by Sara Snow
“So I’m guessing this was the trap,” Scarlet said, swinging her sword. A black mist traveled from her hand down into the sword, turning the steel black. “They buried themselves so we’d think the castle was abandoned.”
My wolf howled inside my head as Saleem bent down, digging her hands into the earth and muttering quick incoherent words.
Her eyes turned black and so did the skin around her eyes, brows, and down her cheeks. Spots of the earth all around us began to bubble as if boiling, and I watched as golems began to rise from the earth along with Bleeders.
Just in front of us, a golem grabbed a Bleeder within arm’s reach while it was still pulling itself from the earth, mud dripping from its hand that was still forming. The faceless thing ripped the Bleeder’s head clean off and tossed it to the side.
Saleem stood up, her skin and eyes still black.
Skye and Scarlet ran off, cutting and killing Bleeders as they came rushing towards us. There were now hundreds of them—the starving things were tripping over each other in their rush to get to us. Six fell on Scarlet, tackling her to the ground, and I held my hand out, my palm facing upward.
Chucks of soil floated upward from the ground and shaped themselves into spikes.
I sent them hurling through the air, piercing the heads of each Bleeder atop her, when Saleem’s scream caught my attention. I growled and did the same thing to kill the five Bleeders advancing on her. But there were more approaching.
“Create more golems!” I yelled to her as two appeared by her side.
“I can’t!” she yelled back. “I can’t create more than fifteen!”
“We need to get to the castle!” Skye shouted, her daggers spinning around her and slicing every Bleeder foolish enough to get close.
Saleem and Scarlet returned to me, and my clenched fists trembled at my sides. We were outnumbered by thousands. In the darkness, thousands of red eyes came rushing towards us, and I inhaled deeply and held my breath.
At that moment, it was as if time slowed as I opened myself to my divinity, plunging my arm into the pond of power inside me. I held my left hand up to the sky and braced myself as the heavens opened up, and multiple bolts of lightning struck my palm.
I absorbed them all, and in my right hand, a whip made of electricity began to form. I levitated off the ground, my hand burning, but I held the whip while I consumed as much of the lightning as I could.
Finally, the Bleeders, now feeling more confident, charged. Gritting my teeth, I swung the whip, killing several Bleeders at once. I turned in a circle, and the air crackled with electricity as my whip tore through Bleeder after Bleeder. And still, they came.
“Head to the castle!” I shouted to the others when I saw a portal suddenly appear in the sky.
A giant fell from it, the impact of its landing shaking the earth. It was a man, but a giant one, and without a doubt, a demon with his black eyes, horns atop his head, along with his lower canines growing up and out of his mouth to his top lip.
He held the axe in his hand over his head and swung it down at the vampires at his feet.
I lowered myself quickly, and Saleem held her hands out, creating a barrier around us as Bleeders, trees, and chunks of earth flew from the impact.
More portals opened and four more giants fell out, along with demons—some with wings, some without.
Cyrus.
Portals appeared on the ground as well, and dog-like creatures as big as horses barreled out. A horde of them ran around the barrier, ignoring us as they attacked the vampires.
The creatures had broad heads and cavernous mouths with short, sharp teeth. They didn't have eyes, but where their noses should be, like a dog’s, they had large holes instead—nostrils, I assumed—that stretched up to where their eyes should be.
One attacked a Bleeder, and the sharp bones sticking out the side of its front legs ripped into the vampire.
A portal opened directly in front of us, and as Cyrus appeared in his demon form, Skye broke past the barrier and ran to him. His wings wrapped around her. “You know I couldn’t just abandon you guys, right?”
On either side of him, two centaurs appeared. But when I looked closer, I realized they weren’t centaurs at all.
One was entirely black and the other white. And while their lower bodies resembled that of a horse, they had wings. The upper bodies were humanoid, but each had a hole in the center of its chest. Spilling out from the hole, a black substance covered the white centaur, and white liquid leaked from the black centaur.
