Chapter 151

Nearby I saw the glint of a dagger or a sword, and I lunged for it as it rushed across the room with heavy lumbering steps. The ground shook as it grew closer. I could feel its intent to kill like a hot gaze on me. I dodged the swipe of its claws and tried to stab it, but the blade trembled and snapped as it turned back and flung me across the room. I lost my grip on the weapon and it slid out of my hands.

Pain shocked and rattled me. My vision was blurry from it, but I tried to focus on the creature as it ran towards me. Then it was on me, tearing through me with its claws. I barely got out of the way before it gutted me. Blood was everywhere. I felt so cold.

“Hedy!” I heard Candido calling for me. “Where are you?”

I had to be crazy, but I found some strength hearing his voice. He was near. Was he in pain? Had he missed me? Was he coming to save me?

I rolled out of the way as the creature swung at me again, turning the stone beneath me to rubble. I scrambled for another glint of metal, but it wasn’t a weapon. It was just a tall candle holder. Still, I swung it at the creature, trying to buy myself some time.

“Candido, I’m here!” I cried. “Help me!”

The candleholder slipped out of my grip and I rolled over to run. I tried to find where Candido’s voice was coming from, but I couldn’t figure it out. It seemed like it was close, but there was nothing giving me a distinct direction. The walls were made of stone so it should have been coming through the windows or maybe the doors, but it didn’t sound like it was.

“Where are you?” I yelled. “Can you hear me?”

I dodged another swipe of its claws and rushed towards the far doors.

“Candido? Candido!”

I reached the far doors and pulled at the knobs. It opened into a deep dark void. I couldn’t make out any shapes. It was absolutely silent on the other side, but I smelled stale water and blood.

It smelled like the caves. My stomach lurched and I wanted to back away, but the creature rushed towards me. Into the darkness was my only hope, so I ran forward. As soon as I crossed over the threshold, the ground gave out beneath me and I fell down the steep, sharp slope. Sharp edges jabbed me in my back and chest as I fell and tried to slow myself down. I heard rocks crashing and tumbling and the splash of water not too far down from where I was. I scrambled for something to grab onto. If I fell into another pool of water, if I was at the mercy of one of those large beasts again, I’d die and Candido would never find me. I wasn’t going to die like that. I wasn’t going to die without being him.

I wasn’t going to let Ian and his insane schemes kill me. I was going to get out of here somehow. My hands slipped and burned like each piece was coated in wolfsbane, but I stopped as my feet hit solid ground.

I saw nothing ahead of me, but endless darkness, but I could hear the splash of water nearby. I heard the water sloshing against the stone and knew that it might not be the same pool, but there was something inside of it. Carefully, I felt around, searching for some path away from here, but everything felt slick with moisture and there wasn’t a single sign of a way out.

What was I going to do? I looked up and squinted. There was the faintest light above me. It was far away or maybe it was just weak, but light meant there was some way out. Even if it was just the same way that I came, I could be okay with that. With any luck, I could go the other direction and out the door I came through before.

So long as I didn’t end up back at my cell, I would be okay. Well, I guess even if I did end up back at my cell, I would be okay. It hadn’t seemed like any monsters came up there, so it was probably the safest place for me until Candido came.

Whatever I did, I had to live. I had to find Candido, and if I stayed here, I was going to die. I reached up, looking for something to grab and lift myself with. The rocks slid. They felt loose no matter where I reached until one of them gave way. The world tilted. I fell and slammed hard back onto the cold stone of a hallway I had left what felt like hours ago. I turned and looked at the door of my cell and grit my teeth.

Okay. On the bright side, I was in some sort of safe zone. On the not bright side, I was furious. How many times would I be put back here? How much longer would I be trapped in this place running for my life?

How long had it been already?

I pushed to my feet and growled. This wasn’t funny. It hadn’t been funny when all of this started, but now I was starting to get really angry. Angrier than I’d ever been, I was sure. Even being poisoned for most of my life didn’t feel this bad.

Back then, I had nothing that I wanted for myself. I didn’t have the room to know what I wanted, but things were different now.

I had Candido, and they were keeping me away from him, and I wasn’t going to let them keep doing it. I felt my anger boiling in me as I retraced my steps. The path was smoother, cleaner than it had been before. The ground didn’t move or toss me around. I didn’t smell the caves nearby as if the place was keeping me away from it.

In fact, the path didn’t seem familiar at all after a point. I didn’t run into anything on the way down, but when I reached the hall, I could still smell my blood all over the place. The doors I had opened and gone through were gone. This place was really pissing me off with all these changes.

The creature turned to me with a glare. This time, its eyes glowed a bright gold as it roared, revealing several rows of sharp teeth. It was horrifying and monstrous like something out of a well-done horror movie. My blood ran cold, but I didn’t run.

For a moment, I was back in the forest. I felt different but no weaker and no stronger. In my mind’s eye I saw vicious claws and fangs swiping, digging, and tearing through the large creature. Fur and flesh went flying. The ground rumbled. Moonlight flashed in my eyes. I could barely breathe around the desperation in my chest, the fury, and the bloodlust. Then, I tasted something coppery and sweat on my tongue. Then, I saw nothing but moonlight turning from silver to red like an omen. The stars twinkled above the forest and I lay down, exhausted. The vision faded and I realized that I had killed that beast the night Candido left me in the forest.

Candido had been right, but had I been able to do that because I was of an awakened bloodline or was it because I was half vampire?

My lips twitched. Did it matter? It felt like they were basically the same things.

I braced myself. I had been half poisoned, starved, and younger then. I had been so desperate and scared of what the Alpha King would do to me, had done to me by throwing me out into the forest for a night, but that had been years ago.

I was older and at least in slightly better health. I was desperate to see him again. Desperate to have him and be at his side. I was going to be queen and the only thing in my way was this war and Ian’s sick sense of humor.

I had done it before, so I could kill this beast again.

I clenched my fist as it rushed towards me with another roar. It swiped its claws through the air. I tried to meet its swing, reaching for that strength that had taken over me then, but I didn’t manage to feel much of anything. My strength buckled a moment after we made contact. Then I was flying through the air again and through a pane of glass the shattered a flew out around me.

How was that possible? Why couldn’t I use it now?

I cried out as I landed and rolled with a groan. I looked up. Maybe I just wasn’t focused enough.

I shot to my feet to try again.