“You’re fast. I’ll give you that, sister. But I’m afraid I’m done fucking around,” I mumble through my broken jaw.
I summon all the strength left in my body, staying alert for her next attack.
She lunges again, but my shadows are already there, answering for me.
One surges forward, catching her mid-air. It twists around her limbs, forcing her shift, pressing her shadows into soft, breakable flesh.
They squeeze, unrelenting, coiling tighter around her throat, around her wrists, holding her suspended. She thrashes, clawing at them, but they don’t yield.
Her body is human. Her rage is anything but.
I drop to my knees, shadows draining what’s left of my energy, and take in my sister’s naked human form.
She’s scrawny, all sharp edges, with long, white hair and eerie violet eyes.
Tattoos cover her body, much like mine, but instead of various flora and fauna, her tattoos depict the constellations and planets.
“Let me go, brother. Now!” She claws at my shadows, kicking wildly.
I’m not sure how much longer I can hold on.
The shadows tremble, flickering erratically, not from fear but from exhaustion.
One presses against my wound, trying desperately to pull pieces of torn flesh back together.
They know I can’t keep this up.
A voice cracks through the air, and everything stops.
It’s not the words. It’s the certainty.
Footsteps echo across concrete and meat hooks as he charges toward us.
“Astrid! Enough! Calm yourself,stellina.”
“But, Luca, he came on behalf of Renato. We can’t let him live! I won’t see you harmed,” Astrid growls.
Despite her posturing, she immediately relaxes when Luca comes into view.
“Let her go.”
Luca’s voice drops to something deadly quiet, his dark eyes flicking to mine.
“I don’t know who you are, but you’re bleeding out fast. Do you really want to spend your last conscious moments making enemies?”
“Thank you.” I call my shadows back, causing Astrid to hit the ground with a loud thud. “Luca, I presume?”
“He dropped me! Did you see that, Luca? He’s trying to hurt me!” my sister whines as the soul-sucker rushes over to her.
He pulls her up, then drapes his coat around her without a word as he presses a soft kiss to her forehead.
My shadows freeze, a silent, watching mass. No flicker. No ripple. Just absolute, undiluted shock.
If my jaw wasn’t already shattered, it would drop.
My sister and the vampire are in love.
Cradling my arm, I quietly chuckle.
