Page 133 of Beds and Blades

She was magnificent.

But it wasn’t going to be enough. The certainty struck me with such force that my hands stopped moving.

“Flavia!”

I drew the knife across the rope around Skip’s wrist.

Then the second vampire seized Flavia by the back of her armor.

It hurled her across the room. Flavia struck the edge of the council table, spun, and hit the stone wall shoulder first before collapsing to the floor.

Her sword skidded from her hand. She did not move.

For one impossible second, the room disappeared. There was only Flavia lying crumpled against the wall, one arm folded beneath her, her face turned away.

No blood pooled beneath her. Nothing marked an obvious killing blow. But she was too still.

My breath stopped.

No.

Fuck no.

Not her too.

They had followed me into this room. They had trusted me to bring them through it.

Gaius lay against the wall, trying to drag air into lungs that no longer seemed able to take it. Flavia lay motionless on the stone.

The thought hollowed me out.

This was my plan. My responsibility. My fault.

Skip jerked against the chair, a muffled command tearing through the gag.

Move.

I cut through the rope around his other wrist. Skip tore the gag from his mouth as I turned toward Gaius.

“Meghan, don’t.”

“I can’t leave him.”

“You can’t reach him.”

His voice was raw, barely more than breath, but the command in it was still Skip.

Across the room, the vampire seized Gaius by the hair and pulled his head back.

Gaius’s eyes were open.

He was still conscious. His gaze found mine. There was pain in his face, but no accusation. No regret.

The vampire looked directly at me. Then it sank its teeth into Gaius’s throat.

His body convulsed. The sound that came out of me did not feel human.

I started toward him.