Page 65 of Vampire Blood

“Is this really the best you can do, Lucas?” he mocked, his voice dripping with disdain. “You’re nothing. Weak.”

I gasped for air, trying to twist free, but it was like fighting against a wall. Every time I thought I had a chance, he would disappear, reappearing somewhere else in the blink of an eye. His movements were a blur, his strength unimaginable.

I was drowning in frustration, my vision clouding, my body growing heavier with each passing second.

Aurelius’s dark chuckle echoed through the crypt as he let go of me, his grip leaving a burning imprint around my throat. I staggered backward, gasping for air, my body still reeling from his strength. The weight of his words hung heavy in the air.

“Enough of this,” he sneered. “It’s time to end this charade.”

Without warning, he raised his hand, and a signal went out. The shifters, waiting in the shadows, surged forward, their snarls and growls filling the room as they charged at us.

Panic spread like wildfire through the crowd. The townspeople screamed, scattering in every direction, trying to avoid being caught by the oncoming assault. I had no time to process what was happening before the first wave of shifters was on us, claws outstretched, teeth bared.

“Protect the others!” I shouted to the few who were still standing.

Callum, standing nearby, lunged at the nearest shifter, his sword flashing as he engaged. I pulled my own weapon from its sheath, a sense of dread creeping in as I realized the odds stacked against us.

But there was no time to hesitate. The fight had already begun, and I had to act.

Chapter Twenty-One

Annika

I moved through the shadows, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure someone would hear it. The chaos of the attack still echoed faintly in the distance, but here, near the crypt, everything felt unnervingly quiet. Too quiet.

It was as if no shifters were there any longer. Just the yawning black entrance of the crypt, like a mouth waiting to swallow me whole.

I knew I had to be cautious. This didn’t seem right. None of this seemed right.

I swallowed hard, forcing my legs to move even though my instincts screamed for me to run the other way.

My boots barely made a sound against the cracked stone floor as I slipped down the narrow steps, my pulse quickening with every step. The air grew colder, heavier, until it felt like I was walking straight into a tomb.

Which, I supposed, I was.

The sound of snarls and clashing steel grew louder the deeper I went. The flickering torchlight illuminated the twisted shapes of fighting bodies. I could see shifters lunging, blades flashing. And there, in the center of it all, was Lucas.

He was bleeding, surrounded, yet still fighting. His movements were quick, desperate, but it was clear he was being overwhelmed.

I stepped farther into the crypt, pressing myself against the wall to stay out of sight as I scanned the chaos. My heart clenched when I saw Callum, struggling against two shifters at once, barely holding his ground. The townspeople were trapped,herded into one corner, their terrified faces reflecting the dim light.

And then I saw him. Aurelius.

He stood like a dark god above it all, his presence suffocating. He barely moved, watching the bloodshed with amusement, his eyes gleaming like polished obsidian.

I gritted my teeth, my fingers curling into fists.

I had to do something.

But what?

Rowena’s words echoed in my mind. He will try to deceive you. Do not trust him. Do not let him in.

I sucked in a breath. I couldn’t let fear stop me. Not now.

I crept along the wall, keeping to the shadows as I edged closer. I needed to reach Lucas, needed to let him know I was here… but how?

A sharp cry split the air, and my head whipped toward it. Lucas stumbled, blood trailing down his arm, but he didn’t stop fighting. My chest tightened. I wanted to scream his name, to run to him, but I bit my lip and stayed low.

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