Page 87 of Vows Forged in Blood

“Chieftain Kilgren,” someone says, striding into the cell. I blink at that, barely stifling a gasp when I realize who’s standing before me. Not just any Revenant—their fuckingleader. I’m in much bigger trouble than I thought, and despite my best efforts, my hands begin to tremble.

“The message has been delivered,” the other Revenant says, stopping on the other side of Kilgren and tossing a disgusted look at Luca. Whether because he’s a vampire or a traitor or both, I can’t be sure.

“Good,” Kilgren says. “Good. Prepare the men. We’ll be heading to the Plain soon enough. I have no doubt of what the answer will be.” He grins wickedly and the Revenant nods, looks me over once, and then hurries from the room. Kilgren turns to Luca. “Go prepare yourself, leech. There is a human waiting for you in your chambers. You will need all of the strength you can muster. Do not make me remind you what will befall you if you fail.”

Luca pales slightly and nods, cutting his eyes to me for a brief moment, almost looking like he might apologize, before scurrying from the room.

Kilgren casually pulls over a chair from the corner of the room and settles himself into it. He somehow makes it seem as if he’s sitting upon a throne instead of a misshapen wooden relic that looks like it’s been gnawed on by rats. I swallow bile and can’t stop my eyes from darting around, swearing I can feel the rodents staring at me from the shadows.

“Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work,” I say with as much confidence as I can muster.

“Do you know how my kind rise to power?” he asks, catching me completely off guard. I don’t answer, but he acts as if I had, continuing the conversation as if we’re old friends having a pint at the tavern. “Wetakeit. A new leader must challenge the current one—a fight to the death. If one should perish on the battlefield or of some other cause, two potentials must step up and fight. The power must be taken, one way or another. Revenants are all linked, all bound by an ancient magic that came about when the old single species split into two. You see, vampires are notforcedto serve and obey their leaders. They have free will, the ability to strike out on their own should they wish. They are honor bound to obey, but long ago, there was a vampire who thought it should be more than honor. He believed that whoever lead the clan should have complete power and control over the members. The details are murky as to the exact dark magic that the vampire invoked in order to try to force others to follow him, to magically tie their allegiance to his rule, but whatever it did caused a rift in the entire species. A new one emerged, though a bit disfigured as a consequence of such darkness,” he says with a smirk, “one that follows that magic to this day.”

I simply stare at him, confused why he’s giving me a history lesson. He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, red eyes shining like flames in the dim light of the cell.

“Do you know who the last Chieftain of our people was?”

“They don’t teach monster politics in the schoolhouses in Braxhelm, in case you weren’t aware,” I spit. I bite the inside of my cheek, knowing that I need to tread carefully. He kidnapped me for a reason, so I don’t think he’ll kill me—yet—but that doesn’t mean he won’t hurt me. Thankfully, he looks more amused than offended.

“My father. I challenged my own bloodkin to a fight to the death to take control of our people. He failed to defeat Alaric and his gods forsaken army. He brought shame to our family time and time again. So, I challenged him, ripped out his entrails with my bare hands, and brought every Revenant to heel under my command. There were some who had been speaking of peace between the species, and my father was actually listening to them!Peace,” he says, spitting the word as if it were the most vile thing he could imagine. “They did not want to follow me, yet here they are, following like good little dogs.” He gestures to two Revenants standing guard outside the door. One clenches his jaw, the other gives no reaction at all, looking sullen.

My mind is reeling. Could this be true? Not all Revenants wanted the war to continue? Not all of them are…evil? I can’t even begin to contemplate what that might mean.

“Why are you telling me all of this?” I ask through clenched teeth.

“Because I need you to understand the lengths that I am willing to go to in order to win this war, to finally lead my people to a victory that no other Revenant before me could. I eviscerated my own father, Dahlia. There is nothing I will not do to take Braxhelm.Nothing.” I swallow hard, his words leaving a hollow feeling in my chest with their cold truth. I know that he will stop at nothing to win this war. I realize his plan a moment before he speaks again and I nearly collapse.

“Now, I’m going to use you to make Alaric surrender—which he will, of course. You have no idea how elated I was to hearthe news that he had a mate, explaining his miraculous recovery from the silver.” His lips curl into a snake’s smile. “A mate is a vampire’s greatest weakness, you see.”

I had always thought of mates as a strength, never realizing just how wrong that was until now. I’m a bargaining chip, one that Alaric is physically incapable of leaving in danger.

“And after he does,” Kilgren continues, “I’m going to make him watch as I torture you to the very brink of death, over and over and over, using his own blood to heal you so I can start again. It is nothing personal, of course. As I said before, I actually quite enjoy your spirit. This is simply business and vengeance, which are honestly one and the same, are they not?”

Panic rises in my chest at the thought, not for fear of my own pain, but of Alaric’s. I can’t let him go through that. I would rather die. I know that will hurt him too, but it will be quick at least, a pain he can learn to grieve, I hope. Watching me be tortured will be torture for him, and I can’t allow that to happen. I wonder if I can goad Kilgren into lashing out, into ending this before it begins.Worth a try…

“You’re pathetic,” I spit. “How long ago did you kill your father? Hmm? It’s been a century at least, has it not? And yet here you are, still hiding out in this frozen wasteland like a scared pup. You failed in your attempt to kill me on the road. You failed in your attempt to kill Alaric with that silver. You. Have. Failed. Over and over and over again. You’re just as pathetic as your father w?—”

A crack echoes off of the stone around us as his palm connects with my cheek. I tumble sideways from the force of it, the pain taking a moment to register, but when it does, it feels as if someone’s put a hot poker to my face. My ears ring, my eyes water as black spots fill my vision, and I taste blood in my mouth. A second later his hand is around my throat, tugging me back upright. He lifts me so that the very tips of my boots scrapefrantically on the floor. I pull on the chains, trying to reach his wrist, even though this is what I want. The desire to live is a powerful one, it seems.

He tilts his head, studying me. A small smile tugs his lips upward.

“You will not taunt me into killing you, Dahlia. But make no mistake: I will not allow disrespect from a vile little human. I promised Alaric you would be alive when he arrived—not that you would bewhole.” I swallow hard against his hand, still squeezing ever so slightly, and his smile widens. “I think we’ve reached an understanding, yes?”

I nod as best as I can and he releases me. I tumble to the floor, gasping for air.

“Now, I must prepare. Alaric should be responding to my invitation shortly—though, we both know what his answer will be.” He winks—fuckingwinks—and strides out of the cell. The door slams shut behind him with an echo that sends a shudder deep into my bones.

I let out a strangled sob when I hear his footsteps disappear, doubling over as I try desperately to get air into my lungs. He’s going to win. He’s right. I know that Alaric will do anything to keep me safe, even knowing that Kilgren will never keep his word about not harming me if Alaric surrenders.

This can’t happen. I can’t let him forsake all of Braxhelm for me. I have to stop this. I pull my knees up in front of me and wrap my arms around them, sobbing quietly as I realize the truth:

There’s not a damn thing I can do. Braxhelm will fall, my friends and family will die, Alaric will suffer a fate worse than death—and it’s all my fault.

Chapter 43

ALARIC

My mate is in danger.

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