Page 90 of Vampires of Eden: Oliver
I turn and step toward the door. There’s no use in talking to this vampire anymore. I’m wasting my energy.
I reach for the door handle, but my entire frame jolts with searing pain. A heavy, burning sensation rushes all through me in a way I’ve never experienced. The worst of it is in my throat. My hands fly up to my neck because it’s cutting off my air passage. The pain and fire are crippling as I fall to my knees and bend over. I can’t… I can’t breathe. What’s happening to me?
“Silly little vampire, you have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
Lord Blakeley’s shoes appear in my limited field of vision as I stare at the floor, gasping for air that isn’t there because my throat is simultaneously filled with fire and closing in on itself.
My vision blurs as I gag and cough, desperate for oxygen. Is he trying to kill me?
“You should not waste your energy this way, your grace. Let him be.” Another voice… Hudson? I fall over onto my side. I can’t breathe.
“A little more. This one has been defiant for far too long. I’ve allowed him to get away with too much. He’s overdue for this lesson.”
Hearing his callous words, my eyes alight. Rage and incredulity clamor inside my core, violently swirling and radiating.
Painstakingly, I lift my hand from my fetal position on the floor. The surge of furious energy courses through me, then explodes with a forceful shot.
My nature releases and a vulgar rumble of noises follows. A shout, expletives and a hardthump. Lord Blakeley’s shoes and ankles disappear from my sight. The constricting burn in my neck and body eases and I gasp loudly as I roll onto my back, desperately sucking in air and clenching my watery eyes shut.
Everything hurts. My throat is raw, but I can breathe now.
I can’t believe… He intentionally used his powers to discipline me. Tohurtme. Using our vampiric powers for torture, intentional violence or discipline has been forbidden since the end of the war, when all five houses signed the peace treaty. If he’s gone this far… I don’t want to know what else he’s willing to do.
My next objective is to stand. I need to run away or get help, now. I shift upright to my knees, still wincing, aching and feeling the burning sensation all over my body.
“Ah—” The painful fire enraptures me again, taking control and making me immobile on my knees. There are tears in my widened eyes as I stare at Lord Blakeley limping forward with his hand outstretched.
He holds me in place with his powers, except he isn’t closing my throat this time. The internal blaze shoots through my torso, but I can breathe as he stands over me looking disheveled. His eyes burn silver and crazed, like a vampire that’s lost his fucking mind. A monster from a disturbing nightmare.
“How dare you?” he hisses angrily, baring his fanged mouth. “Youwillobey me, Oliver. You will give me what I desire.”
The clenching within my throat returns and I fall over. The second round is even hotter, more unbearable and painful.
I want to fight. I need another surge of energy, but it doesn’t come because all I can feel is heat and searing pain. The lack of air and overwhelming fear.
I want to be free from this place. From this situation, this life and this cruel vampire standing over me.
But the only freedom that comes is blackness, because I can’t tolerate the pain anymore.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Everything is dark.
Cold, hard and damp.
The air is musty. Stale as it hovers with the scent of raw earth and old, dried blood. It stinks and makes me gag. My hand flies up to my throat from the searing pain and I wince when I swallow.
Slowly, I register that I’m lying on my side. Is this stone? Dirt?
Where the hell am I?
My skull pounds and my body aches across every inch of my flesh. Within every layer of muscle down to my bones. I tumble onto my back and try to breathe softly as I hold my neck. With my eyes closed, I fill my lungs with the disgusting air because there’s no other choice. I need to breathe.
I don’t think I can move, but when a loud squeak registers just beside my ear, I fling my body up and scoot away. The scramble of my legs, hands and ass against dirt and stone is loud in the eerie silence. Almost immediately, I slam into another hard surface and a new reverberation of pain slices through my shoulder. I cry out.
My voice echoes.
No one comes.
