Strength.
Once they are gorged, they can rain their pain and torment across the earth, gathering and consuming until mankind falls into the pits of hell.
I cannot allow that.
In a few minutes, my child will be born into this world and I will not have it born under the reign of terror. I will not let Lenora suffer. They are my priorities and I will die before allowing my mistakes to hurt them.
“You cannot have him,” I tell them simply.
“The child then.” Dain snickers. “It is still of Usher blood, albeit diluted, but you can create more.”
My fingers twist into the palm of my hands, gouging talons into the callused palms. The warm trickle of my blood stains my skin.
“You will not touch my child, nor will I allow you to leave this chamber.”
All humor vanishes as it becomes clear that they will not convince me. That I will not stand aside and allow them my family. Even with no expressions that I can properly read, I know they are displeased.
And I don’t give a fuck.
They may no longer be bound to my will, but I have centuries over them. I have power. I am their god. And I am pissed.
I deflect the first snap of chains. It swings wide and cracks off a pillar, sending a shower of dust raining down around us. I miss the second and it punches me in the sternum. The weight of iron nearly knocks me off my feet. My feet skid on stone as I brace myself.
“Do not make us fight you, Veyn,” Dain warns. “Let us take one and we will leave.”
My wings snap open, blades glinting across the edges of each fold. I unsheathe my claws in preparation. But I say nothing when I backhand Rase with a tendril of razorblades. I sliceacross his jugular, knowing it won’t kill him, but cutting a fold of skin that is threaded shut by a link of iron.
Dain snarls and makes an awkward amble at me that would have been comical, except I know full well the strength he wields if he gets his hands on me. I barely manage to deflect him with my wings. I slice the naked flesh of his suit and watch him shriek as his new suit is shredded. Bits of skin hang, exposing his bloody torso.
Behind me, beneath my crafted dome, Lenora screams. Her wail distracts me for just a second. The perfect opening for Rase to charge with the full weight of his bulk. It slams straight into me and I feel the ground vanish only to meet me a second later with a deafening smack that sends agony down my side.
I wheeze as the air escapes my lungs and that single distraction is enough for Dain to ram his fists into my barricade. The attempt shreds the flesh across his knuckles. It peels layers of Julen Duval back to the flayed flesh of Dain’s fingers.
Not giving him the chance to do it again, I pull the threads of my powers, small pieces, and bind them. I hook my brothers together. Drive my tendrils around and through them. I press them, shredding flesh and bone. Chunks of torn meat hit the stone in sickening plops that can barely be heard through their wails.
The effort is costing me. I can feel the wane the more I syphon from my reserve while maintaining the protective wall around Lenora. Her blood isn’t enough to fuel me the closer she gets to bringing our child into the world. I need more.
They know it.
They know that I can only hold on for so long before I must make the choice to lower the shield or let them go.
“You should have let us kill him,” Dain snarls, nude once more, save for a grotesque mask of Julen Duval’s face plasteredpartially over his like a macabre mask. “You wouldn’t be so weak if you had his blood.”
I bare my teeth but save my breath. I already know I will need what little I have left to get Lenora and the human somewhere safe. I need just enough to open the mirror for them and pray they can pass through without me.
With sweat blinding me, I thin the shield enough to see Lenora on the altar, knees up and open. Thighs slick with blood. Her dark hair is a wild tangle clinging to her temples and along her throat. Exertion and pain flush her face, damp with tears, but set in a fierce and beautiful snarl.
Her dark eyes find mine and wide.
“Veyn!”
I hate the tightening in my chest with the knowledge that this will be the last time I hear her say my name. It was never supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be mine for the rest of our lives. And her human.
“Forgive me, little one,”I tell her softly through the link we share.“I must break our bargain.”
Fresh tears spill over her lids and down her cheeks.
“What … what are you talking about? No. Please don’t leave me. Please.”
