Page 96 of Stalked

Maurice turned around to briefly look at what was happening behind him. I quickly kneed him in the groin, causing him to screech and release me. One vampire promptly jumped toward the stage, trying to stop me, but I kicked him in midair, and he plummeted to the ground.

Maurice was right behind me. He grabbed my arms and bent them backward, forcing me to fall face forward onto the stage and lose focus on what I was commanding the trees to do. Everything came to a standstill. I tried to get up, but three other vampires were already holding me down. One of them put the bracelet back on my wrist.

Shit! I was so close.

I looked around the room, trying to locate Dorian, but I didn’t see him anywhere.

Panic ran through me at the thought that I had hurt him.

Several vampires shrieked from the wounds that hadn’t healed yet. Others lay on the floor looking at the numerous piles of dust. All while, the rest stared at me with fuming rage as I kneeled proudly on the stage. Several humans and witches cried for their now-deceased vampires. I didn’t understand it. Shouldn’t they be happy they were free from them?

I looked up at Maurice, who was ready to sink his teeth into my neck. His anger seemed to grow as he observed all the death and destruction I had caused in a matter of minutes. I scanned the crowd for Dorian again and spotted him coming to his feet. He was covered in his own blood.

What have I done?

The bloodied scene didn’t seem to concern Maurice anymore. Apparently, all he wanted was my blood. He licked his fangs and moved toward me while the other three vampires held me down. He stopped moving when a loud voice echoed off the walls.

“Stop! Maurice, don’t do it!” Colin called out while running toward us.

Maurice grunted. “What the fuck, Colin? Where the hell have you been?”

“Don’t drink her blood, Maurice. It’s all a lie! All of it,” Colin told him.

“What are you talking about, brother?” He signaled the vampires to pull me back up to my feet.

What the hell is happening?

“I’m sorry, Maurice,” Colin said, “but I was tempted today to drink her blood. I couldn’t stop myself.” Colin backed away from his brother’s expression.

The look of malice in Maurice’s eyes said he wanted to kill his own family in that instant.

“Noah, seize him,” Maurice commanded.

Noah dashed to Colin and grabbed both of his arms. Maurice drew near his brother and slapped him firmly across the face. But then, Maurice quickly stepped back, his eyes widened in horror. The skin on Colin’s face turned bright red where he had been hit.

“Colin?” Maurice cried.

“Yes, brother. I’m human. Blood is pumping through my beating heart, and I feel weak and powerless. I canfeelmy heart beating.” Tears formed in Colin’s eyes.

More gasps filled the hall as vampires heard what he had said. My eyes grew wide as I realized what his words meant.

CHAPTER 29

“NO FUCKING WAY,”I breathed, the realization hitting me. “My blood will allow you to walk in the daylight, not because of some temporary power, but because it turns you back to a human,” I said. “Roland knew it this entire time, too. He betrayed you, Maurice.” I smiled. “This was the reason for my existence.Spiritbrings light to this world.” I turned to Colin. “Your soul isthatlight. My blood reunites the body with the soul that was lost when a vampire goes through the transformation.” I laughed and turned to Maurice again. “Oh, you didn’t honestly think it was going to be that easy, did you?”

“How is this possible?” Maurice cried and flung his hand toward my throat.

Dorian leaped toward us, but Noah grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back before anyone else noticed.

Noah must know about us.

Maurice squeezed my neck with brutal force seconds before he threw me across the stage. I slammed hard against the wooden floor and winced.

“This is impossible!” he screamed. Maurice stalked toward me as I lay on the floor in agony. “I didn’t wait centuries for you just to be deceived.” He gripped the bun on my head tightly, pulled me to my feet, and then held me high. “I love being a vampire. Nothing is better than the strength I hold and the power I have overyoupathetic humans. I’ll not have you destroy what we have built here.” He paused for a beat to compose his rage. “How do you reverse it?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I had no idea my blood would do this,” I confessed.

Maurice released me, dropping me to the ground, and approached his brother with his fangs still out.

---