Chapter 25: Bloodbath

••{RHIANNON’S POV}••

Every inch of me trembles violently.

My heart races so painfully fast it feels as if it might burst through my chest. And all my instincts are screaming at me to move.

Run.

But I can’t even lift a finger, and my feet stay rooted to the floor.

When my legs finally obey me, I stagger backward as fast as I can.

Every head in the ballroom turns slowly even as the rest of their bodies remain frozen, their eyes following my every move.

One by one, their lips pull back, exposing their sharp fangs.

I spin around and lift the skirts of my gown, but as soon as I start running, a servant flings the tray she’s carrying and lunges at me.

Her nails slice through the air as she swings her arms wildly, trying to claw at me. I stumble back, dodging as quickly as I can, but my feet catch on the hem of my gown and I trip, crashing to the floor.

I scramble to get up, but a sharp pain shoots up my arm the moment I sit upright.

My eyes dart around the ballroom in panic, and my stomach drops when I notice them baring their fangs and hissing as they slowly surround me.

My vision blurs with tears and my chest heaves, each breath coming faster than the last.

This is it.

This is how I die.

I shut my eyes tightly and shield my head with my arms, waiting for them to start tearing me limb from limb.

"Ætherre!" a shout echoes across the ballroom.

My eyes fly open just as a beam of yellow light tears through the air and slams into one of the chandeliers hanging above the ballroom.

The massive fixture breaks loose and comes crashing down, crushing several vampires beneath it as a cloud of dust and debris explodes into the air.

I quickly shield my eyes, coughing violently as dust fills my lungs.

"Rhiannon!" someone screams from somewhere inside the thick cloud.

Before I know what’s happening, a hand grabs my wrist and yanks me to my feet, dragging me into a full sprint.

Relief floods through me the moment I realize it’s Nayeesha.

I try to keep up as we race toward the ballroom doors, but the long train of my gown tangles around my legs every few steps, making me stumble repeatedly.

We barely make it halfway when four nobles suddenly rush toward us, their fangs bared and their eyes glowing with hunger.

Nayeesha immediately steps in front of me.

"Veyrakh Drazyl!" she screams.

Several bolts of lightning explode from her palms, striking the nobles one after another. They convulse violently for a few heartbeats, then one by one, their bodies drop to the floor.

Nayeesha grabs my wrist again. "Keep running!"

I barely make it three steps before something suddenly clamps around my ankle.

I scream as I’m yanked backward and my body slams hard against the floor.

A pained groan leaves my lips as I push myself up, but the moment I turn around, my eyes widen.

A servant is gripping my leg, his gaze consumed by hunger as his lips pull back, revealing his fangs.

"No!" I scream, jabbing my heel into his face.

He seizes my other leg and pounces into the air.

"Ætherre!" Nayeesha screams.

A beam of yellow light strikes his head and his skull explodes, sending blood, flesh, and bone splashing across my face and the front of my wedding gown.

For a horrific second, my body turns rigid, and I do nothing but stare at the remains scattered across the floor.

The moment I snap out of it, I scream and scramble away on my hands and knees, wiping frantically at my face.

"Rhiannon!" Nayeesha grabs my arm and hauls me back to my feet. "Don’t stop!"

Furious snarls and hisses fill the air as the entire ballroom chases after us like a pack of hungry beasts. As we keep running, my heart hammers so violently I can hear it in my ears.

The moment we burst through the doors, Nayeesha stops so suddenly I nearly crash into her.

She spins around and faces the entrance.

My brows furrow. "What are you—"

She stretches out her hands and screams. "Crystalion!"

The floor rumbles for a heartbeat before jagged crystals burst from beneath the ground, shooting upward until they tower high above us, sealing the entrance completely.

Her chest rises and falls heavily as she lowers her hands. Then she snaps her head toward me.

"We need to keep moving," she says sharply. "The barrier won’t hold them for long."

I fear she’s right.

Cracks slowly spread across the crystal wall as the vampires hammer their fists against it from the other side.

Nayeesha takes my hand again and we bolt down the corridor, but the second we round a corner, we run into a dozen guards.

They hiss wildly as they surround us, baring their fangs at me.

Without hesitating, Nayeesha shields me with her body.

A guard charges at us with a furious snarl.

Before he closes the distance, Nayeesha weaves her hands together then shoots her palms outward, engulfing him in flames.

His wails echo throughout the corridor as his burning figure thrashes violently until he drops to the floor in a smoldering heap.

Another lifts his sword and lunges into the air, but Nayeesha blasts him with a gust of wind, slamming his body so hard against the wall that it caves in.

I snatch his fallen sword off the ground and start ripping through the skirts of my gown till there isn’t much of it left. Then I raise the sword, gripping the hilt with all my strength as I step beside Nayeesha.

"Your Highness, get back!" Nayeesha snaps.

"No!" I fire back. "I can help you!"

Before we can argue any further, another guard rushes toward me, swinging his sword at my head.

I duck beneath the blade as it whips past my face, then I slam into him with my side, sending him staggering backward.

Before he can regain his balance, my blade swings across his neck and he collapses to the floor, his head rolling to a stop at my feet.

The second I turn, my eyes widen at the sight of a blade swinging straight for my face.

I throw up my sword just in time and our blades clash, sending sparks bursting in every direction. Then I slam my heel into his gut, forcing him back. A deep growl tears from my throat as I charge toward him, plunging my sword straight through his chest.

Another two bolt toward me, coming from opposite directions.

"Nayeesha!" I shout.

She stomps her foot on the ground and jagged stones erupt beneath one of them, spearing straight through his body.

The other guard reaches me a heartbeat later, swinging his sword like a wild animal.

I barely manage to block the first strike before he attacks again.

His movements are too fast and unpredictable, forcing me to stumble backward as I desperately raise my sword to meet each blow.

His blade slams into mine with enough force to send my sword flying from my hand.

My heart jumps into my throat.

He charges with another wild swing, but I quickly sidestep him, ripping a long strip of fabric from my gown and wrapping it tightly around his wrists. Then I drive my elbow into his hands and his sword clatters to the floor.

I shove him to the ground and snatch his sword from the floor. Before he can get up, I bring the blade down with all my strength, severing his head from his shoulders.

The sound of fast approaching footsteps draws my attention.

My head snaps toward the direction it’s coming from, and my heart drops when I see another wave of guards charging down the corridor toward me.

"Oh, for fucks’ sake," I mutter, slowly step back until my back presses against Nayeesha’s.

As soon as I glance over my shoulder, her amber eyes lock with mine. She gives me a nod before standing shoulder to shoulder, then together, we turn to face the enemy.

Nayeehsa stretches out her arms and water starts appearing out of thin air, swirling around her arms and body like serpents.

As the first few guards reach us, she thrusts her palms outward and the water lashes out like whips, engulfing their heads in spinning spheres.

They drop to their knees instantly.

The sound of their screams and gurgles are muffled as they claw at their heads, but their efforts are useless.

You can’t hold water.

Nayeehsa clenches her hands into fists.

In that very second, the water turns to ice before it explodes, and the guards’ headless bodies collapse to the floor.

But still, more of them keep coming.

With all my strength, I grip the hilt of my sword with both hands, planting my feet firmly against the floor.

"If this is where I take my last breath," I whisper to myself. "Then I won’t go down without a fight."