I arrive at a set of stone steps that lead to nothing but a dark dead end. I feel the ceiling and realise it’s a large paver. Using all my strength, I push it open and climb out. I look around and see I’m in a very old graveyard. I know where I am. I saw it on the map. I run east toward the mountain where Lord Atticus awaits Lord Talon.
After hours of running and jogging, I have to rest. The sun will be rising soon. I lay next to a large tree and sleep for a while before I continue east. By the time it’s nightfall, I’m exhausted. Lord Talon would have come to check on me through the night to find I’m gone and see I’ve escaped through the window. I continue to look over my shoulder every so often, knowing Lord Talon could catch up to me any time now. That’s if he knows I’m heading toward Lord Atticus. He might think I’ve possibly escaped to return home to my pack.
I’m feeling very hot and flustered. At first, I thought it was from all the running, but no matter how much I rest, it only worsens. Constantly sweating, I’m relieved to come across a lake. I dive straight in, but the cold water does nothing to cool me down. I focus my mind, thinking of Micah to keep me moving.
The moon rises. I can see the mountain up ahead. I don’t realise how tall the mountain is until I reach the base and glance up. I huff as my shoulders drop in dismay. I take one step after another. My skin almost feels like it’s burning. I’m only halfway up when I hear twigs breaking and the rustling of nearby bushes. I can’t see well, not having wolf vision. So I steady myself and listen to figure out in which direction the movements are coming from, only to realise it’s everywhere all around me. I’m being surrounded, but by what?
Red eyes appear in front of me, blinking—my heart races. I swiftly pull my dagger from my belt. ‘You!’ I say and lunge toward it, striking it across the throat, only for it to vanish and reappear moments later.
‘What!’ I say, stepping back.
Someone claps behind me. I turn to face a man stepping out from the shadows towards me with a smile.
‘It’s not very often someone attempts to strike and kill my pet Blood Dwellers,’ he says and holds his hands, palms down beside him.
Black demonic dogs flicker, appearing under his hands. He pats them gently. They have fangs three times as long as vampires. I watch as the Blood Dwellers twitch and flicker as if they are apparitions. Their eyes are red, blood red. The same eyes that had surrounded Micah and me. The Blood Dwellers are real.
‘Lord Atticus,’ I say under my breath, now staring at him in shock.
His hair is dark, and he is dressed all in black. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but some of his features seem familiar, or am I remembering his features from the night he killed Micah? I do remember seeing dark hair and the side of his face. He is wearing the same black cape as Lord Talon. I can’t help but feel they somewhat resemble each other. Is that another reason why I was so sure it was Lord Talon who killed Micah?
His eyes meet mine, ‘So, you’ve heard of me? I’m glad word is getting round,’ he smirks sadistically.
I clench my dagger tighter and glare at him.
He smiles, ‘If looks could kill,’ he laughs. ‘I can’t help but sense some animosity in the air. In fact,’ he says, taking a step closer and shaking a finger at me. ‘We’ve met before. I remember your blue eyes changing shades, your white hair, and, most of all, your scent,’ he says, flashing past me with great speed.
I swing my dagger around to stab him, but in a flash, he has disappeared and reappears behind me. I quickly face him.
He tilts his head and stares at me curiously as I step closer to him. Then, he begins to walk around, circling me like a vulture waiting to pick at its prey.
‘I'm glad you’re here,’ he says.
He then vanishes from in front of me, and I hear and feel him inhale my scent against my neck behind me. He presses himself against my back. I thrust my dagger back, but he vanishes again.
‘That night, your scent, your smell led me to you. I couldn’t stay away. I had never smelt blood so sweet in my two hundred and sixty-two years of being alive.’
My mind flashes back to that night, riding through the woods on Micah’s back. The trees whipped past us. I had been struck lightly by some of the low branches, but it had only left a few tiny scratches on my arm. They were small enough that you wouldn’t even bother putting a bandaid on them. It must have been enough for vampires to pick up the scent from the tiny drop of blood on my arm, triggering any nearby vampires into a blood-lusting craze. Lord Atticus was within the radius of us. It was me who brought on Micah’s death!
My breathing intensifies at the realisation that my blood had triggered the events leading to Micah’s death.
‘Why didn’t you kill me? Why didn’t you drink my blood instead of Micah's!? Why did you have to kill him?’ I scream.
