Page 94 of Vows Forged in Blood

“Dahlia, what?—”

“Vow it, damn it! I can’t explain it now, but they must obey me. If they didn’t truly desire peace, they wouldn’t have been able to step forward. Trust me. And fucking vow it!” I scream again.

He studies me for what feels like an eternity and the area around him becomes dark and fuzzy. I think I see my sister, but I know it must just be a sign that the end is near. Aren’t lovedones something you see as death approaches? Something lovely to usher you from this world into the one beyond?

“I vow, as High General of the vampiric army of Braxhelm and as a prince of the Montclare Clan, that no harm will come to any who have stepped forward and wish for peace.” I let out a shuddering sigh of relief.

“All of you,” I call to the Revenants who have chosen peace, “Move over here.” I point to the area near where Luca stands, shaking with fear and strain. “You’re going to want to be out of the way for this,” I mutter. Malek takes the lead and quickly urges them all to the area I’ve indicated.

“The rest of you,” I call out, “Kneel!” One by one they all sink to their knees in the rust-colored snow, all snarling and cursing and looking like they want to murder me. “You will not move. You have the choice to surrender or die.” I’ll let Alaric and the others figure out what to do from there.

I feel myself sway but force my shoulders back.

“Xavier and Malek, you will accompany the vampires to the stronghold and carry my command with you: those who want peace will not be harmed. The rest will have to deal with the vampires.” They both nod and bow their heads.

“Yes, my Chieftess,” Malek says reverently.

“Highspear! Let down the shield! Let them in!” I yell.

“Like hells I will! I’ll be slaughtered!” he calls back, voice shaking. He meets my gaze and his eyes are full of fear and panic.

I nearly scream in frustration. “I do not have time for this, damn it!” I reach back and pull one of the daggers free from my hair clip. I grit my teeth at the agony that I know awaits, and throw the blade the way Alaric and Wesley and Nova taught me. It sails through the air and lands true—right through Luca’s right eye. He screams in pain, clawing at the hilt sticking out of his eye socket, but it’s enough to divert his power and make the shieldfall. With the way Highspear is screeching, I think da may have just put real silver in those daggers after all. I almost laugh.

Alaric is by my side the instant the shield falls, the rest of the men sprinting to the lines of Revenants. I don’t see what they do and, really, I don’t care as long as Malek and the others who wanted peace aren’t harmed.

I collapse in Alaric’s arms and he sinks to his knees on the blood-soaked snow.

“Keeva? Keeva, ah gods, look at me, love.” I force my eyes to open again so I can look at him one last time. I know this is the end. I reach up and rest my bloody palm on his cheek.

“I’m sorry,” I rasp. “It was the only way…he planned to torture me to torture you. Couldn’t…let you be hurt…that way.” I cough, blood thick and hot in my mouth.

“Shh, don’t try to talk. I can fix this. I can heal you.” I know he knows the truth, the red-tinged tears streaming down his cheeks tell me as much. “Drink,” he begs, tearing into his wrist with his fangs and holding it towards my mouth. “You cannot leave me, Dahlia Clayburn. You will not!”

“Honor your vow,” I whisper. “Let this be the end of the war. Take care of my family and Takara and Wesley and Nova and—” I gasp and writhe as a wave of pain crashes in to me, “—all of them,” I bite out. “Take care of all of them, Alaric.”

“Dahlia! No! No damn it, I will not lose you!!”

I swear I hear Enid screaming my name, swear that I see Takara running towards us in battle gear. I really am seeing things as I cross to the other side.

“I love you,” I tell Alaric one last time. My eyes slide closed, my hand falls from his cheek and lands limply in the snow, and I feel the darkness coming to greet me.

The last thing I hear is Alaric’s unholy roar of agony. I want to tell him that it will be ok. I want to tell him to continue onwithout me. I want to tell him over and over how much I love him and how sorry I am that we didn’t have more time.

But I can’t say any of these things.

I’m gone.

Chapter 47

ALARIC

No.

No.

NO.

“Alaric!!” Elias yells, falling to his knees beside me but his voice is coming from far, far away. There’s a ringing in my ears, like after a chemical explosion.

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