Soren and Nadia have finally crossed the river. Their eyes remain black, and they run towards Lylah with their fangs protruding, ready to devour her. They should only be blood-lusting for each other as they are Blood Flames, but Lylah’s blood isn’t like everyone else’s. Her blood is special, and she is unlike anyone I have ever met.
I’m annoyed and hurt. Lylah keeps trying to kill me and fighting the bond, and now her blood is making other vampires blood lust after her, ‘Great, just great!’ I say, throwing my hands up in the air, ‘You cut my arm. I save your life. You cut me again, and now I have to save your life again, but this time from Nadia and Soren draining you of your blood because, for some strange reason, your blood tastes and wreaks of immense power. So which part of me will you try and cut off after I save you this time?’ I ask sarcastically and cross my arms.
She smiles at me for the first time but looks down at my balls. My body stiffens, and I pail. She wouldn’t dare, would she?
I lower Lylah to the ground and retrieve the dagger from her hands, cutting the rope from her wrists. She looks at me, confused. The wind picks up and blows my long hair around.
‘Whether your wrists are bound or unbound. Either way, it will not stop you from trying to kill me or running away, but your wound, Lylah,’ I say and softly caress my fingers beside it.
My eyes flick to black from blood lust, and my breathing intensifies. I want to taste her again, but I regain control, stopping myself. I watch as she closes her eyes as I caress her face. ‘You need your wolf to heal it, so Soren and Nadia stop blood lusting for you. They are Blood Flames and should only be craving each other’s blood for feeds. They shouldn’t be blood lusting after you like this, and if they are, then so will other vampires. I need you to know you aren’t a prisoner, Lylah, but you have to stay by my side at all times if you want to live,’ I tell her and release her from my power.
I turn to face Soren and Nadia and freeze them before they can reach her. They hiss like feral animals, desperate to drink her blood.
Soren is able to use his strength against my telekinesis to move slowly closer to Lylah. I look at Lylah as I wonder what is taking her so long to shift. ‘What are you waiting for? Shift! Isn’t that how your kind heals quickly?’ I yell.
She bites her plump little lips and looks down, then looks over at the mountains with a look that tells me she is contemplating running away again.
But then suddenly, Nadia screams, sending her falling to her knees and clutching her hands over her ears in pain. Nadia uses her sonic scream against me as well. I’m beginning to struggle to hold them.
‘You can’t run away, Lylah! You will die! You need to shift to heal so Soren and Nadia can control themselves,’ I yell.
‘I-I can’t shift,’ she sobs.
I stare at her with confusion. ‘What are you talking about?’ I ask.
‘I haven't got a wolf. I can’t shift, and I’ll never be able to shift. I-I’m human,’ she says, wiping a tear from her face.
‘That can’t be right. I could taste the power flowing through your blood. You aren’t human,’ I tell her.
Nadia stops screaming and resumes trying to wriggle free from my control.
‘I’m telling you I have no wolf. Therefore, I cannot shift. Therefore, I cannot immediately heal! So, you will have to find another way to stop these monste- ‘ I glare at her, and she stops herself from referring to us vampires as monsters. ‘To stop Soren and Nadia,’ she rephrases.
Of course, she has no wolf. Of course, the Blood Flame blessed to me hates me and wants me dead, and her blood is unique, sending other vampires into a blood craze.
‘Well, wands! You know how to make things worse, don’t you?’ I tell her.
‘What in the wands is that supposed to mean?’ she says angrily and storms right up to me, glaring into my eyes.
‘You need to wash the blood from your hands and face in the river. It might help stop the blood lust. Just don’t bloody fall in the water this time,’ I growl.
‘No! You didn’t answer my question. How on this earth did I make this situation worse? Huh! You’re the one going around murdering everyone! You’re the ones who kidnapped me! But no, it’s me who has made things worse for you! You’re the one who destroyed my entire life!’
She grabs her dagger from my waist, but this time turns to stab Soren and Nadia.
‘Wands!’ I curse and grab her wrist and retrieve the dagger, releasing Soren and Nadia from my power. I pull Lylah swiftly into my chest, wrapping my cloak around her, and leap high into the air over them. I land safely on the ground holding Lylah protectively but immediately run.
‘Why are you so stubborn? For moon's sake, Lylah, can you not go five minutes without trying to stab someone?’ I growl, clutching her tighter.
