Page 151 of Winterfall Destiny

“I also apologise so few of you could join us and fewer still take part on this occasion. Once we balance the number of hemia and witches, this will change, I promise. In the meantime, your names will remain at the top of the list.”

‘Take part’. The hemia in suits?

“You are my frontline,” she announces. “The best of the best, willing to do what’s needed in the war against those who claim to lead our world. Those who would hide who we are and allow humans to one day destroy us. We are the New Dominion.”

Some vamps straighten with pride, but I can’t take my eyes away from Melissa, the vacant and compliant witch staring ahead making no sound.

“This is bad,” mutters Jamie. “Really, really bad.”

Gabriella gestures to her followers. “I gifted the blood to everybody in this room. You’re stronger than Confederacy troops who’ve no access to such a thing. Unfortunately, you still would not equal the strongest of our enemies. Tonight, we begin the task of fixing that.” She pauses. “Tonight, for the first time, we create something to match our greatest foes.”

The recruits watch in quiet awe, some cheering at her rousing words, as Gabriella addresses them.

“This witch contains the First’s blood too.” She gestures at Melissa. “An unfortunately rare result. Many witches sacrificed their lives in order to further our research and we should remember and thank them. We finally have candidates and here is our first.”

“Like they’re a fucking biology experiment,” says Jamie through gritted teeth.

I shake my head to shush him as fear tears down my spine, weakening my muscles as if the nerves were cut. What do we do? When?

“Although many witches can’t tolerate the First’s blood mixed with my hemia, for those who do and survive, transformed, their magic remains intact.” She smiles at the unresponsive witch beside her. “Unfortunately, you can see this witch is not a hundred percent with us any longer. But no matter, since she contains what we need.”

“You said witches who become hemia lose their magic,” I whisper. “Is Melissa hemia or not?”

“The First’s and hemia blood together polluted the witch blood but never ended the magic.” Jamie pales. “The blood mix preserves their witch state.”

“Yes. But what does it mean if Melissa survived and kept her magic?” I whisper again.

Andrei finally speaks. “She’s a hybrid, Maeve.”

The earlier fear paralyses me further. “No. Gabriella indicated the witch isn’t ‘with us’. She’s nothing like a Dorian hybrid.”

“Oh, fuck.” Jamie pushes both hands into his hair and stares wildly at me. “But the witches have what Gabriella’s hemia need.”

“Hybrid blood,” says Andrei, not breaking his concentration on Gabriella.

“Gabriella’s creating hybrids. That’s impossible,” I say. “Isn’t it?”

“If she’s about to give the corrupted witch’s blood to the hemia as her ritual for the first time, Gabriella can’t be sure of the outcome. The hemia receiving the blood might die,” suggests Jamie.

“Or they might become hybrids one step on from Dorian because the First’s blood is in the mix!” I say.

“Now do you understand why we need to kill her?” snarls Andrei. “All of them.”

I hold a hand over my mouth, processing the possibility, watching the macabre scene unfold. Gabriella steps aside from her podium and beckons to one of the smartly dressed vamps. The young guy with his tidy brown hair and hemia beauty walks with stiff pride towards her, like a kid neatly groomed and ready to receive his high school graduation certificate.

“Turn to face your people.” He does as she asks, head held high, and she places a hand with blood-red nails onto his shoulder. “You are willing to give your life to the cause… temporarily of course?”

“Yes.”

The vamp’s barely given his answer before something flashes and a blade slashes across his throat. The world freeze frames then speeds into a blurred nightmare as the blood gushes from the wound, Gabriella still beside him, now holding a small dagger. Jamie retches as the red pool grows around the vamp who collapses to the floor.

“What’s happening?” I croak out. “Isn’t he supposed to take the witch’s blood?”

“He’s bleeding out,” says Jamie. “The vamp’s losing all his blood.”

“Gabriella killed him?”

“Hemia, so temporarily. And if a hemia dies through exsanguination, they’ll have to replace all the blood or their life ends.”

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