Page 128 of A Debt of Darkness

I sigh. “Incomprehensible.”

The vampire's head tilts and his eyes narrow, staring at me, uncertain. He's thrown and I've won the first point. It won't keep me alive and it will make him angrier.

And angry men make stupid mistakes.

Ones I can use to my advantage.

“It makes no sense.” I roll my eyes, milking this for all it's worth and then some. “If Henry doesn't want me to be human, then why doesn't he change me?”

“Because he knows you only married him to become immortal. You're a slut. A whore. A fucking gold digger out for anything you can get.”

I shake my head again.

“I didn't want this.” My eyes meet his and the truth in mine makes him flinch. “Any of it. I didn't even want to meet the cunt, let alone marry him.”

The vampire's eyes narrow and the blood red turns into deep maroon. “You're wearing his fucking collar, darling. Nice try though. You almost had me fooled. Almost, but not quite.”

He launches forward and I duck, sweeping out his way as he hurls himself at where I should have been. I turn, kicking hard and adding to his momentum, sending him crashing to the floor. He collides with furniture, slamming into it, and his body shudders as the bolted-down chest of drawers remains unmoved. The same can't be said for him and he roars as he turns, angry enough to launch without thinking.

He’s fast, but I’m a match for him, and my arms block as he strikes left and hard. He throws his weight against me and I hold my own, somehow protecting my core as his attacks continue and I start to tire.

I’m not fit enough.

I’m not strong enough.

I’m not skilled enough.

And he’s learning. Fucking fast. He throws a couple of quick jabs and slams a right hook into my chest, and it sucks the air out of my lungs. My chest burns and the vampire lands another punch, igniting a blaze of pain as my body crumbles.His leg kicks out and I collapse, unable to do anything more than fall to the floor and stay alive.

My senses sharpen as my vision narrows and my ears ring with the sound of defeat. I crawl backward, trying to edge away from the vampire smirking as he closes in on me, enjoying every second of my suffering.

I risk a glance at the open door and no one’s racing through it. No one’s coming. Not when I need them. Not when I’m cornered and about to die. Not this time.

My back hits the edge of the bed and there’s nowhere left to go. My hands edge over the floor and I stare up at the hideous vampire stalking closer, delighting in the excruciating agony of my last few seconds. I swallow bile and my fingers curl back, touching something cold. And hard. And fucking solid. Something round and long and thing, designed to fit into a grip. Something I’ve felt before and its familiarity is strangely comforting.

I glance down and see a blade Damon gave me, already held in the palm of my hand. There’s no time to question its appearance as the vampire races forward and I whip the blade out, slashing it across his chest as he goes in for the kill.

He screams and I stab again. And again and again and again. He draws back and I keep going, fighting as I find reserves I didn’t know I have and claw my way on top of him.

His face twists as blood oozes out of him and I ignore his pleas for mercy as I stab harder, deeper, faster—finally bringing the blade down vertically and piercing his upper chest. He shrieks as the tip exits his thorax and I force it into the floor beneath me, standing upright and kicking it down and down and down.

Ryan charges through the door, growling as he grabs me and hauls me behind him. Matt races in, seconds behind his partner, but equally ready to attack. He stops dead, snarling atthe vampire who’s thrashing but impaled on the floor.

“Fuck me, Ivy,” Matt says, eyes wide and mouth open.

I shrug and pant, shaking as the adrenaline and shock kick in. My hands shake violently and Ryan grabs me, pulling me against him and wrapping his arms around me. Tightly.

“You’re learning,” he says, smirking as he tips his head. “It’s over, Ivy. You’re safe. You’re going to be alright.”

I nod and press into him.

“Where’d you get the dagger, sweets?”

“It was under the bed,” I mumble, barely holding it together. “It was just there, Ryan. I don’t…” I stop myself from rambling, clinging to my sanity to tell him what he needs to know. “The Brotherhood… the spell doesn’t work for them… they’re working…”

“With Rowan,” he says so softly I almost sigh. “Matt’s going to take this cunt down to the dungeons, and Henry won’t be nearly as kind as he was to you.”

My heart abandons all pretense it’s working, and Ryan catches me as my legs give way, lifting me into his arms.

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