Page 165 of Her Blood Revenge

‘Pixie,’ he says. ‘You have to force her out.’

‘I can’t, ‘ I whisper,too afraid to speak too loudly in case she hears and comes back. ‘She’s inside. Scratching. Clawing. Burning.’ I shake my head, determined to hold on. ‘She’s too strong, Shaw. She’s too powerful.’

I spent so long fighting for a life worth living. I find it, and now this? Now, because of me, she will destroy everything.

How I wish I could just crawl back to their castle. How I wish I could seal the doors to the world and live my days in their depravity and devotion.

I would rather die before I meet this fate. Before I unleash this death upon the world.

I look up at him. At the witch killer who stole me all those months ago.

‘You saved me once,’ I tell him, a tear sliding down my cheek as I look into his beautiful eyes. ‘You saved me when you took me from my coven. When you claimed our first kiss.’ I take a shaky breath. ‘Save me now.’

‘You have to force her out!’ He takes off his coat and puts it on my shivering body. My teeth chatter from fear and cold, and I welcome this comfort. His scent. His grip tightens on my face as he steps closer, towering over me with desperation. ‘Force her out!’

‘I can’t!’ I cry.

When Archie and Dorian come closer, my blood magic surges and pushes them back. I scream, desperate not to let her retake control.

I stroke his cheek.

‘Kill me, Shaw.’ The words hang between us, heavier than anything else spoken before.

‘No,’ he replies through gritted teeth.

‘Please. She hasn’t got control of me yet. Not fully. Destroy this body before she has time to take full control. Destroy it completely. Tear it apart and scatter the pieces. Without a vessel, her soul will be sent back to hell.’

He leans into me, his forehead on mine.

‘No.’

‘Damnit, Dream Walker!’ I cry, sweeping the hair from his face as I take hold of his face. ‘I am not worth the world ending.’

‘You are.’ He takes a shaky breath and shakes his head. ‘I can’t kill you.’

Below, in the valley, the blood begins to seep up through the dirt I sent to smother it. It continues to pour from the gate, rebuilding its strength and power. It rises higher and higher, and with a blast, it spreads outwards. Below, all it passes withers and dies: all the trees, all the birds, all the animals. I feel their life ebb and flow and seep into the blood—into the blood and into me.

‘She will destroy everything,’ I whisper sadly. ‘Including you. I feel it already. Her strength is too much. This land will fall, and soon, the world will follow.’ She stirs, and I double over in pain. As I fall, all three catch me and fall with me. I’m surrounded by them all. Surrounded by love. ‘She’s too strong. Now is the only time you will be able to kill her.’ I take Shaw’s sword and place it in his hand. ‘Do it.’

I scream again as Hel claws at my insides. Any second, she will return. And I will be gone for good. I will be one with her. Lost to her revenge. To her blood lust.

I place the tip of his sword at my heart.

‘Save me,’ I plead.

He drops the sword.

And I scream, throwing them back and far from me.

I get up and run. I run to the arch. To the gate.

If they won’t kill me, then I will save the world the same way I have done everything else in my life.

I’ll do it alone.

I run hard and fast and leap up to the gate. My feet leave the ground as I soar towards it.

Only for Neve to slam into me and toss me back to the floor. She lands atop me, her hands in my hair as she slams my skull into the dirt over and over again.

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