They observe with bated breath, their hopes pinned on this moment. Ashwiyaa’s journey has led her to this point, and now it’s time for her to embrace her destiny, to become the person she was always meant to be. If she doesn’t, Abchanchu will surely devour her.
Chapter twenty-five
Ashwiyaa
“She remembered who she was, and the game changed.” -Lalah Delia
Before I can fully comprehend his intentions, Kai suddenly sprints toward Abchanchu. In a heartbeat, he shifts into his wolf mid-leap, his powerful body hurtling through the air as he lunges at the vampire. The transformation is seamless, a blur of fur and muscle, but Abchanchu is quick—too quick. With an almost casual ease, he sidesteps Kai’s attack, evading the deadly claws aimed at him.
In a split second, Abchanchu counters, delivering a powerful punch to Kai’s side. The nauseating sound of Kai’s bones cracking reverberates through the air, making my throat tighten with horror. Kai crashes to the ground, a pained growl escaping him, and the sight of Abchanchu’s unsettling grin as he towers over Kai fills me with a rage so intense it blurs the edges of my vision.
Without hesitation, I summon my daggers, feeling their familiar weight settle into my hands, and I almost cry in relief. With a flick of my wrists, I launch them through the air, each one aimed with deadly precision. Abchanchu’s attention snaps to me and he manages to catch one, his reflexes razor sharp, but the other strikes him in the shoulder, embedding itself deep into his flesh.
“How are you able to walk in the sunlight?” I snap, my voice sharp as I stalk forward. My shadows roll off me in waves, spreading across the ground like a billow of smoke, dark and ominous.
Oh, how I’ve missed them.
Abchanchu’s grin only widens, as if my attack and my question amuse him. He holds up his hand, revealing a ring gleaming on his little finger. The sight of it sends a chill down my spine; it’s a symbol of power, of dark magic.
“This little trinket,” he says, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “A witch from the valley helped me out.”
His arrogant admission stokes the flames of my rage even higher. This isn’t just about survival anymore. It’s about making sure Abchanchu pays for every ounce of pain he’s inflicted, every life he’s taken.
“It won’t do you much good once I’m through with you. You will pay for everything you’ve done.”
Malice and desire gleam in his dark eyes, and I watch black veins spread over his skin. “Pet, you can’t best me. I have centuries on you. But I’m so happy you’ve brought me another snack.” He looks over at Kai, who is getting to his feet, shaking off his now healed injury.
Daggers form in my grasp again and I send out my shadows, wrapping them around Abchanchu’s body. My fingers flex around the hilts of my blades, grounding me, reminding me of the countless battles I’ve fought before this.
Kai, still in his wolf form, circles to the left, his muscles rippling beneath his fur, eyes locked onto the vampire with a promise of violence. His growls are low and menacing, echoing through the air like the rumble of distant thunder.
Abchanchu’s stance remains relaxed, almost bored, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
If Kai could get to his hand, the one with the ring, we could end this quickly.
Without warning, Kai springs into action, his powerful legs propelling him forward as he lunges at Abchanchu, his jaws snapping shut with a feral snarl, aiming for the vampire’s throat. I don’t give Abchanchu a chance to attack Kai.
In a flash, I’m on him, my daggers slicing through the air with a low whistle, drawing his attention. Kai and I both attack together. Kai clamps his mouth down on the vampire’s shoulder, dragging him to the ground. I waste no time landing on his torso, driving my daggers deep into his chest, and a hiss of pain escapes his lips.
But he’s not done. Abchanchu retaliates, his movements fluid and terrifyingly fast. He catches my wrists in a vise-like grip, twisting them painfully until I’m forced to release my daggers. I grit my teeth, refusing to cry out, and let my body fade out and reappear a few feet away. Abchanchu is a blur as he stands, knocking Kai away as if swatting a fly. In the next second he is in front of me, sweeping my legs out from under me with a vicious kick.
I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of me, but there’s no time to recover. Abchanchu looms over me, his fangs bared.
“It is pointless. You won’t win this battle.”
Suddenly, Kai comes barreling into him, knocking him off balance. The two of them crash to the ground in a tangled mass of fur and flesh, each trying to overpower the other.
Kai’s jaws snap at Abchanchu’s throat, and this time he manages to sink his teeth in, tearing into the vampire’s flesh. Abchanchu howls in pain, but his strength is far from depleted. He grabs Kai by the scruff, lifting the massive wolf with an almost impossible strength, and hurls him across the clearing. Kai lands with a heavy thud, but he’s back on his feet in seconds, his eyes blazing with determination.
A wave of dizziness has me squeezing my eyes closed, and I take several deep breaths as I wait for the feeling to pass. I hear Kai’s yelp and snarl echo through the air, followed by Abchanchu’s cold, cruel laughter. Panic floods me. I push myself up onto my hands and knees, fingers curling into the dirt for support. I’m so tired, every muscle in my body screaming for rest, but I can’t afford to give up now.
A wave of bile churns in my stomach, and from the corner of my eye, I see Kai slowly rise to his feet. Fear gnaws at me; I don’t want him to get hurt, but I have no clue how to defeat Abchanchu in this state. Desperation claws at my mind. Not wanting Abchanchu to focus on Kai, I charge at him with a primal scream, launching a flurry of punches. Each strike I throw is easily dodged, his movements fluid and mocking.
Suddenly, Abchanchu counterattacks with a force that sends me flying through the air. My body collides with a tree, and a sharp pain explodes through me as the bark stabs into my back. I hit the ground hard, gasping for breath.
Fuck, that hurt.
With a groan, I force myself to my feet, my vision blurring for a moment. When my eyes focus, I see Abchanchu has Kai pinned to the ground, his hands around the wolf’s throat. Kai struggles against Abchanchu, his growls growing weaker.
