Ashen Flesh and Walking Death
The Forsaken Blade was hot in Marius’s grip as he held the hilt firmly in front of him.
His words echoed through the forest.
They aren’t going to stop you, but I am.
He meant every word. There was no way they could allow this creature to live.
Up close, the First was even more horrific than from afar. Sebastian and Luna had distracted the vampire, but this part was up to him.
He had to do this. For his family. For his country.
And, more importantly, for the vampire who was quickly becoming the most important person in his life. Vivienne was beside him, her presence strengthening him. Her pinky finger brushed against his, the small touch sending a wave of reassurance through him.
You can do this.
That’s what he told himself as the First slowly turned around. Running away wasn’t an option. They needed to succeed.
Ten feet stood between him and the ancient vampire, but it wasn’tnearly enough. Every instinct within him, magical and otherwise, screamed for him to run from this dangerous, deadly predator.
Her movements were lithe and graceful, entirely at odds with the carnage she’d caused. The remnants of a dozen humans were strewn across the forest floor, a reminder of her horrific acts. As if being covered head to toe in blood wasn’t enough.
The First was a creature of death, through and through.
And then her obsidian gaze rose and met his. Marius wasn’t able to contain his shiver as she smirked.
Those black eyes were as frightening as they’d been the first time he’d met her, but there was something different about the ancient vampire now. A sense of life that hadn’t previously been there.
It wasn’t the only difference, though.
Madness glinted in her eyes, a stark reminder that this creature wasn’t normal. As if her grey skin coated in blood wasn’t reminder enough.
“You?” The ancient vampire’s mouth twisted into a sneer. “You’re nothing but a halfling. Mortal blood runs through your veins.”
Those words had haunted Marius for a quarter of a century, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be ashamed of his lineage any longer. His blood was the reason he could wield the Forsaken Blade, and it was only because of him that they had a chance to stop the First once and for all.
“You’re wrong,” he said, even though he knew he didn’t need to defend himself to the vile creature. “I can and will destroy you.”
Underestimating him would be the last act of the ancient vampire’s long life.
“You want to fight me, mortal?” She snarled, flashing crimson-tipped fangs. “Fine. I’ll kill you first. It matters little to me.”
Luna gasped nearby. From the corner of his eye, Marius could see Sebastian and Luna. The king’s arm was banded around his wife’s stomach as if he was holding her back.
They hadn’t said goodbye.
Hopefully, it wasn’t a mistake that would haunt Luna for the rest of her endless days.
A growl ripped from the First’s mouth, and Marius knew the time for chatting was over. Good. The sooner the First died, the sooner he could share his plans for the future with Vivienne.
He quickly fell into a fighting stance. He was aware of his surroundings—the vampires, the snow, the bloody corpses—but his attention was locked on the ancient creature of death.
She leaned forward, her fingers curling and shadows streaming around her as she moved toward him.
The dagger vibrated in Marius’s hand, an ominous warning.Not yet.
He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he did. He couldn’t make the first move.