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.