Blood Bound

by Becca Blake

  “That’s not true,” Azalea said. “You’re making that up.”

  “I’m not,” Miria insisted. She repeated the things she’d overheard from the surface vampires about the cruelty of what they did with their blood servants. “It sounds horrible.”

  Azalea’s face went pale. “You’re sure?”

  Miria nodded. “You’re in danger if you stay here. He’s going to hurt you. Kill you, maybe. And I won’t be here to stop him. Hell, I’ll never even know. I’ll either be dead or gone.” She took Azalea’s hand in hers. “Please come with me. Leave this behind. We can start a new life back home. In Viridi.”

  “I don’t even remember the way out of Terra Nocturne,” Azalea said. “It’s been so long.”

  “I have a general idea,” Miria said. “The gate is at the edge of the First District, so we’re close. Even if I hadn’t forced our move, tonight would be our best shot at escaping. Most of the vampires in the city are in the room below us instead of out in the streets. We shouldn’t have much trouble getting to the gate.”

  “Okay.” Azalea took a deep breath and looked over her shoulder toward Nero’s room, as though saying a final goodbye. “I trust you.”

  Miria removed one of the two daggers and handed it over to Azalea. “Take this with you.”

  “I don’t know how to use this!” Azalea pushed it back toward Miria.

  “It’s better than not having it,” Miria insisted.

  “Okay.” Azalea reluctantly accepted the dagger and slung the pack over her shoulder. “If we’re going, let’s hurry.”

  Miria knew she wouldn’t have had the heart to go alone. Having Azalea with her made her feel stronger. After all the years spent in the dark, they were finally going home to see the sun again. Together.

  Either that, or they would die trying.

  28

  Azalea and Miria hurried down the winding path that led to the palace gate. Miria scaled a tall, iron fence and crouched atop a stone pillar to help Azalea over as well. Azalea lifted her leg, but the stiff material of her dress and the long, flowing train restricted her movement enough that she couldn’t climb over the gate.

  Gorgeous though the dress was, she would never make it through the city wearing it. She ran a hand over the material one last time before using the dagger to cut it all away. The fabric fell to the ground around her feet in pools of scarlet, shimmering in the pale light from the street lamps.

  Her heart ached at the sight of the once beautiful dress ruined. But as she cut the layers of fabric, they fell away from her like a heavy chain. As the last of the tattered dress crumpled to the ground, she was finally free of it.

  Azalea took Miria’s hand and slid over the fence with her, then landed on her feet gracefully on the other side.

  “Do you know where you’re going?” Azalea whispered.

  “Not really. I just know the gate is in that direction.” Miria pointed toward a gap in the cavern wall about ten blocks away from their location. “I’m sure it’s close. I don’t know how well it will be guarded, so we’ll have to stay hidden until we have a plan to get through.”

  Azalea grinned.

  “What are you smiling about? This isn’t going to be easy.”

  “It’s just that this reminds me of all the times when we’d sneak out of Viridi to go play in the woods. Do you remember that orchard just outside the city walls?”

  “Of course.” Miria laughed. “Those apples were the only thing that could convince you to sneak out of the city with me.”

  “We’ll have to make that our first stop when we get out of here.”

  “That sounds good to me,” Miria said. She glanced over her shoulder. “Come on. We’ve got to keep moving before someone finds us.”

  Miria peered out from the alleyway before emerging to cross the street. She waved for Azalea to follow, then disappeared behind a corner.

  As Azalea stepped out onto the cobblestone street, someone grabbed her arm, pulling her back. As she let out a loud gasp, Miria peeked out from the shadows again and crouched down, dagger in hand. She looked like a cat, waiting in the shadows to pounce at her first opportunity.

  A vampire who looked as though he’d been turned as a very young man, no older than twenty, frowned at Azalea as he gripped her arm. His gaze drifted from her ruined dress to her ears, then back to her eyes. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

  Azalea’s grip on the dagger behind her back tightened. He wasn’t likely to expect a sudden attack from her, so she’d have a good chance at killing or seriously injuring him before he could respond. She’d learned enough about Miria that night to know she wouldn’t think twice if she were in the same position. But killing a vampire in the middle of the street would only hurt their chances at escaping undetected.

  Instead, she squared her shoulders and stood tall. “What do you think you’re doing, laying your hands on me?”

  The vampire’s brow furrowed in confusion. His grip on her arm loosened slightly as he faltered. “An elf girl shouldn’t be wandering around unattended.”

  Azalea scoffed. “I am Azalea Nydira, the bonded blood servant of Lord Nero Cineris, and I will not be stopped in the street like any common elf.” She raised her chin defiantly, hoping her appearance matched the confidence of her words.

  In truth, she didn’t know if her position held any weight. If Miria’s eavesdropping was to be believed, her position now was even lower than it had been before. There was a good chance the vampire would drag her back to the castle unless Miria stopped him. She anticipated a struggle, and she braced herself for one.

  But it never came. Instead, the vampire released her and looked away, avoiding her gaze as though she held authority over him. After all the years of captivity, the rush of power sent a thrill through her.

