I look to the sky and sigh with relief as I watch the dragons fly away. They started their departure as soon as Timót grabbed Rain, and now the massive fleet is headed off without the baby they did all this for.
Even at this distance, I can see the limp body of my father riding side saddle on his dragon. I’m under no illusions that I’ve killed him, but ecstatic that I at least knocked him out. I wonder how far they’ll get before realizing their leader is unconscious.
With or without my baby, their victory isn’t contested. In one vicious and bloodthirsty stroke, the Érintett crushed their fiercest opponent. The Ancients are nothing more than ash, and their king rots in the belly of a dragon.
I shake with rage as I think about how close he came to getting Rain as well.
After how close she came to dying on that altar.
And it’s all because Darius betrayed me.
He slowly looks up from the ground, his face soaked with tears. My eyes bore into his, and though a big part of me just wants to kiss and hold him, I take a small perverse pleasure in the pain I see in his eyes.
My rage takes a momentary respite when I see Zev through the flames, his eyes frantically searching for me. When his gaze locks on mine, it’s magnetic. He leaps through the fire in a move that forces my heart to skip a beat, and then is by my side, our mate bond like a pulse I can feel in every inch of myself.
He grabs me brusquely and wastes no time kissing me. It’s a brief, passionate kiss, then he pulls away to look at my baby. He kisses Rain’s head and whispers to her. “You’re the bravest little girl in the world.”
His words make my lips twitch into an almost-smile sprung from a grateful mom heart. How I’ve missed my wolf in all this chaos.
I nearly jump out of my shoes when Rune lands by Zev’s side, having leapt over the fires to be near me. He’s clearly seen his share of battle in recent minutes, his elvish clothing stained with soot and blood.
My vision blurs at the sight of my beautiful fae, and he immediately cups my face, sending waves of calm through both me and Rain, who pauses her sniffling to look at the man who's taken such good care of her.
I’m reluctant to give her to anyone, to ever release her from my own arms, but I must. “Will you check her? Make sure she’s okay? See if anything’s wrong, aside from her desperate need for a bath and bed.”
Zev grunts. “We could all do with a rinse.”
Rune nods and gently lifts the child from my arms, and responds to my unspoken concern. “I’ll look her over, but be assured, she has a strong constitution. She’s a powerful witch in her own right.”
I hope that’s true. I need it to be true.
Our little tribe is complete again… except for AJ. I try to hold off thinking about my friend, because I know if I give into the grief I’ll never stop. I can’t go there yet, not when there’s so much to say. To do. Too many questions to ask.
But I’m shaking, and the adrenaline that got me through this is fading fast.
Darius, somewhat reconnected to me but still so distant, lifts me into his arms and starts walking me through the rubble.
“Put me down.”
He ignores me, and Zev chuckles. I glare at the wolf. “You want to be on my shit list too?”
He shrugs. “You should hear him out, Bernie. He deserves that at least.”
We climb out of the wreckage, Rune carrying Rain, who looks content in his arms, Darius carrying me--a definitely not content expression on my face--and Zev scanning the area for any remaining vampires looking for one last fight.
I have half a mind to scream at Darius now, but I’m exhausted and he’s saving me the trouble of climbing out of this mess, so I keep my mouth shut and just think angry thoughts. I’ll have my time to lay into him, once we get to wherever he’s taking me.
We finally reach the outer walls of the chamber, only half of which still stand. A doorway leads us into a small sitting room, probably an old waiting area. It’s dusty and I can still smell the burning coming from the main hall, but this place at least has a few benches where we can sit. The moment Darius puts me down, I step away from him and channel all my anger and rage. Pulling out my wand, I aim it at him, the tip pulsing silver like the fallen star it is, waiting to deliver a high-octane spell.
“You betrayed us,” I say. A part of me knows he must have had a reason, but I’m too angry to want that reason, too angry to willingly forgive him.
Darius doesn’t defend himself. He sits on a bench, staring back at me.
I see the pain in his eyes and feel it in my soul, and it breaks me just a little.
With a sigh, I sit next to him.
Rain and Zev have moved off to the corner to tend to my poor child and stand guard. Darius and I are left alone to talk.
I lower my wand, not from lack of anger, but my arms feel too heavy. My body hurts now that all the fighting is done. I glance to Rain, who is taking a potion from Rune. Good. She must have felt the shock of everything too.
Darius examines me with his dark gaze, then uses his teeth to slit his wrist open. “Drink. It will heal you and help repair our bond. You will see everything I did.”
“What do you mean, ‘repair’?” I spit back. “What happened to it?”
“I broke it,” he says plainly. “And then I did my best to compel you out of my mind once we arrived in Vaemor. I needed you to feel betrayed. Now drink so you can understand.”
Mission accomplished on the betrayal, I think loudly. He doesn’t flinch, just keeps his wrist outstretched for me.
The red viscous liquid pools on his pale flesh, and I finally cave. I need to know. I can’t keep letting this hurt in my heart fester.
I make sure he knows I’m still angry as I take his wrist to my mouth.
The moment his blood touches my lips, the last of the walls between us crumble and I fall into his memories.
Darius is with Erzsébet. It’s during the battle in the Grand Hall. They’re speaking privately, in a corner enclave. I see everything as though I’m perched on Darius’ shoulder, almost seeing from his point of view but still aware of him.
“She can’t know,” the witch says. “Any insight she takes from your mind will only make things harder.”
Darius’ lips tighten. “This will hurt her.”
Erzsébet glares back. “So will being dead or watching her daughter die. It is the only way.” She hands him a small vial, amber liquid steaming within.
He hesitates, then takes it from her and pours it into his mouth.
A long moment passes before anything happens, but then he drops to his hands and knees and cries out in such despair it nearly breaks my heart. Through our bond I can feel the intense agony he’s in as the potion rips through his body, shredding his mind and soul. Blood seeps from his eyes, nose and ears, and his skin glows red like it’s about to catch on fire. The longer I watch, the duller the feeling becomes for me. I know he’s suffering this concoction as a way to weaken our bond.
Seeing his pain, I can’t help but let out a sob. A hand reaches for me, and I realize his present self is now with me in the vision.
Keep watching, he says to my mind.
Though my heart feels like it’s being ripped out of my chest, I do as he asks.
Eventually, the vampire recovers enough to stand, but his eyes are alight with the horror of what he’s undergoing and his voice is laced with pain as he speaks. “I’ll find Timót now and ensure they escape safely. But I’ll have to leave you all to fight this battle without me. I won’t leave Bernie alone a second longer than I must.”