Page 45 of Fated In Forever
And I would not allow him to take her from me.
Vicious was mine and I was hers, and we would always be together. Over time and space and even death, nothing—especially not this old, sick fuck—would sever us apart.
My will sent cracks rippling through the blood oath. His magic dragged me down, but I managed one step, then another, hands reaching, reaching, as Ravok began to drive the knife upwards, one hand clamped down over Evie’s shoulder, her eyes still locked with mine, the point of that knife moving toward her…
I crashed into Ravok with the force of a bull, knocking Evie away, landing on top of him in the pool. All around us,the chamber groaned, runes flaring red, as if they smelled blood.
We rolled, my claws carving through skin and muscle as my momentum threw me forward, him sinking that knife into my side over and over while above us, the portal screamed, long shadows leaking from the opening, like reaching fingers.
Ravok pawed at me futilely, trying to peel me away, his magic—the power of the blood oath—dragging me down, binding my arms to my sides. I snarled, mouth opening, teeth ready to shred and rend, power rising hot and fast, something dark and primal and I made no attempt to stop it.
The portal’s shadows snapped forward—a wave of invisible force struck me like a freight train, ripping me off Ravok. I went flying, limbs flailing, hurtling toward that charged darkness, the portal yawning open like an enormous mouth.
“Malachi!” Evangeline screamed.
I clawed at the air—shadows wrapped around my torso, my shoulders andyanked.
The last thing I saw was her face.
And then?—
Nothing.
Just darkness.
And the nameOrcus.
Rising like thunder.
20
EVANGELINE
My chest caved in as a bleeding Ravok and I stared at each other, me, crumbled on the edge of the pool, him half submerged in the silvery waters. I was in shock. This had to be shock, since I could barely wrap my head around what just happened.
Malachi was gone, sucked from this world into a maelstrom of devouring black.
Ripped away from me, when I needed him most.
The chamber air heavily pressed against my lungs, thick with malevolent energy that made every breath a struggle. Or maybe that was my own fear, swallowing me up.
The runes carved into the ancient stone walls writhed with that crimson light, painting the world red, and at the center of everything, like the nucleus of an atom, the portal to the Underworld yawned open—a gaping wound in reality—a swirling vortex that tugged at the very essence of my soul.
Like my very being had been wrapped in unforgiving chains, and now I was being dragged toward…something inevitable.
I didn’t know whether to fight this pull…or give in.
But then Ravok was rising from the water, eyes full of hate, mouth pulled back from those wicked teeth, pointing his knife straight at me. “You did this.You.”
I slid backwards, flat on my ass, keeping my eyes on the menace in front of me, hands scrabbling for anything—a rock, a piece of wood—anythingto use as a weapon as Ravok rose from the pool, the very embodiment of angry retribution, that bloodied knife gripped in his hand.
Malachi’s blood. My frantic brain managed to grasp onto that truth, a faint flare of anger overtaking my fear, long enough to give me some much-needed clarity.
I had to get out of this room or I was so, so dead.
“Orcus was to be my retribution. For so long I have planned my revenge,and you have ruined everything, you stupid human bitch.”
Behind him, a sea of power radiated from the swirling portal, from whatever ancient force waited behind that opening. There was no sign of Malachi, only those long, reaching shadows trailing lazily through the air, searching for another victim. Ravok’s jaw was clenched, his eyes blinded by fury, bearing down on me with the cold satisfaction of a predator who had cornered his prey.
