“Are you?” the man mused. Had he moved even closer? “Because it’s awfully suspicious that they disappear, and then you two show up. How do we know you aren’t the ones who hurt Alyce?”
“We didn’t,” Marius and Vivienne said at the same time.
After what had been done to her, Vivienne would never take an unwilling Source. She would starve herself into a husk before feeding from someone against their will.
“I’m sure,” the man said, his tone making it abundantly clear he didn’t believe them. He flicked a hand over his shoulder, and something rustled behind Vivienne. “Take them.”
“No!” she shouted, reaching for her sword as she dashed towards the prince.
Her fingers curled around the engraved hilt, but before she could draw the weapon, something cool and heavy slammed into the back of her head.
At the same time, Marius cried out. Someone pulled him off Azil, the horse panicking at the loss of her rider.
Vivienne screamed and kicked as hands wrapped around her neck.
“You shouldn’t have come here,vampire.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw someone throw Marius’s body over their shoulder, carrying him towards the village.
This couldn’t be happening.
Vivienne thrashed against her captor’s hold. She slammed her elbow back, and he grunted.
“You’re going to regret that, blood-sucking bitch,” a man growled.
The hands lifted from around her neck, and she bolted. She ran, her arms and legs pumping, as she headed for the blizzard.
Arms wrapped around her, yanking her back.
She screamed.
“Got you,” someone sneered.
She twisted in their grip, her wings flaring. Someone grunted, but then, cold metal was snapped around her neck.
No, no, no.
Time seemed to still as her body fell into a state of panic.
She cried out, her wings vanishing as if they had never existed. She reached inside herself for her magic, but it was as though she was looking in an empty pit.
A sob crawled up her throat.
Gone.
It was all gone.
Her darkness, her wings, all of it.
If not for the fangs nestled in her gums, she would think herself completely mortal.
Oh gods.
A sharp sword poked Vivienne in the small of her back.
“Walk,” her captor hissed. “Or I’ll remove your head from your body right now.”
Isvana help her, but she did exactly as he asked.
