Page 23 of Forever Bound

With the wood sticking out of her heart, blood trickling from her mouth, she stares at me as her life seeps away.

"You will regret this," she mumbles just as her soul leaves her.

"Nope, don't think so, bitch," I say as I reach for the egg.

I'm shaking, and I can't stand to look at her too long. But I know I did the right thing. I have to save Ivan.

I throw the egg to the ground, expecting it to break, but it doesn't. I step on it, smash it, even throw it into the fire. Nothing.

Shit.

This isn't going how I planned.

I've got to get to Ivan.

Cupping the egg, I leave through the backdoor and run to the forest. Darkness has descended, but the moon lights my way. I run impossibly fast, and I hear them fighting before I see them.

Ivan is covered in blood and new gashes. Koschei is a phantom terror, a shadow dark as night, a terror made flesh. Bile burns my throat, but I swallow it and reach for Ivan with our bond.

Then I hold up the egg for him to see. But Koschei sees it too and runs towards me.

In a panic I throw the egg to Ivan as hard as I can. He catches it and using his vampire teeth he bites into the egg, cracking it open just as Koschei reaches me, his sharp claws slashing at my belly, ripping it apart.

I scream. Ivan screams.

The egg breaks.

And Koschei crumbles to the ground.

He and I lie side by side, dying, and under the rays of the full moon, his monstrous form begins to fade, revealing the man he once was.

Ivan rushes to us both, cradling me in his arms, watching his old apprentice return.

"Master," the boy whispers through blood, "I have failed you. I am sorry. Thank…" he chokes on more blood. "Thank you for ending it."

And then he dies.

Ivan looks down at me, at my stomach. "I have to turn you, Love. Right now."

I nod. I'm ready.

If I never see my family again, I will live my life here on earth making up for what I've done. Helping others through their grief.

Ivan drinks from me deeply, more deeply than he ever has before, until I'm a husk, and then he feeds me his own blood, filling me back up.

He whispers words into my ear as I fall asleep in his arms, his blood humming through me, binding us forever.

Chapter 8: Where all the happy shit happens… I don’t want to spoil it, but dun dun da dunnnnnn…

"Not yet!"I shout through the door with a smile as I adjust my wedding dress. It's a beautiful white gown embroidered with red in the Ukrainian style. Yana is by my side, helping.

"Stay still," my best friend says. "You're mussing your hair."

So much has happened since the night we broke the curse and Ivan turned me. Once we were able to leave the village, we went in search of the plane I was in, and found that there were survivors, including my best friend. She suffered some pretty bad injuries, but has mostly recovered, though she still limps. I filled her in on my adventures, and though she's still trying to wrap her mind around it all, she's here, supporting me in this unusual union.

When I'm finally ready, I step out of the bedroom and into the embrace of my soon-to-be husband. Yana sighs. "You're breaking all the traditions!"

I shrug. "I'm American, and he predates everything. I think we can justify a few changes."

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