Page 22 of Surrendered to Mate

Panting heavily, I survey the carnage around me. Five dead dark elves litter the forest floor. I need to get rid of the bodies before they attract attention.

"Cassius?" Faye's voice is barely above a whisper.

I turn to her, struggling to focus through the haze of bloodlust and pain. "Are you hurt?"

She shakes her head, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe.

"Good," I grunt, then start dragging the bodies away from the clearing. It's slow work; my injuries scream with every movement, and I'm weaker than I've been in centuries.

As I work, the reality of my situation sinks in. I'm dangerously low on blood, and there's nothing to feed on. The fight scared off any nearby animals, and I can't stomach the thought of dark elf blood.

The sun beats down mercilessly, and I can feel my skin starting to blister. My glamour is completely depleted, which means I can't even hunt right now. I'll have to wait, and I can't heal while I do.

I need shelter, and I need it now. But more than that, I need blood. My gaze drifts to Faye, and I quickly shake my head. No. I won't hurt her. Not after what just happened.

But what the fuck am I going to do?

11

FAYE

Istand frozen, my mind reeling from what I've just witnessed. Cassius, the man I'd kept bound for days, has transformed into something... inhuman. His speed, his strength, the way he tore through those dark elves like they were nothing - it's beyond anything I've ever seen.

He stumbles back toward me, his pale skin even more ashen and blistered than before. "We have to get to the cave," he rasps, his voice rough and strained.

I hesitate for a split second, but my body moves on instinct. I hook an arm around him, supporting his weight as we make our way back to the safety of my hideout. His skin feels cold against mine, and I can feel him trembling. He's covered in cute and sores that I don't know how I will heal.

Once inside, I lower him to the ground. This time, I don't reach for the ropes. My hands shake as I step back, eyeing him warily.

"What are you?" The words tumble out, barely above a whisper.

Cassius looks up at me, his dark eyes intense. "I'm a vrakken," he says, his voice low and tired.

"A what?"

He sighs, running a hand through his long, white hair. "We're... an ancient race. Immortal beings that feed on blood to survive."

My breath catches in my throat. "You…what?"

He shifts, wincing slightly. "We're fast, stronger than humans. We can use magic, and some of us, like me, have wings." He sighs. "We're as old as the dark elves, and all this time, we've been hidden beneath the mountains."

I remember the leathery appendages I'd examined while he was unconscious. "And the dark elves? Did they know that? What you are?"

He nods. "Our oldest enemies," he says, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "We've been at war with them for centuries."

My mind races, trying to process this information. It's too much, too fantastical. And yet, I can't deny what I've seen with my own eyes.

"Why are you here?" I ask, my voice stronger now. "In the forest, I mean."

Cassius hesitates, and I can see him weighing his words carefully. "I was sent on a mission," he finally admits. "To gather intelligence on Liiandor."

The name of the dark elf city sends a chill down my spine. Memories I've tried so hard to bury threaten to surface, but I push them down.

"And now?" I ask, my eyes narrowing. "What happens now?"

He groans and slumps down a little. This is as weak as I've ever seen him. "I need to fucking heal."

"I"ll get you wa—" I stop, turning to look at him. He doesn't drink water. He doesn't eat food.

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