Draven pushed me, separating us as a wall of jagged splinters screamed past. I rolled, narrowly avoiding a shard that slammed into the ground where I had just stood. Rising, I searched for Draven through the whirlwind of timber and debris. I spotted him and watched as he tore the heads from two witches fighting him.
The scent of their blood overwhelmed my senses, igniting a primal surge within me. Instinct took over when I spotted a smaller cloaked witch on the edge of the field. I moved swiftly and gracefully toward her. As I approached, I heard her chanting an incantation, but her words faltered when fearflickered in her eyes upon seeing me. With a growl, I lunged forward, sinking my teeth into her neck. She screamed in pain as her blood splattered across my face. I felt like a feral animal being released from a cage as the witch fell, lifeless at my feet. I whirled around, ready for whatever came next.
I scanned the crowd, hunting for Vail, but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, I spotted Agnes standing at the centre of the clearing, her hands raised high. Roots erupted from the ground as she spoke, wrapping around Draven’s legs. I gasped, watching him struggle to break free.
To his right, a hooded witch unleashed a fireball that streaked toward him. I flinched as it collided with the roots, splintering them apart and freeing him just in time to face the charging witch.
I caught a glimpse of the witch who had rescued Draven as she vanished into the woods, her golden halo of hair trailing behind her like a beacon. Just then, I felt a movement behind me and spun around, only to find another witch, a rope clutched in her hands. Her dark eyes locked onto mine as she lunged forward. Instinct kicked in, and I dodged to the left, narrowly avoiding her grasp as I grabbed her arm and sank my teeth into her flesh, tearing into her neck.
I couldn’t help myself; I fed from her, drinking deeply as her blood flowed into me. I felt her body grow heavy in my arms, and suddenly, vivid flashes of her memories surged through my mind.Agnes handing slender syringes of potion to the witches, instructing them to use them to immobilize Blood Hunters.
I felt a sharp prick and recoiled, but it was too late. Darkness crept into my vision, and my muscles stiffened, my limbs refusing to obey. I staggered before collapsing to the ground, the potion knocking me out.
When I regained consciousness, the sky was shifting to a deep purple as the sun began to rise. I attempted to movebut found myself completely restrained. Glancing down, I saw that my feet were tied to a post, my arms bound tightly behind me. Four bodies lay on the ground nearby, and I quickly scanned the scene for Draven. He was to my left, tied to a post about five feet away. His head was limp, and his black hair hung like a curtain around his face. His shirt was ripped from his body, and he had deep cuts in his abdomen. Dark streaks of blood were flowing down his porcelain torso into the earth beneath him.
“Draven!” I shouted, but he didn’t respond. Desperation surged within me as I struggled against the ropes, the coarse fibres biting into my skin. I scanned the area; no witches were in sight, but I noticed a circle of salt surrounding us. We were trapped. Even if I managed to free myself, there was no way I could get us to safety before the sun fully rose.
Panic set in, and a cold sweat broke out on my skin as I heard a branch crack in the trees. I looked up just in time to see three witches emerging from the shadows.
“I see that you have awoken,” Agnes said, her tone cold and unamused.
I ignored her and looked at Vail. Her head was down, and her hood was shielding her face.
“You coward!” I screamed at Vail. “You’re a liar and a coward! I trusted you, and you betrayed us.” I struggled against the ropes, finally able to shout my hatred toward her.
Agnes took out a long knife from her pocket and handed it to Vail, a silent request. Vail took it and walked toward us, entering the witch’s circle and over to me.
I thrashed against my restraints, a surge of panic coursing through me. I spat at her, my blood-stained spit falling just short. But Vail remained unfazed, coming up behind me and whispering in my ear, “Trust me.” Before I could react, she swiftly used the knife to cut the binds off my hands and feet.
“Vail, what are you doing?” Agnes’s voice was tinged with disapproval, the first light of dawn painting the sky a delicate shade of pink. “If you do this, you are no longer welcome in this coven, my child,” she warned.
“Vail, run!” I urged her, my heart pounding with fear as she moved to free Draven from his restraints. He fell limp to the ground as the first rays of sunlight began to filter through the trees, casting the clearing in a warm golden light. Dread washed over me as I realized that we would not make it.
Vail stepped to the front of the circle, and I heard her speak an incantation, her hands shooting out in front of her. A beam of blinding light erupted from her palms, striking the two witches and causing them to stumble back, their screams piercing the air. As I ran to Draven, I could feel the urgency mounting within me.
“Draven, wake up,” I urged, shaking him gently. “We have to go; we are running out of time.” He stirred, weakened from the poison coursing through his veins, his eyes struggling to open.
The witch’s circle around us blazed with dark black flames, crackling and casting a long shadow.
“What does he need?” Vail's voice cut through the chaos, her concern evident.
“Blood,” I responded instinctively. Without hesitation, Vail approached and drew the blade across her palm, crimson blood welling from the wound. She lowered her hand to Draven's lips, offering him her life's essence.
I covered my mouth and nose, unable to bear the sight and scent of her blood. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I fought to hold them back. Vail's gaze met mine, sadness reflecting in her eyes. I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me as Draven drank from her.
The witches unleashed streaks of lightning, cutting through Vail’s flames and striking the circle. I was momentarily blinded, not just by their lightning but also by the sun’s glare. Vail cried out, extending her hands as a shield of swirling black clouds enveloped us.
“What are you doing?” I asked her as Draven’s eyes shot open and he sat up.
“My heart,” he said, and looked at me for damage.
“I am all right,” I told him as he grabbed me and kissed me. Our lips met with passion, and I couldn’t help myself as a tear leaked out of the corner of my eye.
Through the shield of dark clouds, I heard Agnes yelling, “Vail, stop! You are delving into dark magic beyond your comprehension. You do not understand the consequences!”
I turned to Vail, reaching out to touch her shoulder, but she seemed distant, lost in a trance-like state. Her eyes, once vibrant and filled with light, were now consumed by darkness, the blackness spreading like tendrils across her gaze. Dark veins snaked their way down her neck as the dark cloud continued to emerge from her, surrounding us.
“Vail?” I called to her, but she remained unresponsive, her eyes fixated on some unseen abyss as she muttered an incantation with feverish intensity. As I watched, a wave of dread washed over me, seeing her hair begin to lose its golden hue. The smell of something burning strongly lingered in the air. “Vail, you must stop, you will die.” But my words fell on deaf ears as she persisted, lost in the throes of her dark magic, the swirling clouds around us.
