Page 67 of The Vampire's Vow

“We can’t let that happen,” I say. “Not when I’ve found proof of what he’s been doing.”

“You found it?”

“Yes. If we hurry then maybe we can get it to Dante before it’s too late, but I can’t get out of here alone. I need your help.”

Luci sighs.

“Evi, I can’t.”

“Of course, you can. We just have to find a way to get you out of these chains.”

“No,” Luci says, his voice firm. “Even if you got me out of them, it’s too dangerous.”

I can’t help but let out a surprised laugh at this. He can’t be serious, can he? Luci, afraid of danger?

“Now it’s too dangerous?” I ask.

“Yes, it is.Iam,” he says. “I’m going feral, Evi. I could turn at any moment, and you’d be done for.”

My head spins, overwhelmed physically, mentally, and emotionally at this point.

Why couldn’t they have tried to explain some of this to me earlier? And preferably when I don’t feel like I’m about to pass out at any second.

“What do you mean?”

“The blood I’ve been feeding on, it was tainted. I didn’t know, though I should have. It was part of the deal I made with Valentine. It’s sped up the process of going feral for me.”

“I still don’t understand what that means.”

“It means I’m losing control. Once feral, I’ll lose control of myself for the remainder of my existence. However short or long that may be, I’ll be trapped inside my mind, host to nothing but a monster. Unable to act, unable to release myself from this curse … and when a feral vampire dies, its soul rots away with the corpse. There’s no chance for redemption.”

Oh great, of course there would be a curse.

My heart pounds in my ears as I try to make sense of it all. Is that what those strange instances were? The ones where it seemed like it wasn’t Luci staring back at me through his eyes.

“Well, feral or not, I need you, Luci. I need your help.”

“I’ll kill you, Evi,” Luci says, shaking his head. “If you release me from these chains, I could end your life ... or worse.”

“Do you not see where I am?” I hiss. “The life I’ve been thrust into? Death lies in wait around every corner for me, Luci. If we don’t try … if you don’t help me save Dante and Seven, then death is certain, and not just for me. Please. Please, Luci, I need you.”

Misery and pain war within Luci’s eyes as he searches my face.

“There may be one way that I can help you,” he finally says.

“What is it? What do you need?”

“Your blood.”

I balk at this, especially after what I’ve had to go through previously.

“No,” I say, shaking my head.

“I need strength, Evi. Your blood would give that to me. It might even satiate the monster inside long enough to get to Dante and Seven in time.”

“No, there has to be another way.” Luci exhales deeply, hanging his head as his body pulls at the chains keeping him upright. The way he does this has my heart skipping a beat in my chest. “Wait, is there another way?”

“Yes, but you’re not going to like it.”

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