‘I was going for you, but that damn boy got in the way trying to stop me. He knew you were my target. I’d never had such a challenge trying to kill someone before. I knew if I were to taste you, I would have to get through him first, so I did just that. I was going to finish feeding off him, and then it would have been your turn, but then I heard your pack howling nearby after they could hear your screams. That darn wolf boy was hard enough to kill as it was, let alone a pack of them, so I had no choice but to stop feeding from him and retreat.’
In a rage, I run toward Lord Atticus, jump in the air and kick him in the chest, making him step back in surprise. Catching him off guard, I raise my clenched fists at my eye level and manage to swiftly hit him with three blows in the stomach before he grabs my wrists tightly and slams me up against a large tree.
I’m sweating profusely at this point, and my arms are burning. It hurts.
‘How did you know I was here?’ he asks. ‘It’s not you who I was expecting, and unless you know Lord Talon, there is no way you would have known I’d be here.’
‘Why do you and Lord Talon wear the same cloak?’ I ask.
He tilts his head, ‘So you do know him,’ he smiles, ‘But how? We don’t normally associate with your kind. Well, with me as the exception, I enjoy drinking the blood of werewolves. It’s much tastier than humans,’ he smirks.
I manage to free my hand from his grip as he chuckles and slap him hard across the face. He steels himself and looks at me angrily. ‘Well, aren’t you feisty?’ he says through gritted teeth.
He grabs my arm and squeezes it. I cry out from the pain. We look down at my arm to see my skin burning. Lord Atticus makes eye contact with me in surprise as he begins to realise something. He then looks at my wrist and runs his thumb over the symbol.
‘You’ve been marked. You’re Blood Flamed with one of my kind. Who is your Blood Flame?’ he growls.
‘Let her go!’ Lord Talon shouts.
Lord Talon appears from the shadows of the trees. He is sweating just as much as I am and sways slightly. He needs to feed. I realise I have never allowed him to feed from me, which has weakened him greatly. I don’t understand why we are both sweating and burning, though.
Lord Atticus bursts into laughter, looking between us, ‘Brother, you did come after all,’ he smiles.
‘Brother?’ I mutter under my breath, now looking between the two of them.
Lord Talon looks guilty and worried as we make eye contact.
‘I must congratulate you, brother,’ he says and swings me around so my back is pressed against his front. He holds me so tight I can barely move. ‘You have found you’re Blood Flame after all. You never did stop talking about how all you wanted in life was to meet your Blood Flame. It made me sick to my stomach every time you mentioned it. Yet here she is in my arms and not yours. I can’t wait to taste her,’ he says, sliding his tongue slowly up my neck, and his fangs extend. I cringe.
‘Stop! I’ll pledge my loyalty to you. I’ll give you lordship of the coven. Just let her go! That is what you wanted all along. That’s why you are waiting here for me.’
Lord Atticus pauses in thought, ‘That’s true, but I must admit, ever since that night I smelt her blood, I’ve never stopped thinking about it, craving it, yearning to taste it,’ he confesses.
Nadia and Soren appear from behind Lord Talon as Lord Atticus scrapes his fangs playfully across my neck to stir his brother up further. I discreetly grab my dagger and hold it firmly.
‘Nadia, Soren, it's been a long time. You’ll have to give Cedric my regards,’ he chuckles before sinking his teeth into my neck.
At the same time, I plunge my dagger deep into his thigh, making Lord Atticus withdraw his bite and yell.
‘That was for Cedric. He sends you his warm wishes, too,’ I smile as I step back.
Lord Atticus hisses and glowers at me. A few drops of my blood glide down his fangs. He tilts his head back, and his tongue wipes the blood, tasting it. His eyes become black with blood lust. He lunges toward me for more, but I kick him in the lower stomach, turn and run towards Lord Talon. Nadia screams, sending Lord Atticus back, and Lord Talon uses his ability to slow his brother and his Blood Dwellers down as they race back toward us. I notice everyone’s eyes are black now, including Lord Talon’s, as I run toward him. Not sure what to do, I turn right and run down the mountain as fast as possible. Before I make it to the base of the mountain, my skin begins to cool and warm tingles and sparks flow through my body as Lord Talon scoops me up and dashes into the distance. I gaze up at him as the burning in my arms dissipates. I’m so happy to see him. He’s fighting the blood lust and trying to get me as far away as possible from Lord Atticus. But then he suddenly collapses, drained of strength and energy.
‘Talon!’ I shout as I crawl over to him.
I help sit him up.
‘Lylah,’ he whispers and gently cups my cheek. We gaze tenderly into each other's eyes. I turn my face into his warm hand and close my eyes. My hand cups over his as I allow his touch to ignite my heart into flames.