Breathe.
Augustine hissed, fangs long past his lips. “You can have…” His words cut off as Kace slowly pressed the stake into his chest, watching Augustine’s eyes as the realisation of his death slowly sunk in, and then stopped a mere centimetre from his heart.
Kace would have preferred to have done it himself, to watch his life drain from his decrepit gaze. He would have bathed himself in the blood, consumed it.
But it wasn’t his vengeance anymore, it was hers.
Keeping the stake exactly where it was he dragged Augustine towards Eva, who had her entire weight on her shaking arms. Kace carefully positioned Augustine in front of her, the vampire unable to move with the tip of the stake kissing his heart.
She looked up, determination creasing her brows as she sat back on her heels. He helped lift her hand, wrapping it around the wood.
Augustine snarled, fangs so long they almost reached his chin.
Smoke and dust had settled on her skin, a single tear dropping down her cheek to leave a clean trail. With a scream she pushed forward, and Kace finally let himself release his rage. The stake had pushed through to the other side, and reaching down he snapped it free, leaving the wood trapped inside Augustine’s chest.
He pulled Augustine up by his throat, the Vampire already starting to die as the skin around his eyes began to slowly decay, turning back to his true age. His mouth was agape, tongue already blackened as Kace walked him to the very edge of the platform, making sure he met his widened, obsidian gaze.
His beast tightened his vocal cords, but Kace needed Augustine to hear his final words. “You’re wrong. She’s worth everything.”
Fear twisted the vampire’s features, all sense of superiority disappearing as his weakened arms flayed to stop from falling. With a surprised gasp he collapsed backwards, disappearing into the flames that cleansed the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands on the sands.
A heavy pressure lifted, and he wasted no more time on the man who had destroyed his childhood, turning back to his mate. Except she was motionless, collapsed on her back.
“Eva.” Kace’s voice was no longer his own, his hands shaking as he rushed to his knees beside her. He tore at the flesh of his wrist, pressing the wound to her mouth and waited for her to bite, to take his life for herself.
His blood fell on frozen lips, her lashes dark against pale skin. Pulling her up he cradled her on his lap, pressing her limp head against his throat. With a pained scream he cut his own skin, silently begging the fates to feel the sharp pain of her fangs, and then the deadly pleasure of her venom.
Chapter35
Epilogue
KACE
Eva was immobile beneath the sheets, so pale with her golden-brown hair spread across the white pillow. He knew she was alive, her body taking it’s time to heal the wound that had almost killed her, the stake splintering inside her stomach.
She had been poisoned by the wood, and his beast hadn’t once relaxed as he watched over her, letting no one close as she rested, healed. No one would see her so vulnerable, never again.
Wake up.
It hadn’t even been a day, and already his patience was non-existent.
Come on, Sunshine. Wake up.
Slipping in beside her, he pulled her against his chest, her skin as cold as ice. She didn’t react at his touch, and his heart clenched at her so still. Eva was fire, passion and pure attitude, not a lifeless corpse.
Wake. Up.
A vibration rattled, his beast just beneath the surface. He had accepted long ago that he would never find a mate, never allow himself to be that exposed to another being for their souls to be bound together with magic.
He was ruined, beyond repair.
A man who feared touch, and yet all he wanted to do was bury himself against the woman who argued as passionately as she kissed a monster. There was no dread, nor panic at being bound, their souls connected forever.
And yet, she could never be his.
He had to let her go.
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