“Lumi, what’s wrong?” I ask, only to realize her eyes are still closed.
“Is she awake or dreaming?” I ask Ambrose.
He frowns. “Neither. It’s like her mind has gone blank. I don’t understand it. The dream she was having before is gone. And her mind isn’t focused on anything at all. Her eyes are stillclosed, so she must have just fallen into a heavier sleep, one without any dreams.”
I stare at her intently.What is going on, Lumi?
I hold my breath.
So does Ambrose.
And then we both watch as she slices the blade into her own neck.
Ambrose lunges for her. I try to hold back, staying rooted on the ground, holding my breath so that her blood doesn’t overwhelm me and turn me into a monster.
“I can’t get to her,” Ambrose cries out as he reaches the end of his chains.
What were we thinking?We should have had Lumi sleep near Ambrose so that he could protect her.
Ambrose looks at me, terror on his face. He wants my help, needs my help to keep his mate alive. But this will be the ultimate test of my control. I could kill her before she even has a chance to survive the wound.
She gurgles, the sound does something to me. Suddenly, the choice isn’t mine anymore.
I leap from my spot. It takes me two steps to reach her. The smell of her blood floods me. A strong, metallic smell like a meal laid out for me on a platter. I’ve tasted her blood countless times, but never really drank. Never pulled mouthfuls of her blood. Never lost myself in her blood like I’ve been dying to do since I first met her. Only ever allowed myself the smallest of tastes—and that alone has told me how deliciously intoxicating her blood is to me.
My entire body is shaking, trying to hold back from giving in to my vampire urges.
Blood, blood, blood…
More tremors race through me, like I’m an addict trying to detox when their drug of choice has just been laid out in front of them. I feel my control slipping.
I toss the blade from her hand, and it slides across the room to Ambrose.
“Here,” Ambrose shouts, ripping off the bottom half of his shirt before balling it up and tossing it at me.
I snatch it and then press it tightly over her wound, keeping as much blood as I can inside her body.
“Stay with me, Lumi,” I say.
Her eyes open as I speak, like she’s just now gained consciousness. Fear streaks across her eyes. She can’t speak as blood spills from her perfect lips. She’s so close to death.
“Isolde!” I yell, knowing I have no choice but to call the witch in. “Isolde!”
Ambrose joins in with me. “Isolde!”
Lumi looks at me. “Wh—?” She croaks, almost choking on the blood that is still dripping from her neck despite the pressure I’m applying.
“Shhh,” I tell her to stay quiet. But if this is the last thing she sees before she dies, she deserves to know the truth of what happened to her.
“Ambrose’s curse…it triggered Isolde to put you in an unsafe position when she never would on her own. And then you—you used the knife to slice your own neck in your sleep.”
Her eyes widen in fear, like she can’t believe what I’m saying is true. She tries to speak, but I shake my head.
“I think the curse has been trying to get you to kill yourself. It’s been you this whole time.”
I can see her processing and coming to the same conclusion that I have.
“But you don’t have to worry now. You’re not going to die. I won’t allow it.”