Page 78 of Blood Lust

When he quits twitching, Wren pulls back. Her nose, mouth, and chin are covered in his blood. She uses her hands to wipe some of it off and suck it from her fingers, focused on getting every drop possible. I untie Leland’s sword from Emerson’s waist and unsheathe it. In a swift motion, I swing and separate his head from his body.

There will be no regeneration, and we will set fire to this building as we leave.

Wren looks up at me, still being held onto by her wild side, though I can’t tell if she is returning. It doesn’t matter. They are the same inside. When she can finally merge the two of them, they will be whole and one. I push her up against the wall, kissing her blood-stained lips, pressing myself into her to feel as much of her as possible.

Nothing terrifies me more than the thought of losing her. Her hands snake up my chest, and she wraps her legs around my waist. We stay like this for a few minutes, kissing and holding one another.

I finally break the kiss and rest my forehead on hers, panting.

“Oz,” she whispers. My eyes lock on hers, she isn’t back to her usual self, but I can see the flicker of them both in her eyes. “Oz, let’s get out of here.”

“Of course, little bird. Let’s go home.” She doesn’t want to let go of me, so I carry her as she is. Clinging to me like it is the only way for her to stay safe. Exiting the stairwell, I say calmly to Rolando, “Burn it all down.” A few members of our coven stay behind to do just that. The rest of us pile into the cars and begin the trek back to our mountain home.

Back to peace.

CHAPTER 24

THE SONGBIRD

Journeying from the warehouse to the mountain feels like forever. Overwhelming silence settles around us. We are victorious, Emerson is defeated and dead, but this isn’t a celebration. Our leader is gone. Our brother, Naritaka, who had embedded himself in Emerson’s coven, is missing, presumed dead. We got our payback, but the mood is somber.

Oz still hasn’t let go of us.

We don’t want him to.

He nuzzles his face in our hair, pressing gentle kisses to our skin at every opportunity. We are precious to him. Hands stroke our back in comfort, hugging us to his firm chest. Present with him, but also far away, we confront one another.

Other Wren is a rugged, wild, and pure vampire. She possesses the strength, the speed, and the willingness to exist in this life that I don’t have.

I am cautious, clinging to the remnants of my human life.

None of it is fair.

Like all the other vampires, we should have merged during the transformation process. Instead, our memory loss caused us to be separate, and fear kept us that way. I want to accept her, join our minds, become one, and finally embrace my path. I just don’t know how…

Inside my head are two separate entities, staring at each other, vying for power.

No.

No?

Not power.

What then?

Peace. Unity. Completion. We are stronger together and weaker apart. You should not fear me…

Peace, unity, and completion? She is untamed, ruthless, and capable of such destruction when not checked.

So keep me in line.

She sounds demanding in my head.

I can’t control myself because I’m missing your essence. I need you to keep me grounded, and you need me to fully live. You keep pushing me away, and it’s killing us.

She’s right. I am pushing her away and don’t want to face the darkest parts of what I've become. I pretend it is all eternal life, sunshine, and love. There is just blood, chaos, and…

There is still love.

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