Their heads were bald and their eyes abnormally large—white eyes on the pure white creature, black eyes on the black one—and neither had mouths.
So these are the creatures of the Underworld.
They were terrifying to look at but were also beautiful in their own unique way.
“Give us the order, Prince,” they both said in unison, their voices echoing around us, even though they didn’t have mouths.
Cyrus waved his hand. “Do whatever you wish. You already know who my allies are. They aren’t to be touched, but the rest are fair game.”
“As you wish, Son of our King.”
I watched with horror-stricken eyes as they used a finger to tear open the skin where their mouths should be. They vanished from beside Cyrus, and reappeared next to the Bleeders. Each Bleeder they touched exploded, sending guts, black blood, and limbs flying.
Saleem and I stared at each other, lost for words.
“What are those things?” Saleem asked, and Scarlet answered before Cyrus could.
“They’re generals for Lust’s legion.” Scarlet bobbed her head at Cyrus proudly. “How does it feel to command your mother’s army? And this isn’t even half of it, is it?”
He didn't answer her right away. He glanced at Skye quickly, then looked away. I was curious about what had happened in the Underworld.
“Amythia is on the balcony,” he said, pointing to the castle, ignoring Scarlet’s question. “That’s where we need to go.” A Bleeder threw itself onto his back, and he roared in pain as he pulled it off him and ripped its head off. Then he took to the sky. “Come on!”
We started running, and Cyrus’s demons tackled every Bleeder that came our way. Scarlet stayed behind to fight along with Saleem, leaving Skye and me to rush into the castle, where the demons had already broken in.
A male Bleeder, bulky and well-fed, barreled into me and knocked me to the ground. My wolf howled mercilessly inside my head, begging to be set free. Grabbing hold of the Bleeder’s face, I winced as its claws ripped into my shoulder.
I screamed up at it as it hissed at me. My hand shifted and covered its face as I pushed past my first form to my final form. White fur sprouted from beneath my skin as my bones broke. I kicked the Bleeder off me, sending it flying across the room.
Rolling onto my hands and knees, I allowed the pain of shifting to run its course, my back arching like that of an angry cat. When I finished shifting, my body shook with the force of my howl, and a Skin appeared beside me.
Before his foot could connect with my side, I grabbed his ankle and pulled, ripping his leg off.
I jumped to my feet and swiped my claws across his face, shredding the skin down to the bone before taking stock of what was happening inside the castle.
Skins were fighting along with the Bleeders. And the Bleeders inside the castle weren't skin and bones like the ones outside. They were fed, strong, and not as easy to kill, so there were now several dead demons scattered in the growing pile of bodies on the ground.
I eyed a staircase leading to another floor and sprinted for it, clawing my way through vampires.
Will, where the hell are you?
Just as I got to the stairs, Skye’s howl stopped me in my tracks. The sound was one of pain, and my wolf spun in a circle, trying to find her.
When I finally located her in the chaotic room, a Skin had her pinned to the ground, though she’d already stabbed it several times with her daggers. One of the dog-l
ike demons tackled it off her, and Cyrus flew through the door, killing two Bleeders before rushing to Skye’s side.
He fell to his knees beside her, and I began shifting back into my human form.
Skye’s body was covered in cuts that were in the process of healing, just like me and Cyrus. But it was the bite mark on her left upper arm that caused my heart to turn to stone inside my chest. Her top was ripped open, and black veins were already visible around the wound.
“S-Skye,” I stuttered as tears streamed down her face, her brown eyes wide as she stared back at me. “No, no, no! Shit!”
Her left hand began to shake violently, and Cyrus roared and sliced a chunk of her arm off where the bite was.
“Heal her!” he screamed at me, his face pale with panic. His black eyes had changed to red, but I was already on my knees, trying to save my best friend. My mouth went dry and my hands trembled as her blood began to pool on the floor beneath her, her bone exposed.
“It’s not working!” I cried, my eyes blurring with tears. “Cyrus, it's not working!”
