Page 74 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

“I cannot control myself,” he cries out, his voice shifting into a deeper timbre I have not heard from him. He is clearly in agony, both emotionally and physically. Tears of blood leak from the corners of his eyes, and a terrifying growl leaves him. He lets out a howl of pain, and when he looks up at me again, I see a flash of mania.

“No,” I whisper, realising I am about to lose him. I do not worry for myself, only my first love who is suffering before me. I take a step towards him. My bonds are pulling in my chest, both of my mates feeling my distress and trying to reach me, but I block them out, needing my full focus to be on Felix.

“No!” he shouts, the bedpost cracking under the force of his grip. He jerks his hand away, and a large chunk rips from the wooden frame. It looks like… like a stake. Vampires are hard to kill, but a stake through the heart will do it. Felix stares at the sharp wood in his hands, his body stiffening. When he looks up at me, all traces of my lover are gone. His face contorts as he watches me like I am a threat. His stance changes, dropping into a defensive, animalistic position.

He has gone feral.

Banging on the door startles me, and I make the mistake of glancing away. In that moment, Felix leaps for me, knocking me to the floor and startling a cry from me as we land in a heap.

“Thea!” Eli shouts from the corridor, his voice urgent. “We cannot get in without you opening the door. Let us in!”

“Mate!” Finnik calls, his voice descending into panic. I can feel their emotions, the panic and frustration in them making it difficult for me to manage my own fear.

There is no way I can get up and let them in, as I am too focused on keeping Felix’s teeth from my neck. I do not want to hurt him, yet if he kills me, I can never heal him. If only my new gifts came with instructions so I knew how to use them. Bucking my hips, I try to throw him from me, but we only end up tumbling across the floor, fighting for dominance as we try to stay in the top position.

He pins me to the ground once more, snarling down at me, and I see my death in his eyes. I can only hope that when he strikes, my blood will cure him. I do not want my death to be in vain. I am devastated that this is how I am going to die, and I will never get to experience a full life with my mates. Most of all, if Felix does survive this, I know my death will destroy him.

“I love you, Felix,” I whisper, my quiet goodbye full of my love for him as I stop fighting, simply staring up at him with a sad smile as tears roll down my cheeks.

Something flickers in his eyes, and all of a sudden, Felix is looking back at me. Horrified, he looks at our position and realises what he was about to do. Jumping to his feet, he backs away, his hands shaking. “What have I done?”

Overwhelmed by the sudden change but overjoyed that Felix managed to fight his way to the surface, I sit up and watch him carefully. His movements are erratic, and I am guessing he could be overcome once more, so I need to be careful.

“Felix, it is okay. Let me help you.” I want to jump up and run to him, although that is probably one of the worst things I could do right now. Startling him would likely bring back the feral side bubbling under the surface.

“No.” His eyes go to the large stake that was dropped during our tumble. Before I can react or fully take in what is happening, he crosses the room and grabs it. His eyes meet mine as those bloody tears continue to roll down his cheeks, but it is his smile that truly makes my blood run cold. “I am so sorry, Thea,” he whispers. “I wish there was another way. I will see you in the next life.”

My eyes widen, and I push to my feet as I realise what is about to happen. Everything seems to move in slow motion, and there is nothing I can do but watch helplessly as he lifts the stake and impales himself in the chest.

“No!” I scream, a potent wave of my power ripping from me like a tidal wave, turning over furniture and blasting through the magic on the door, flinging it open. The whole building seems to shake around us, yet I do not care. Scrabbling towards Felix, I catch his body as he goes limp, his infected blood dark as it oozes from his chest.

Eli, Finnik, and the others hurry into the room, stopping when they see the destruction and Felix’s bloody body in my lap. Only my mates approach me, slowly standing on either side of me as they place their hands on my shoulders in support. I feel as though I am going to fall apart. No, I do not have time for that, I need to save Felix. I am the first bride, this is my purpose.

“Do not do this to me, Felix. I need you. You cannot leave me,” I order him, stroking his hair from his face.

He gives me a beautiful smile. “I love you, Thea.”

I can see him fading before my very eyes, his life force bubbling from his chest.

No. No, this cannot happen. I am supposed to save the vampires. Blood will turn the tide. That is what the prophecy said. The cure is supposed to be in me, my blood. Without question, I lift my wrist to my mouth, tearing through the skin so blood pours from the rough wound. I shove my wrist against his mouth. “Drink, Felix, it will help you.” My voice chokes off, unshed tears stinging my eyes.

He doesn’t drink, the blood running down his lifeless lips.

“Damn you, Felix! Drink!” My voice cracks, going high-pitched. It is not working. I do the only thing I can think of and tilt my head upward, closing my eyes and praying to whoever is listening.

“Please, whatever powers watch over us, help me bring him back to me. Help me heal him and banish the disease from his body,” I beg, needing someone, something, to help me. “I will give anything, I just need him back. Why did you give me this power if I cannot use it?” I shout, my desperate emotions twisting like a storm churned ocean. “Heal him. Heal him!” I demand, looking down at the limp body in my lap.

Warmth moves through me, and at first, I think it is my mates and they are pouring their strength into me, but the darkness rises within me, called by my plea. I do not fight it as it moves through me. Something changes then, a shift in myself, almost like a glowing sunrise in my mind, lighting the way. It glimmers and shows me where to go, and I close my eyes as I push my will into the writhing power I now control.

Finnik gasps behind me, and I hear the quiet murmurs of exclamation from others in the room. “Silver surrounds her,” he whispers with realisation.

A tug on my arm has me opening my eyes, and I cry out with joy as Felix clutches my arm, drinking my blood like a man starving. It is only now that I realise all four of us are surrounded by a silver glow and that I am the source.

Finnik’s comment makes sense now, and I realise he is referring to one of the lines from the prophecy. We always assumed the silver referred to my hair, but now I realise it is because of my powers.

With my mates supporting me, I let Felix drink from me. He is firm but gentle, nothing like a true attack from a feral vampire. This gives me hope that whatever is happening is healing him. I know there are others around us, all wanting answers, but the four of us stay like this, not saying a word until Felix finally stops drinking and opens his eyes—eyes that now have shimmering silver irises.

It changed him not just by healing him, but in another way too. There is a slight pull in my chest, and I realise it is him. Looking within me, I see a silver thread now connects my heart to his. We may not be mates, but we have the connection I know he was longing for.

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