‘Well, why are you doing this? Why do you keep saving me? Why don’t you just let them kill me? I don’t understand what you need me for,’ she argues back, then clings tighter onto my shirt and leans against my chest. It hurts but also feels good as she is against my wound.
I calm my breathing. I feel terrible for telling Lylah she made everything worse. When in fact, she has only made my world better by being my Blood Flame.
‘There’s a good reason why I won’t let anyone harm or kill you. In time you will know,’ I tell her.
‘Know what? What don’t I know?’ she asks, confused.
‘Now is not the time for you to know. I’ll already be sleeping with one eye open around you as it is. The last thing I need is to sleep with both eyes open,’ I frown, thinking of how she will probably freak out and keep me on her kill list when she finds out we are mates.
‘You say that as if I will be staying with you long term. I need to go home! My family will be looking for me, you know! They are strong and not like normal werewolves. My father is a Lycan and the Alpha, and my mother is a witch and werewolf! They will come for me, and they will kill you all! So, I suggest you put me down, let me finish killing you because you will be killed anyway at the hands of my parents. Then I can return home to be miserable and lonely like before all of this, but at least I’ll have some kind of peace knowing you are dead.’
I slow down and stare intently at Lylah, ‘You’re a hybrid and the daughter of Alpha Maximus?’ I say, surprised. ‘Could it be witch's magic I could taste in your blood?’ I wonder.
‘Sorry to burst your bubble Lord Talon but I already told you I’m human. Which means I can’t shift nor can I cast magic!’
‘Have you tried?’ I ask.
‘Are you kidding me? Have I tried?’ she lets out a disturbing manic laugh. I put Lylah down and watch as she takes a few steps back. ‘Aqua bedew! Inferno Flamo! Lifto Levitatous!’ she says out loud, flicking her hands at me.
Did she seriously just try and cast spells on me?
‘So, you can see, Lord Talon, if I were able to wield magic like my mother and her mother before her, I would have already cast you on fire and turned you into a pile of ash!’ she shouts.
Thinking, I stare at her in thought. ‘A beautiful girl, born from a Lycan and hybrid wolf-witch that can’t shift or wield magic. Yet, has blood full of immense power like nothing I’ve ever tasted before?’
As I stare at her in thought, I begin to sympathise with her, that she seems unable to use any abilities.
She looks away, upset, ‘Yes, I get it. I’m a freak, okay!? No need to remind me,’ she says, turning to walk away to hide her tears.
I appear in front of her in a flash, bringing her to a halt.
‘I don’t think you’re a freak,’ I tell her. Lylah flinches as if surprised by my words, ‘You mentioned you were miserable and lonely back home. Why?’ I ask her.
‘You already know why. It’s because of you I’m miserable and lonely! You will never be able to stop me from killing you. I’m unstoppable.’ She says, bravely taking a step closer to me. The tear she tries to hold back escapes.
I stare at her, confused. I don’t understand how I have caused her so much pain and how she could be lonely in her pack surrounded by family. I take a step closer, closing the gap between us. I wipe her rogue tear from her cheek with my thumb. Her eyes close from my warm, gentle touch. When she opens her eyes, she finds me staring sadly into them. ‘You might be unstoppable, Lylah, but you’re not unbreakable,’ I tell her.
‘How would you know?’ she asks.
I stare deeper into Lylah’s eyes; her breath catches, and I can hear her heart race. There is such sadness in her eyes. My heart begins to ache, knowing my precious Blood Flame is suffering immensely. To think that my precious Blood Flame is enduring such terrible pain causes me great anguish.
‘Because you're already broken,’ I say to her.
Lylah bursts into tears and falls to her knees, and cries. I’m not sure what to do. We are Blood Flames, destined mates, yet, she hates me and even wants to kill me. I know she can feel the sparks when we touch. I know she is fighting the pull between us, but why? She is meant to want me. Why does she seem confused as to why she can feel a mate bond between us? Does she not know how Blood Flames work? Does she not realise we are fated mates? I want to kiss her small, plump lips and tell her everything will be okay. But instead, I kneel in front of her and pull my beautiful Blood Flame onto my lap. Surprisingly, she doesn’t even try to push me away or fight me. Instead, she lets me hold her and continues to cry.