“Kill me!”
Cyrus and I froze for a second that felt like an eternity when those words left Skye’s lips.
Her eyes closed as her face twisted with pain. “D-Don’t l-let me become o-one of them! Please! Kill me!”
I ignored her and tried to focus on pouring all my power into her. I prayed to the Goddess to give me the strength I needed to heal her, and the wound began to heal. But black veins were already crawling up her neck. It was too late. The vampire’s venom was spreading.
I fell back, my pulse galloping in my ears and drowning out the sounds of battle around us. Skye sobbed, and my heart broke as Cyrus’s hands hovered over her body, unsure of where to touch.
I held my head, my tears falling into the pool of blood on the ground.
Cyrus scooped her up just as Skye’s left eye began to turn red. “I’ll take her back to the Demon Realm. It's the only way to save her!” He used his wings to swat at a Bleeder as if it were a fly. “We won’t be back, Elinor. That was the deal I made to get my mother’s legion. Skye and I can’t return.”
“Go,” I told him through clenched teeth. “Take her and go.” Skye opened her eyes and looked at me. Both eyes were red now. “I love you both,” I said, my voice cracking.
“E-Elinor,” Skye choked out, but Cyrus just held his hand out as he turned to the door. His blue flames burned everything in his path as he barrelled out the door and vanished.
A million thoughts were going through my mind, pinning me where I stood. I looked down at my hands, drenched in Skye’s blood, and my fingers curled into fists.
They were gone. The two people who’d been by my side since I was a child, that I’d grown up with, shared everything with, loved, and lived for . . . they were gone. This wasn’t how this was meant to go, none of it.
All the plans we’d made had been snuffed out in an instant.
My anger turned to fury, and then madness, as I glared at the vampires all around me. My powers flared and my eyes turned white. My claws grew long and pointy as memories of Cyrus, Skye, and me together sent me into a frenzy.
I snarled as I stepped forward, my shoulders hunched menacingly. Then, suddenly, the world blurred around me.
I came to a stop at the staircase, and all the vampires in the room froze. Confused, the demons did the same, some of them looking at me with disbelief. I howled, long and hard, my body shaking as I poured my frustration, my exhaustion, my hatred out. Seconds later, the heads of all the vampires—Skins, and Bleeders alike—rolled.
Skye
The first thing I noticed was that it was too quiet. Why was it so quiet when a war was being fought? I took a deep breath and frowned—the air smelled different. I couldn’t find the scent of bodies, vampires, or death. That was when I realized I was on a bed.
My eyes popped open, and I sat up with a start.
The war, is it over?
Cyrus, who’d been sitting across the room, was beside me in seconds. “Take it easy. Slow.”
I grabbed my shoulder. My memories, hazy at first, came flooding back. I took a deep breath and then another. Then I moved my hand to my chest to make sure my heart was beating.
“You’re still a werewolf.” He took my hand, and I closed my eyes with relief.
“How?”
“My father,” he answered, and tried to smile.
When his words registered, my eyes opened slowly, and I could feel my face fall. I looked around the grand room furnished with silk, sheer white cloth, and gold décor. My heart raced as I realized what had happened.
“I’m in the Demon Realm.”
Cyrus didn’t answer, but the way his jaws clenched as he looked away was the only answer I needed. I palmed my face.
“We left Elinor,” I said. “Goddess, we left Elinor, Cyrus! We have to go back!”
“We can’t,” he answered softly. “The legion is still there helping her, but we can’t return.”
I scrambled to get off the bed. “Why not?” When he said nothing, I argued, “She needs us, Cyrus!"
“It’s the price I had to pay!” he yelled. “The years I had left to spend on Earth were taken from me. That was the price of getting my father’s help. But without it, well, you know what would have happened.”
I turned away, my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose.
I love you both.
Elinor’s words repeated in my mind over and over again. “I didn’t get to say goodbye.” Cyrus held my shoulders from behind, and I hung my head, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. “We had plans.”
