Page 182 of Vameer

Isit up, jolting awake.

Something hit my perimeter.

I stand from my couch.

That shouldn’t be possible.

I close my eyes and feel my magic for the location.

A bellow vibrates through the link.

My eyes snap open, glowing bright.

How?

I flick a portal open and step through it, into my forest.

The portal disappears. And I stop.

Vameer kneels on the ground, holding his mate in his arms. Blood drenches them both.

This is bad.

I follow the stain of red up to the line across Rune’s throat.

A shimmer covers it, gravito sealing the wound. But… she’s lost too much blood.

“What happened?” I close the space between us.

Tears slide down Vameer’s cheeks as he looks up at me. “A magicked dagger meant for me.” His voice is quiet. Choppy. But he holds her tight. “She is not a full vampire. It was meant for me.”

Worry presses in around me.

Too much magic.

That’s what he means.

A dagger magicked to kill Vameer would be incredibly powerful. Even if Rune was a full vampire…

An injury poisoned with too much magic will not heal.

If Rune doesn’t heal, she will die.

They will die.

Another tear drips off Vameer’s cheek.

I watch it sizzle as it burns through Rune’s shirt. Soaking into her skin, not leaving a mark.

“You have to save her. He told me only you could save her.” More venom drips from his fangs, absorbing into Rune’s hair.

Vameer’s breath hitches, and the power around Rune’s throat flickers yellow, then pink.

There is one way.

“Fuck.” I meet Vameer’s eyes. “You will take this to your grave. Or I will put you in one.”

“I will give you my half of our soul. Just save her.”