Page 35 of A Debt of Darkness

I bank hard right, running in a different direction before another call sounds through the forest. There should have been one and its absence is a sign something’s wrong. Terribly wrong.

My legs work harder and I charge through the wood, acting on instinct alone. I’m forced to fight my way through dense undergrowth and it slows my progress, riling my temper. I rage against the ridiculous situation Ivy has put herself in, and every step forward is agonizing.

For a second time, I catch the smell of iron and copper. It shouldn’t be here and I’m certain something’s wrong. It’s a fucking flare signaling catastrophe. I stop, searching for any sign of what the fuck is going on and lock on the smell, following it more cautiously. I’m still moving fast, but I’m stealthier and more careful, stalking towards whatever awaits me like the high vampire I am.

I emerge into a clearing and find Matt lying on the floor. There’s no one else. Nothing else. The only other scent is Ivy’s, and I stare in disbelief at the wounded vampire lying on the ground.

He groans and rolls over.

Ryan emerges from the tree line, freezes, and then races to his partner. Fear and terror pour from him and if it were Ivy, then I’d feel the same.

“What the fuck happened?” he snarls.

“Your human is cunning,” Matt says, clutching his stomach. “Fucking cunning. Strong too. Fuck me, she’s something.”

A burst of pride explodes in my chest as I realize Ivy’s taken Matt down. On her fucking own. Against all odds. My perfect little pet defeated a vampire who can walk in the light. Matt could challenge my second if he was so inclined, but Ivy took him down like the cunning little creature she is.

Damn, it makes me proud.

“She was lying on the ground, looking injured. I thought she was half-dead. I checked, and it got me no thanks,” Matt says, shifting his weight as Ryan fawns over him. “She waited for me to let my guard down and then smashed a goddam rock over my head. Again, and again, and again.”

I smirk as Ryan growls.

“It completely incapacitated me—and then she took to smashing the fucking rock against my chest,” he says, fine but annoyed he let a little thing like Ivy best him. “If I was human, I’d be dead.”

Ryan’s murderous and I’m bursting with pride. It’s a bad mix and I back away, giving him some distance before he lashes out at me. His eyes burn with the same anger lighting mine, and Ivy’s in a fuck load of trouble if he finds her first.

“Where did she go, Matt?”

He lifts his arm and points. “Be careful, Henry. She won’t hesitate. Don’t underestimate her.”

I nod and disappear into the trees. Ivy’s scent grows stronger and it’s tinged with fear. She’s slowed down and I’m moving quickly, mindful she’s already sprung a trap on one of us and making the same mistake twice would be foolish.

Her sobs catch my attention and I stop, staring at the curled-up ball of a girl lying on the floor. She’s shaking and shivering, and my heart wants to believe she isn’t putting this on. It begs me to rush in and sweep her into my arms, protecting her from whatever hurt her. Even if that’s herself.

But my head says otherwise and I edge into view, crouching out of range and waiting for her to see me.

“I hate you,” she sobs. “I hate what I’ve become.”

She’s trying to provoke a response and I’m far too controlled to allow it. The win would be too easy and I won’t give it to her. She hasn’t earned it and she needs to learn her fucking place.

“I hate what you’ve done to me. What I’ve just done,” she cries, rocking herself backward and forwards. “For fuck’s sake, Henry, I just killed a man. I smashed his skull to pieces and then I kept on hitting him. I can’t… I don’t…”

Ivy’s shaking.

She’s as white as ivory. Her heartbeat is erratic and her breathing is chaotic. Her eyes meet mine and she’s terrified. She’s lost. She isn’t faking this, and she reeks of the sharp smell of panic.

“I killed…”

“You didn’t.”

She stutters a breath and sobs when she exhales. “I smashed…”

“He’s alive.” My voice is cold, unfeeling and hurtful. It fucking hurts me to do this but needs must. “Which is fortunate, given he’s a good friend.”

Ivy rocks herself, trying to self-soothe. Her eyes dull as she realizes I won’t help her and she looks away, staring into the distance and breaking my fucking heart.

“I thought we’d made progress, pet. I thought you were seeing reason. But now I see it was unreasonable to expect anything else from you.” I pause, watching as she shudders. “You’re too fucking willful. You’re wild and untamed and a danger to everyone around you.”

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