“I know,” he whispered, his wings wrapping around me.
He knew I loved being enclosed by his wings. I always felt safe whenever he did it, as if this one simple act could right every wrong in the world. But this, this was something neither of us could fix.
I couldn’t be angry at him for giving up the years he had left on Earth. It was either that or we’d all be dead, caught in the trap Amythia had set for us.
I turned around and wrapped my hands around his waist, while he rested his chin on the top of my head.
“There’s more,” he said. “To ensure we didn’t try to leave, my father didn’t heal you completely.”
I pulled back. “What do you mean?”
Cyrus combed his hair back, the tattoos on his arm somewhat brighter than they were before. "Since you weren't fully turned, he could reverse it by pulling the venom from your body. But he didn’t do that. Instead, he isolated the venom, trapping it on your left side.”
His wings opened and I stepped back. “What does that mean? I'm a half-vampire?”
“You’re still a werewolf. The venom is lying dormant, but from time to time it will awaken, trying to spread. And only he can stop it.”
“Why couldn’t he have done this long ago? It would have put an end to the vampire race,” I growled.
“He can’t reverse the effects once a human or supernatural creature is fully turned. Vampire royals are born as vampires. There is no reversing their vampirism.”
I clenched my fists by my side, my wolf howling at me to go in search of the King and demand he cure me. I shouldn't have been surprised, though. After all, he was the King of Hell. I knew long ago that he’d do anything to get Cyrus back, and now that he’d succeeded, he’d do anything to keep him here.
Using me was the perfect solution.
I was livid, but I calmed down when I saw the look in Cyrus's eyes. He appeared defeated, saddened, and ashamed. No doubt he was beating himself up. First, we were robbed of our time on Earth, and now, I was being subjected to his father’s games.
“You did what you had to do to save us.” I reached out and took both his hands. “And the legion is still on Earth, still fighting, so Elinor isn’t alone.” I swallowed hard to hold back my tears. “We’re here together, and that’s what matters right now. There’s no sense in fighting about something we can’t change.”
“
For now.” His eyes darted back and forth over my face. “For now, we’ll play along with my father’s game. But I’ll see to it that he eventually heals you. And one day, we'll return to Earth.”
“I guess I’ll have to play nice for a while. After all, I will be his daughter-in-law.” I chuckled, but Cyrus didn’t. I looked into his eyes, willing him to believe me. “No matter where I am, I'll be fine as long as you’re with me. You know that, don’t you?”
He pulled me to him, kissing me deeply, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. It felt like ages since we’d last been alone like this. He picked me up and carried me back to the bed, where we laid side by side.
I wasn’t sure if the Goddess could hear my prayer from here, but I prayed to her anyway, asking her to protect Elinor.
“Ione had a vision of the future,” I blurted out, turning on my side to face Cyrus.
“Was it about the battle?”
“Not this one.” I stared at his chest and took a deep breath. “She saw the future. The world was very different, but once again, vampires were running rampant, slaughtering everyone in their path.”
Cyrus propped himself up on his elbow, frowning. “So Amythia survives? We lose the war?”
“We can’t be sure. The future is always changing.” I laid back and stared up at the ceiling. “The vampire attacks in the future might not be Amythia’s doing. If she dies now, another leader will rise, right?"
"But none from the royal bloodline. Amythia is the last royal.” Cyrus fell back on the pillows as well. “That will make things easier.”
We laid there silently holding each other's hands. Having him by my side was all I'd ever need, regardless of where we were, on Earth, here, or in any other realm. As for the future, we'd just have to wait and see what happened.
I turned onto my side and shuffled closer to him, throwing my legs over his waist. He pressed his lips to my forehead, and my eyes closed.
“Get some rest,” he whispered. “When you wake up, I’ll show you our new home.”
“Will I have to meet your parents?”
“Not yet,” he said, caressing my hair. “We can avoid them until you’re ready. Your comfort is more important to me than anything else.”