  Not that she could get used to it—she would have no such authority over anyone on the surface.

  “I-I apologize, my lady,” the vampire stammered. “Carry about your business.” He scurried away, leaving her alone in the street.

  Azalea hurried across the street to join Miria, heart still pounding from the encounter. “We need to hurry, before he tells someone smarter who he saw here.”

  Miria raised a brow. “I could have killed him, you know.”

  Azalea shook her head. “That’s not always the only answer.”

  “Maybe not, but I’ve become fond of it.” Her face darkened for a moment, and she looked away. “Fond of killing vampires, at least.”

  Miria hurried off through another alleyway, and Azalea followed. Her feet ached in the tight heels she wore, and she wished there had been time to return to the bedroom to change into more practical clothing and boots.

  When they reached the edge of the city, Miria pulled her back beneath a stone archway. The arched gate to the city was huge, detailed with intricate ironwork and thick spikes at the top. It was nearly as tall as one of the houses, though each of the doors had a smaller gate built in that was more appropriate for human-sized creatures.

  A single guard stood at the center of the gates, staring ahead intently. Miria and Azalea were hidden off to the side where he couldn’t see them, but if they moved forward at all, it would be impossible for him to miss them.

  “Now what?” Azalea whispered.

  Miria looked around suspiciously. “I was expecting there to be more than one.”

  “If there are any others, they must be at the ball, like you said earlier. And I suppose it makes sense. There aren’t many elves in the First District. Those who are here are trusted by members of the vampire nobility. So they might not expect to need as much security at the gate at all.”

  Miria shrugged. “Makes sense, but that still doesn’t answer the question of how we’re going to get past this guy.”

  “Whatever we’re doing, we need to figure it out fast,” Azalea said.


  Miria considered that for a moment. “I don’t want you to bloody your hands,” she said finally. “Between the two of us, I’m the killer, and it should stay that way.”

  “I’m a killer, too,” Azalea said softly.

  Miria shook her head. “Not like me.”

  “All I’m saying is, if you have a plan, we should act on it. Don’t let us fail because you’re too stubborn to let me stab someone.”

  In truth, she was grateful that Miria had no way of knowing how uncomfortable it made her to know she might have to kill someone that night. But if it was what she had to do to earn their freedom, she would do it without complaint.

  “Okay,” Miria said finally. “I’m going to go up and distract the vampire. While he’s focused on me, I need you to creep along the cavern wall and attack him from behind. He’ll notice us right away if we both try to sneak up on him like that, but if I have him distracted, we should be able to get away with it. Can you handle that?”

  Azalea nodded. “You can count on me.”

  “I’ll wait until you’re in position before I move forward.”

  Azalea took the long way around until her back was up against the cavern wall to the right of the gate.

  The thought dawned on her that if they were able to get past the guard at the gate, he could be the last vampire they ever saw. The thought sent a thrill through her, dulling the guilt she felt at leaving Nero behind.

  Miria was right, she reminded herself. He was a monster, just like all the rest. Even if he provided her a lavish lifestyle and took care of her, even if he made her feel cared for and protected, he was still a vampire. And beneath that exterior, she’d seen flashes of darkness. He terrified her.

  She pressed her back against the cavern wall and held the dagger ready.

  Miria emerged from behind a rock formation and stumbled forward, clutching her side. She let out an exaggerated cry of pain.

  “Stop right there!” the guard called out, watching Miria warily. He took slow steps toward her, arms outstretched. “Who are you?”

  “They stabbed me,” Miria called out to him. She ignored his command for her to stop and continued forward, her movements panicked and erratic. “Please help!”

  As she stepped forward into the light of the street lamps on either side of the gate, the deep red stain on the side of her dress became more apparent.

  “Who did this?” he asked, though his tone was more concern than warning now. He started toward her.

  Azalea crept out of the shadows behind him, taking care not to disturb the rocky earth beneath her feet as she moved.

  “A group of rogue elves,” Miria said, coughing for effect. “I was returning home to the Second District from the ball at the castle. They jumped out of the shadows and caught me off guard.” She stumbled and fell to the ground.

  Her performance wasn’t bad; if Azalea didn’t know any better, she’d be convinced too.

  The guard knelt down beside her and rolled her onto her back. “You’re an elf too,” he noted.

  Miria nodded and gasped again for effect.

  “What happened to your escort?”

  She looked away. “They got to him first. I was barely able to escape.”

  Azalea moved closer to the vampire guard. Just a few more feet and she’d be close enough to attack. All she had to do was jump on his back and strike true. It had looked easy enough when Miria attacked Nic at the castle. It couldn’t be that hard, could it?

  “I’m no doctor,” the guard said, shaking his head. “I need to get you help, but I’m on my own here. I can’t abandon my post.”

  Miria glanced briefly toward Azalea, and she could feel her silent plea for her to hurry.

  She was within jumping distance. All she had to do was leap…

  The vampire guard looked around, searching for help, then glanced back over his shoulder to the gate. His gaze fell right on Azalea. He jumped to his feet.

  “Stay back,” he called to Miria. “It’s one of the rogue elves.”

