The Vampire Gift 2: Kingdom of(93)

Glimpses of what happened come back to me. The fight against that awful black… thing. Succumbing to its ghastly claws. Willing my body to heal, but finding it incapable of closing the wounds…

With enormous effort and through tremendous pain I force my arms to drag me to a hiding spot. I crawl behind a jagged rock and huddle there. I try not to shake.

I don’t know how much time I have left. But I know my death looms on the horizon. I don’t feel the link with Eleira anymore. It’s been severed completely.

Death always comes to the weaker vampire when the link breaks.

At first, I thought it would have been her. But my body has been ruined by the fight. And Eleira is obviously still standing. Which means…

Well, I try not to dwell on what it means.

From far above me come shrill, eerie cries. No, they’ve always been there—they’ve been constant since I woke up—my mind is only just starting recognizing them.

What type of wretched creatures can make sounds like that?

Suddenly Raul, Eleira, and the Queen rush off. I curl into myself as they pass, praying they don’t notice me.

Somehow, they do not. Or maybe they wouldn’t pay attention to someone as ruined as me.

Long minutes pass. I look down at my body and wince at what I see. The deep wounds in my skin are marred with oozing corruption.

No wonder the other vampires did not cast a glance at me. I’m clearly as good as dead.

My hand slips from under me. I go down and fall on my side. I don’t even bother picking myself up. All I can do is wait for the reaper to arrive.

The spark of a distant object catches my eye.

My eyes widen.

No. It couldn’t be!

Determination replaces all despair. I force my muscles to move. Inch by agonizing inch I pull myself forward, leaving a trail of thick, stinking blood on the ground.

My fingers fall upon the spot where I saw the sparkle. I start to dig, throwing dirt and rock this way and that…

And then I see it. The only hope I have of salvation.

The Ancient’s amulet.

I grab it and clutch it to my chest. I can’t believe it’s real. I can’t believe it’s here, I can’t believe it’s been forgotten.

I throw it over my neck. Summoning what little magic I possess, I slide the link between me and the most revered vampire into being.

His voice greets me. “YOU. WHAT DO YOU WANT?”

In a flash of images and memories I show him the state of my body. I pray it’ll be enough.

“Please,” I whisper. “Please help me.”

“WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?” The Ancient wonders. “THE MAGIC SOURCE HAS BEEN DEPLETED. I CANNOT MEND YOUR WOUNDS.” A pause, and then, “BESIDES. YOU ARE A TRAITOR.”

“No!” I exclaim. I clutch the amulet to my chest. “No, I am not, I swear it, I—”

“GOODBYE, VICTORIA.”

And then the precious stone in the amulet cracks, splinters in two, and falls apart.

“No!” I gasp. “No, no, no, no!”

But I know that without the stone, the torrial is useless.

I collapse on all fours. I roll over, cough, and stare at the night sky. Those screams continue from above me. I barely pay attention. They’re so far away, and so very far from affecting me.

I close my eyes and wait for my life to wink out.

Suddenly there are hands on my shoulders. Someone is pushing me up. Something is thrust to my mouth.

A second later, blood, hot, precious, warm, viscous blood breaks past my lips.

I grasp onto the forearms in front of my face and suck as much as I can.

“Easy, there,” Smithson’s gruff voice makes me snap back to myself. “Easy. There you go. That’s enough.”

He pulls his arm away. I stare at him in wonder. That he would feed me his own blood…

And then the strength inside me is unleashed. My wounds begin to close. My body starts to heal. I feel myself rising up from the abyss of death where I nearly met my end.

“You saved me,” I gasp. “You! Why?”

“You are not the only one here for your own gain,” he tells me. He looks up. “When The Haven falls, it’s time for true loyalties to come out. I think we can help each other, you and I. We are more alike than you know.”

What game is he playing at? I wonder.

He stands and offers me his hand. “Will you join me, and help bring everlasting power to our race?”

Power. My mind clings to the word.

I look around and see the desolated ruins of the castle.

Is this all that is left of the mighty vampire sanctuary?

If Smithson is my way out… then I have no choice but to take it.

I grasp his hand and let him pull me up. “Yes,” I swear. “I will join you.”

Something dark and malicious glitters in his eyes. It’s only there for a second—so quick in fact, that it’s gone before I can blink.