamble for sure. I wasn’t certain Thanatos would agree to let the girls go, I still didn’t trust him not to go back on his word. But he was a god, and his honor had to count for something.
I squared my shoulders at the dark deity and smiled. “So are we going to do this thing, or what?”
Thanatos’ dark gaze lanced over me, his brilliant blue eyes unearthly in their radiant glow. His obsidian wings fluttered behind him as he spoke, “You really love the girl, don’t you?”
I nodded, not feeling the urge to get into my love life with Death.
“It’s incredible the lengths a male will go for the sake of a woman. It’s twisted, really.” His lips quirked in amusement. “It must be your soul…” His brows drew together as he continued to scrutinize me. “Of all my children, I’ve never met one like you. I sincerely hope that you will survive what’s to come.”
“Thanks,” I muttered. “But I suppose that’s ultimately up to you, isn’t it?”
The corners of his mouth dipped. “No, it’s not. It’s up to the requirements of the spell.”
“So you really don’t know how much blood you’ll need?” I slanted a look at the warlock.
The male’s dark brows slammed together, and I was fairly certain had his skin not been a deep ebony, crimson would’ve tinged his cheeks. “No,” he snarled. “Breaking a curse such as this is unheard of. I will be the first to attempt a spell of this magnitude.”
Arrogant little a-hole.
“So let’s do it.” I clapped my hands. “If all goes well, I could get home in time for dinner with my girl, right?”
Thanatos clucked his tongue. “Not so fast, my child. Now that we have all the ingredients, we must wait for the blood moon.”
Ugh, why is it always about blood?
I glanced at my wrist, searching for a non-existent watch. “So when will that be?”
“In five days,” Drakin responded.
I folded my arms across my chest and grunted. “Well, what the hades are we going to do until then?”
Thanatos ticked his head at the warlock. “Bring him to the dungeon with the others.”
Dungeon? “Seriously?” I planted my feet as Drakin moved for me, sparks of neon energy sparking between his palms. “I gave myself to you willingly. I won’t run because that would only put Phoenix at risk. There’s no need to imprison me. Can’t we talk upgrades?”