  Azalea might have lost her advantage, but she couldn’t let Miria down. She had no choice but to attempt the attack anyway. She lunged forward toward the vampire, dagger ready.

  He jumped for her and grabbed her outstretched arm. His body slammed into hers as he tackled her.

  Azalea’s head struck a rock with a sharp flash of pain. The vampire took advantage of her distraction and pinned her arm to the ground. As he increased the pressure on her arm, her fingers loosened around the dagger until it slipped out of her hand. She struggled against his grip with all her strength, but the vampire held her firm.

  “How many more are there?” he called over his shoulder.

  Azalea stilled. The vampire still believed Miria was on his side.

  “There were four more. I don’t know where they went.” Miria’s eyes went wide as she pointed toward the gate. “Watch out! There’s another in front of you!”

  As the vampire faced forward to search for the additional attacker, Miria pulled out her own dagger and lunged for him in a quick, desperate attack.

  But not quick enough.

  With a swift movement, the guard picked up Azalea’s dagger from the ground and spun around to thrust it into Miria’s side.

  29

  Pain exploded through Miria’s abdomen. She doubled over, and when she fell to the ground this time, it was no act. Blood gushed from the wound as she pulled the dagger out from her side.

  The vampire’s face shifted into a monstrous snarl. “Liar!” He stood over her and pinned her down with his foot.

  With hate coursing through every pained breath, she glared up at him. It couldn’t end like this. She didn’t make it to the gate of the city just to die here.

  But what more could she do?

  Azalea had failed, and then she had failed, too. There was no one coming to save them. They were on their own, and they’d lost.

  This time when Azalea jumped with a furious cry, she landed on the vampire’s back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and plunged the dagger into his throat, clinging to him as he stumbled backward. She pulled the dagger out and stuck him again.

  She rolled away as he fell to the ground, then climbed atop him. She plunged the dagger into him over and over again until all that remained were torn chunks of red flesh.

  Miria heaved herself to her feet. She stumbled over to Azalea and grabbed the arm with the dagger. “Enough,” she whispered.

  When Azalea spun around, her face was splattered with blood, her eyes wild and terrifying. For a moment, Miria thought she was still in that frenzied state, that she might turn on her and blindly attack.

  “It’s okay,” Miria said. “He’s gone.”

  Azalea looked back at the body, blinking back tears as though she were seeing it for the first time. “Oh, gods,” she muttered. She rolled off the body and retched next to him.

  “Come on,” Miria said gently. Still grasping her side with one hand, she reached out the other to help Azalea up. She winced as her friend accepted the assistance.

  Azalea looked down at Miria’s side, and her eyes widened. “Will you be okay?”

  The wound was more pain than Miria had ever felt, and she didn’t know the answer to that question. “I’ll be fine,” she said with a forced smile. “All we have to do now is walk out the gate.”

  Even if she died as soon as she stepped outside, she’d have a final taste of freedom before her death. She’d finally be free.

  Miria’s wound looked like it was just a tiny puncture, but a steady flow of blood trickled out of it with every breath she took. Azalea knelt down and cut another long strip of fabric off of her dress.

  “What are you doing?” Miria asked.

  “We have to stop the bleeding until we can get to safety and find help. Lift up your dress.” Azalea wrapped the strip twice around
Miria’s waist as tightly as it would go. It wasn’t nearly enough, but it was better than nothing. Hopefully, it would work long enough for them to make it to Viridi and find a healer.

  Azalea reached over to the guard and felt around the belt at his waist until she found a wide key ring with a single key. She jangled it around as she held it up to show Miria.

  Azalea kept an eye on Miria as they hurried to the gate. She shuffled forward, her steps more sluggish than usual, her breathing heavy. The gate groaned as Azalea unlocked it and pulled it open. A staircase carved into the stone wound upward in front of them, up toward the surface.

  And beyond it…freedom. The sky. Trees. Fresh air.

  A whole world they hadn’t seen since they were children. A world she thought she’d never see again—one she’d accepted never seeing again. With the rush of joy she felt at the thought, accepting her fate in Terra Nocturne seemed a distant, unpleasant memory.

  They were going home.

  Home.

  Despite the pain, Miria broke out into a huge grin. She ran forward, almost childlike in her excitement. But just as quickly as she started up the first few steps, she collapsed to the ground.

  “Miria!” Azalea ran over to her and knelt down.

  “I’m okay,” she said. “Just need a bit of help getting up the steps, I suppose.” She smiled again, though it was weaker this time.

  Azalea wrapped her arm around Miria’s chest and helped her to her feet. She accepted the extra weight as Miria leaned into her for support. “I’ve got you,” she said. “We’re almost there. We’ll go together.”

  Azalea looked behind them, past the gate and back into Terra Nocturne. A peaceful quiet filled the empty streets.

  No one was coming for them.

  They ascended the winding staircase slowly, but even as they proceeded, Miria’s breaths became more labored with every step. Sweat beaded on her sickly pale face. She needed medical attention urgently—care Azalea had no idea how to provide.

  “Do you need a break?” Azalea asked, pausing for a moment to let her catch her breath.