Page 10 of To Kill a Vampire
Her chest heaves, nearly brushing against mine. I’m almost entranced just waiting to hear the demand against her mouth.
“Leave.”
The harsh word echoes around the small cabin. In an instant she’s across the room, her fists clenched at her sides as she stares at the floor, waiting for me to do as I was told.
Another weak breath that was trapped within my lungs slowly releases as I stand, pushing my hands roughly through my hair as I cross the room.
As if without thinking, her fingers trail over the inky black lines against her forearm, something I can’t bring myself to care about in this crushing moment.
The deck above comes to life as I exit her secluded cabin, but I only make it a few feet when she speaks again. This time it’s in a soft and almost shameful voice.
“Why – why does this scar remain when the others have healed?”
My eyes burn as my chest becomes heavier. I turn to her, trying to meet her downcast gaze. She continues to trace the lines that represent a vow we took just weeks ago. My throat tightens. A weight within me threatens to crush me to the floor at her feet.
“Because the magic that bound us together is stronger than any magic you’ll ever find in this world. It is stronger than the curse of the Red Hills, stronger than the Crimson Sword and stronger than the power of my ancestors. It’s stronger than either of us.”
Love.
The bond is one of love. And she won’t lose it as easily as she’s lost herself.
Six
The Capitol
Fallon
Nightfall and the salty, cool breeze of the ocean greet me. Everyone on deck appears to be asleep besides Shane and Kaino, who are talking quietly at the helm. Shane’s eyes lock on me, his hand dropping from his commander’s arm and clasping the wheel with so much strength I’m afraid he might fracture the wooden spokes.
As I walk closer to them, I realize the shift of the breeze sends their scent right to me. My breath catches in my lungs, refusing to breath in the intoxicating smell of the blood within their veins. With silent steps I walk near Asher sleeping on a bench. His young face appears sunken with worry even in his sleep. It’s as if the last few weeks have aged him into a waiting grave.
With a feather light touch I sweep my fingers up his strong jaw, lingering there for a bit too long. There was a time when he watched over me while I slept. I wish this was easier. I wish life was easier.
“We’ll be there within the hour, Princess,” Shane tells me, his eyes deadlocked on a far off destination.
I nod and step away from Asher, my palm reluctantly slipping away even after I feel the hum of his pulse against my fingertips.
Still holding my breath, I make my way to the back of the ship and stand just a few yards from Kaino and Shane. Not until my hands are tightly clasped around the smooth wooden rail, with my body leaning out into the depthless ocean below, do I take a slow breath.
Salt and clean, cold air is all I smell. My nerves calm as I close my eyes, focusing on the sound of the ship cutting through the waves instead of the relentless pounding of my friend’s hearts. Tension slips from my body with each breeze that pulls at my thick hair.
A single hopeful instant is all I allow myself. The meeting tonight doesn’t scare me the way I know it should. If it goes well, the mortals of my camp will have a real chance at life. The mystics will have a real chance at life. If it goes bad …
I don’t even finish the thought. I push it back, rejecting it from my mind.
Instead I choose to keep checking off things on my imaginary list. Once this meeting is finished, I’ll find Atticus and break the curse … somehow. My life will be normal again. I won’t want to literally murder Asher every time I look at his gorgeous face. And I won’t have to see that world-shattering look of disappointment in his eyes anymore.Ifeverything goes well …
The ship docks at an oddly small port, and Asher is at my side before the ship fully stops. His arm brushes mine. His scarred skin feels smooth. A tingle runs through me at the slight touch. With a small and insignificant breath I step away, breaking the warm contact of his skin against mine.
A minimal amount of land separates the gentle sea from a towering brick wall ahead of us. It’s so tall, not even I can see the top.
“This is the entrance to the Capitol?” I ask Kaino, my attention settling over the tiny dock that greets us. There’s no real entrance in sight. Nothing but miles and miles of smooth brickwork lines the coast.
“No, we’re meeting Ayden here. This is the civilian port.” His prowling eyes continue to scan our dark surroundings.
The moon is the only light that filters over us. It doesn’t matter, though. I see movement long before a person comes into focus.
Ayden makes his way to our ship, slinking through the shadows like a … total mortal. His feet stumble against the damp grass nearly bringing him to his knees more than once. When he finally makes it to the dock, I step away from the rail, away from the one friend I’ve known all my life. Something similar to shame pounds through my chest as I back away from him, safely out of view.
