Page 300 of His Sunshine Baby

“Come on, Sunshine, get up. I got you.”

“I know, I know…”

I can’t just sit and cry about the pain right now. I gather my strength, hoping my healing will speed things up a bit, because this is no state to be in for a fight. Nate hasn’t been spared either. His ear is cut up, the blood has dried up on his fur already. His healing power probably could have done something about it if he wasn’t missing a full chunk. He’s got some cuts all around, and I can sense his left knee is painful, but no bite mark on him so far.

I try to forget the pain and resume the fight, jumping on one of the vampires that was threatening to attack my mate’s open flank. With Nate by my side, I’m even more eager to fight and defend myself. We are together, with a handful of other wolves, trying to fight back the waves of vampires.

The presence of the Vampire Queen nearby doesn’t help, All those damn blood-suckers are desperate to protect their leader. We take them down, one after another, but it’s never-ending. I’m just amazed at their numbers. I understand that Nephera had years to gather them, but just how did she get so many? The human from earlier didn’t lie, there are thousands of them.

“Selena, any idea on how to get to that damn Vampire Queen?”

“Not yet. The plan for now is to survive, but I’m still working on the next step…”

“Watch your left, you idiot.”

I’m surprised to hear Iris in my head again, but I jump just in time to avoid another bite. Did I just dream that, or is she really helping me? Why the hell…? I keep fighting, but I can’t focus on too many things at once!

However, Iris keeps giving me instructions. All of them just turn out to be right, and slowly helps me get closer to the Vampire Queen. Which doesn’t make her happy.

“Get her! Get that damn dog down!” screeches the Vampire Queen.

Feeling angsty now? I’m so going to get that damn Vampire Queen. I slowly progress, and as I keep running, fighting, biting, I realize my observation from earlier is true. The more focused I am on that golden, shiny aura of mine, the more the vampires are wary of me. I don’t know if they actually sense my aura, but there’s something they definitely don’t like when I increase it, when I use more of my Alpha senses. It’s hard to describe, like my halo can grow, expand, or heat up when I want. In any case,it makes them back off, reluctant to come near me. It’s the same reaction as when they avoided the sunlight earlier.

“Whatever you’re doing, babe, continue, it’s working!”

It seems like it. I keep communicating with Nate to improve our tandem, but I also keep an ear open to Iris’ random advice. What is she planning?

“That damn dog. She’s resistant to vampire venom!” roars the Vampire Queen.

So that was it… Now that I think about it, I’ve received quite a dose since earlier, and I’m generally fine. It hurts like hell, but like a regular bite or claw injury, not like poison. Any wolf, though we resist it, would be at least sick after receiving so much, but for some reason, my healing ability makes me immune? And I was complaining about not healing fast like others…

I quickly share with Nora, but she’s in the middle of her delivery. Our link is faint for the first time since we met. She’s probably not in the right state to give a damn about her inner wolf right now.

Finally, despite her slowly stepping back, we are almost within the Vampire Queen’s reach. If she didn’t plan to fight at all, she might want to reconsider that. Her face is getting whiter, almost gray. She steps back, seeing me coming closer, looking scared for the first time. Just you wait, you blood-sucking bitch.

Suddenly, I see Nate jumping at her, a bit closer than me, and something in my gut warns me. Something bad is about to happen. It’s too easy.

Everything slows down for a second. I see Nate’s black fur, suspended in the air, and the Vampire Queen’s arm moving. Something shines, and I see the blade before I scream. My instinct screams it’s silver. I see the surprise in Nate’s eyes, and the next second, my own scream resonates in the air.

Nate’s blood splatters on me, and I see my mate fall on the ground. I don’t hesitate, and run towards them, fangs all out, going for the kill. No vampire can stop me. I see the Vampire Queen’s horrible smirk, as she raises her blade again, ready to pierce me, but no matter what, I won’t stop. I’m avenging my mate.

I see the blade, a second away from my head, when something suddenly takes it out of my eyesight, and I feel a bump on my shoulder. The sound of flesh being ripped apart, and I bite violently into the Vampire Queen’s throat, her eyes wide open in horror.

But she’s not looking at me. Her eyes are on Iris, who grabbed her hand to impale herself on the blade, in her chest. My cousin has her mouth covered in blood as she gags out, and a sneer on her face.

“That was for Eric, you bitch.”

Like an enraged animal, I keep biting deep, digging into the flesh until my mouth is full of blood, and the Vampire Queen stops moving under me. It was over in a few seconds. I didn’t think… I keep biting, making sure the Queen is dead, but my eyes are on Iris.

I can’t believe it. She slowly falls on her flank, in the mud, and her face is suddenly a few inches away from mine. Her eyes are open, but the light inside is almost gone. I try to hold on to the little bit of her inner wolf I still feel inside her.

“Iris! Why…?”

“Chris’ idea… For me… for… Eric… for Eric.”

… She’s gone. What? Chris’ idea? What were they thinking…? I still can’t believe it, but my cousin just sacrificed herself to help me kill the Vampire Queen, and I let go of my prey. Nate! I need to check on him.

Unlike my expectations, the vampires don’t attack me as I run to him. Thank Moon Goddess, they let me through. Thedeath of their Queen seems to have shocked them. They all start screaming, a horrible high-pitched sound, but I couldn’t care less. I can’t have anything slowing me down, I just run to Nate, lying on the ground. Oh, Moon Goddess, no, no.

---