Page 100 of Bound in Blood

I’m okay, sweet girl. Now that I’ve heard your voice.

Are you with Axl and Xavier? Are you coming back here?

We’ll be back soon, I promise.I lie to her with ease.But whatever happens, you have to stay away from Giorgios. He wants you to see something, and I don’t know what, but?—

“Is she coming?” Giorgios demands.

“Let me fucking speak to her.”

We think it’s something to do with my blood, Kai. There’s this prophecy about whoever drinks from me first can decide whether I’m good or evil.

You will always be good, baby. No matter what.

Kai!She sounds exasperated.You told him you bit me first, remember?

Yeah.I look up at Giorgios. Is that what this is about?

But it wasn’t you who tasted me first, or even Axl.She drifts off, and Giorgios’s angry voice is demanding to know what I’m saying to her.

I love you, sweet girl.

I love you too, Kai.

My mind goes dark, and I realize he’s put the block back in place. “Is she coming?” he demands.

I shuffle up onto my knees so I can look him in the eye when I crush his twisted plan to dust. “No, she’s not, you evil fuck! And she never will.”

He roars, grabbing my jaw and pushing me back down to the floor as the wraith caterwauls with more fervor than before.

Looks like I just signed my own death warrant. But at least I got to tell her I love her one final time.

Chapter

Forty-Eight

OPHELIA

84 MINUTES BEFORE THE LIGHT GOES OUT

Something is wrong. Very wrong. Malachi sounded so… Well, he was almost serene. And that is definitely not right.

I turn to Alexandros. “I think the boys are in trouble. And I can’t reach any of them now, can you?”

He concentrates for a second and then shakes his head. “But they are alive, for we would have felt them die. We will go to them as soon as we are able to clear a path.”

“Behind you!” I yell as four vampires charge at him. He pivots and grabs one by the throat, then tears off his head while I force the other three back with a wave of fire. Our moment of reprieve is over, and we both return to the battle.

Enora is beside me as I channel all my training and weave threads of magic together to stave off the incoming hordes. A warlock manages to get by my magic, and after she dispenses of him, I panic. “Why am I becoming less powerful?”

“Magic is like anything. It uses energy.” She casts another spell. “Not only from the elements, but from you. Are you tired?”

I’m exhausted. “Can’t I just channel more?”

She weaves a spell that throws back two hooded figures who were headed for Sienna. “You are powerful, but magic is about stamina and endurance too. You cannot run on endlessly without stopping to recharge.”

I drag in a deep breath. “Am I going to get weaker until I can’t use any magic?”

“No, child. You will always have some magic to channel. But conserve your energy when you can. Fire uses a lot.”

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