Page 19 of Master Oradea

I drop to my knees, tracing a finger along the side of Natalia’s neck. Barely a pulse. I look to Michael and Marcus who stand with the other two, shell shocked at the sight of their near-dead sister lying on the floor. “She is beyond saving medically in the human world. She’s lost way too much blood. I can save her, but it means turning her, bringing her into my world.”

Marcus empties his entire magazine of ammo into the large mirror over the fireplace, sending shards of glass everywhere. “She’ll be a fucking vampire!” he screams.

I turn, growling my frustration because there’s no way I’m letting her die on this fucking floor. “She’ll survive or die now!” I look to Michael. “Make the call, or I will. I won’t give you more than a minute,” I tell him, which even that is time we don’t have.

Michael knows exactly how this goes. He may not fucking like it, but he knows it’s the only way to save his baby sister, and he doesn’t make me wait. “Do it, Oradea.”

My fangs sink deep, tuning out the protests and yelling between the brothers as I remove the rest of Natalia’s blood, creating an empty vessel with which to receive all that I have to give. I slit my wrist with one of my daggers, a long line to ensure blood is received as quickly as possible while the brothers watch me in a semi-dazed look of shock, watching as the essence of my lifeblood is dripped into her mouth in a continuous stream until I know she’s had enough.

I pick her lifeless body up and stand with her cradled in my arms. “I’m taking her back to my estate where I can keep her safe.” Marcus starts to say something, but Frankie grabs him by the arm. “One more fucking word and I’m going to shut you up myself. You’re not helping.”

I give Frankie a nod of appreciation. “If you’re able, see if your men can round up any and all the shifters left who aren’t already dead. Maybe one of them will talk. In the meantime, our team will be following Lucas; they were outside taking care of the shifters while I was in here.”

Michael’s eyes glisten as he looks at his little sister. “Will she make it?”

I swallow through answering the question that only she can answer. “It’s up to her and destiny. If she fights hard, and her heart is in the right place, she’ll make it through, but it’s not an easy battle. It will take everything she has and more to get through those gates of transition.”

He nods. “Thank you. Take care of Natalia.”

I don’t respond, because her brother doesn’t need to be reminded that is exactly what I was trying to do before he brought her here, where I could not defend her and keep her safe. I transport with her in my arms, right in front of them. Fuck the masters’ rules of not transporting in front of humans. It’s not like they haven’t seen a hundred other vampires do it day in and day out around the cities. Why should the masters be different? Especially after what they just saw me do.

The minute I transport into the bedroom, Elda appears. “I’ll run some water and take care of her,” she says. I should let her do that and go and help the others, but I’m not about to leave Natalia for a minute.

Lucas hates to lose…

He’s always been that way. He put time and energy into a ploy so that he could kill Natalia to teach them and me a lesson. There’s no way he doesn’t come back, and this time he’ll deal with me.

Chapter 18

Natalia

The green-eyed faceless ghouls whiz through the night, almost knocking me down with their frenzied zeal. The faster I run the faster they chase, until I find refuge as they take off to recharge. They’ll be back. Time and time again when I think finally, they’re through, they charge again. I’ll be ready for the bastards this time. There is no way they’re going to keep me away from those gates. I’ve made it this far, and I damn well plan on making it all the way to the finish line, no matter what else they throw my way.

I gather my weary body and trudge forward, over the clouds and toward the guarded gates that will determine my fate. Open or not, depending on my ability to ward off my pursuers and reach them without harm. I swallow through the pain of my journey, gathering more courage with each step I take, determined that this will be the last battle of the night with those flying ghouls. And when I hear the high-pitched screams this time, I hold my ground, letting them draw near, letting them get closer and closer before jumping on to the back of one, choking him as we get closer to the gates, forcing his direction until I can jump from his back right over the guard and into the welcoming gates.

The leader glares at me from his spot in the distance, on the other side of the gate. He turns, leading his defeated warriors back to attack some other pour soul who dares to try to make it through to the underworld.

A hand stroking my cheek wakes me. Oradea’s eyes warm me with their gaze. “The enchantress awakes.”

I swallow past the soreness in my throat, not sure if it’s injury or all the screaming at the green-eyed ghouls that has caused the pain. I run my hand down the length of my neck. Skin that should be torn and jagged with stitches is as smooth as it was days before. “You turned me?”

He nods. “I did. If not, you would have died on the floor of your brothers’ home.”

I try to sit up in bed, but the effort alone makes me suck in a breath. “Why am I so weak? The battle?” He shifts on the bed before answering.

“You will gain your strength back; it will just take time.”

I eye him suspiciously. “No one told you, did they?”

His eyes narrow. “Tell me what, Natalia?”

I swallow down my fear. It’s going to come out sooner or later. Better that it come out now than to come out later and shatter my heart when he leaves. “I’m a witch. I’m pretty sure that my grandmother was a witch. That’s why I left with my brother. I didn’t want to put you in the same position that so many of the masters are in right now. I didn’t want to have you be the one to push me away, so I left when he came.”

His eyes grow dark, and he stands, pacing the floor in front of the heavy drawn drapes that fall to the floor. “You’re not a witch. I would know if you were a witch.”

I narrow my eyes at the vampire master whose mind is running a thousand miles a minute as he contemplates every scenario imaginable. I draw the comforter to my shoulders, letting him process everything that I’ve said. “I am a witch. Embry knows; the ladies know. Everyone knew I was a witch except me, except you. Think about it, Oradea. I can communicate with you just like them. I know what you’re thinking right now. In fact…”

His red-tinged eyes narrow at me. “Tell me,” he half growls. I shrug, trying to keep my voice indifferent while my heart shatters into a million pieces. “Witches are evil; she can’t possibly be a witch. I would have been able to tell. I wouldn’t be attracted to a witch when they want to destroy us. Is that about it?” I ask, as he folds himself into a large burgundy wingback chair by the window, watching me with those eyes that see right to my very soul.

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