Page 40 of Bitten By Chaos

A pink light glowed to life on my hands above me and streamed into a circle before my face. In the center, a picture came to life depicting Julian in Merlin’s dining area, now pristine and normal looking, as my mate stared at a tiny piece of folded paper in the wizard’s outstretched hand.

I’d forgotten about the paper I was instructed not to pick up. “No,” I breathed. “Julian, don’t touch it. It’s a trap.”

But Merl shook it, and Julian snatched it from his hand, opening the paper to read. I bit down on my cheek as I waited. It wasn’t until a full minute had passed that I realized Julian wasn’t moving at all. He’d been frozen in place, eyes locked on the tiny paper.

Merlin snapped, and the world spun as the pink light blinked out of existence. The brightness of the rest of the room forced my eyes shut for several seconds when the wall finished turning around again. When I finally opened them, Merl was already dragging Julian over to chain him to the wall beside me.

My screams were silenced with another snap and a silver band that fit tightly over my mouth and between my lips, making my eyes water blood from the pain against my tongue and soft tissues.

“I’d meant that spell as bait for you to make things easier, but it turned out perfectly anyway since Julian surprised me with a visit. It’s just a shame he didn’t take the bait and relieve me of my Elsa problem first,” Merlin said, stepping back to appraise his work of binding Julian to the wall. “Now, I have three vampires and three zombies,” he mused.

Visions of ripping his throat out and making him watch as his blood choked him to death danced in my head.

“If looks could kill,” Merlin said, patting my cheek. “Ah, our visitor is almost here. My wards are tingling.”

Merl strode out of sight toward the door and reappeared a minute later with Bres in tow. The fairy gave me a curious once over, and I widened my eyes, trying to convey something was wrong.

“Welcome, your majesty.”

“Wizards have funny tastes,” Bres grunted before turning away from the three of us on the wall. “Make it quick. Why have you called me here?”

“I have something that belongs to you, I believe. But I expect payment for its return.”

“I’ve no need for the vampire, though I won’t argue it would be fun to get her back for biting me.” he said with a snort.

“Not her. Your sword. I found it on her.”

Bres’ aura jumped with excitement. “Give it to me, and I won’t kill you. That’s payment enough.”

“Tell me, Lord Bres, have you ever heard of an anti-momentum spell?”

“I know and care nothing for human magics. Give me the sword now, or I’ll start depriving you of body parts.” Bres’ human form towered over the wizard as he spoke.

“Very well. Read this while I get it for you,” Merlin said, handing the goblin the very same piece of paper he’d trapped Julian with.

Bres grunted and opened the spell, leaning in and squinting to read whatever the words were that made up his anti-momentum spell. Merlin clapped with glee.

“See that, Charlotte? People are so easy to trick, it’s almost painful. Now, you’ll need to drain him completely this time.”

A growl rose in my chest as I wasn’t able to produce any other sound or movement. If he let me out to feed off Bres, it was his own head he’d lose. But I knew he’d never be that careless. This man seemed to think of everything. Still I couldn’t see how he planned to force me to do what he planned.

Unless…

My eyes widened with fear as Merl glanced toward the currently unconscious and sagging Julian to my right.

“Your lover and I will be behind an energy shield. If you don’t do as you’re told, he dies permanently. I do like Julian, so it would be a shame. But I will get what I want one way or another.” Merlin raised the black sword in the air, and without another word, he sliced across my chest, opening my dress and a large gash that spilled blood down my body.

“Sorry, dear. Had to make sure you were hungry enough to do it.” Merlin then pricked his own finger with the tip of the sword, unleashing the smell of his blood on the air and making my body push so hard against my restraints that smoke issued from all points of contact.

Blood, blood, blood, the chant rose in my mind, eclipsing all other thought. The magic in whatever that weapon was seemed to be preventing the wound from closing as quickly as it normally would, and the more I lost of my own, the more I needed to sink my teeth into the wizard’s throat.

Grinning up at me, he waved his finger in front of me, and I pulled, nearly cracking the wall behind me. Then he slipped beside Julian, and the restraints on my body melted away into the wall.

I dropped into a crouch, turning immediately toward the source of what I craved. But whenever I sped toward him, a wall of energy shocked my body, sending me backward. Behind his shield, he held the edge of the blade to Julian’s neck. Then he pointed behind me, and I turned in time to see another gash open on Bres’ arm. The scent of yet more fresh blood filled the air, and I needed it. I needed it so I could think clearly.

I jumped on the back of the enormous unmoving fairy, sinking my fangs into his throat and gulping down the familiar elixir. His essence filled me, spreading through my veins as I drew from him, and filling me with power and nourishment.

“Good girl,” Merl encouraged from behind his wall. “Keep drinking.”

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