Chapter 26: Bloodlust

••{RHIANNON’S POV}••

My entire body is drenched in sweat.

It trickles down my temples and into my eyes, making them sting. I blink rapidly, trying to clear my vision as I tighten my grip around the sword.

My legs are beginning to ache.

My arms feel heavier with every swing, and with each passing second, my movements grow more sluggish.

But I can’t stop.

It’s as if every vampire I kill summons three more to take its place.

Another servant rushes toward me.

I try to lift my sword, but I’m so tired that I don’t move fast enough.

He crashes into me, slamming my back against the wall. The impact knocks the breath from my lungs and my sword slips from my hand, clattering against the floor.

His lips pull back, revealing his fangs as he leans toward my neck.

I immediately grip his shoulders with every bit of strength I have left and shove against him.

He snarls and snaps his teeth repeatedly, forcing himself closer until my arms begin to shake.

My heart jumps into my throat when he suddenly grabs my wrists and starts pushing them backward, forcing my hands away from his shoulders.

I clench my jaw, screaming through my teeth as I fight to keep him away.

But he’s just too strong.

His mouth opens wide, and his face inches closer until I feel his breath against my skin.

My strength finally gives out.

His fangs descend toward my neck when a flaming whip suddenly coils around his throat.

Before he can even react, the fiery whip yanks his head, tearing it clean from his body.

His body collapses at my feet and I look up to find Nayeesha standing behind him, her hand still raised as flames dance around her fingers.

"Nayeesha..." I gasp between heavy breaths. "Thank you."

She storms toward me, snatching my sword from the floor and placing it back in my hand.

"You can only thank me if we get out of here alive," she mutters.

"What’s happening, Nayeesha?" I ask, completely exhausted and on the verge of tears. "Why do more of them keep coming?"

"It’s your blood," she says urgently, her gaze falling to the cut at my wrist. "It’s far more potent than Azræl and I anticipated. As long as it’s exposed it will keep drawing them to you."

My eyes widen as I stare at the blood seeping through the cut.

I quickly tear a strip of fabric from my gown, wrapping it tight around my wrist to cover the wound.

Nayeesha grabs my hand, but the second we turn to run, dozens of guards come thundering down the corridor.

"Get behind me," she says sharply.

I don’t even argue.

I immediately do as she says.

Before the guards can close in, Nayeesha lifts her hands and a wall of fire bursts to life, roaring high enough to scorch the ceiling.

But still, some of them walk through the wall, setting themselves ablaze and thrashing violently until they drop dead.

All because they want to reach me.

The wall surges even higher, roaring as the flames grow so hot that I stagger backward and shield my face.

The guards on the other side finally stop trying to push through.

But they don’t retreat.

I can still hear them snarling and hissing behind the wall of flames.

Nayeesha’s arms begin to tremble as she keeps them raised, her fingers curled tightly as she struggles to maintain the wall. Sweat beads along her forehead and runs down the side of her face, while her breathing grows heavier with every passing second.

The flames begin to flicker violently, rising and falling with the movement of her hands.

She grits her teeth, refusing to lower her arms. Then suddenly, she begins screaming in agony.

My brows slowly knit together.

"Na... Nayeesha?" I say slowly as I step closer to her.

"Stay back!" she shouts, her voice trembling with pain.

"No, something is wrong," I cry, my tone filled with panic. "What is happening to you?"

She doesn’t answer me.

Another blood-curdling scream leaves her lips instead.

Her veins begin to glow from underneath her skin, bulging at her throat and her temples. And my eyes widen the second I see blood dripping from her nose.

Nayeesha finally drops to the floor.

The fire vanishes instantly, and slowly, the guards begin to close in.

"No, no, no, no," I say frantically, dropping to my knees and cradling her in my arms.

She barely moves.

Tears run down the side of her face as she stares at me with tired eyes. Her lips part, but all that comes out is a weak, breathless croak.

"Nayeesha, please get up," I cry, my gaze darting between her and the approaching guards. "Come on, we have to run. Please!"

One of the guards leaps into the air with his mouth wide open.

I immediately pull Nayeesha against my chest and squeeze my eyes shut.

But nothing happens.

I slowly open my eyes and gasp when I see the guard’s head lying on the floor. Then I notice something moving through the rest of them like a blur, their hearts hitting the floor before their bodies follow.

Once the guards are all dead, that’s when I finally see a figure standing in the midst of their corpses.

His hands are covered in blood.

His shoulders rise and fall with heavy breaths.

His hair, red as roses, falls down his back.

The relief that floods through me is so overwhelming that my body sags against the floor.

"Thank the stars," I whisper as tears run down my cheeks. "Azræl.."

He turns his head slowly...and when his eyes lock with mine... I go completely still.

His gaze is filled with the same hunger I’ve been running from all night.

My heart begins hammering painfully against my ribs.

"Azræl?" I say, my voice thin and shaky. "It’s me... Rhiannon."

He doesn’t answer.

He turns fully to face me, then slowly, he begins to close the distance between us.

Nayeesha lets out a weak groan, drawing my attention away from Azræl.

She struggles as she tries to sit upright.

I immediately slip my arms beneath her shoulders and around her waist, gently pulling her up until she’s standing on her feet.

She sways a bit, but I tighten my grip around her to keep her steady.

Nayeesha slowly shrugs my hands off her, forcing herself to stand on her own.

Before I even realize what she’s doing, she takes a slow, unsteady step toward Azræl.

"Azræl," she says, her voice weak and barely above a whisper. "You’re not in your right mind."

She takes another small step closer.

"You need to stop and remember who you are..." she continues slowly, "...the promises you made.

Azræl comes to a stop... and for the first time... his eyes leave me and focus on her.

My heart flutters as hope starts to bloom in my chest.

But then, Azræl lifts his hand and sends Nayeesha flying across the corridor with a flick of his fingers.

She slams into the wall so hard that I flinch. Then she collapses to the floor, motionless.

Before I can even scream her name, Azræl wraps his hand around my throat and in the blink of an eye, my back slams into the wall.

His fingers tighten around my throat, forcing a strangled gasp from my lips.

My eyes burn as tears gather in them.

My feet start kicking as I claw desperately at his hand, digging my nails into his skin until I draw blood.

I pound my fists against his chest with everything I have, but nothing I do seems to faze him.

His eyes are emotionless as they stare into mine.

When he bares his fangs and starts leaning closer...

I stop fighting.

A single tear slips free, slowly trickling down my cheek.

Then I close my eyes, waiting for his fangs to sink into my flesh.