Page 167 of Their Blood Rite

I slam into her body and tear at her throat, biting and ripping as I drink the blood that gushes forth. She falls to her knees. I fall with her, drinking and drinking.

Such power. Such strength. She’s phenomenal. Delicious. My body vibrates as I take her. Her power is filling me.

Darkness. Utter darkness. I’m smiling as she tries to get me off. As her magic attacks and burns.

I pull her hair hard, desperate for better access to her neck. To get all I can.

More. More. More.

The ground around me shakes and splinters. Neve starts getting pulled under. I grip her tight, determined to keep her with me.

To my left, Cole stands with his arm outstretched and determination on his pale face.

He’s trying to save her. To save the blood queen.

His free hand grips the open wound on his neck as blood spills freely between his fingers. I smell him. Smell his blood. His life. I want it for my own. To devour it and destroy it. To use it for myself. To make me stronger.

She sinks beneath the earth, but I refuse to let go and get pulled down right along with her.

A deep red mist starts forming around me. A red mist that becomes thick and slow. Becomes blood. It wraps around me. Seeps from me.

My blood.

It makes me stronger. More powerful.

She screams. ‘What in Hel’s name are you?!’

‘Death,’ I grin, pulling her back.

She looks up at me in horror as I use my own blood as a power source. Her flesh starts to flake and drifts to me. More of her dark power spreads, wrapping around me. I refuse to let go. Cole will not have her. She’s mine.

I reach out and, with a demonic scream, hit Cole in the chest with the same dark power Neve commands.

He soars backwards, and his command over the soil beneath us ends.

I return my focus to her, the blood tendrils swirling around me with the same ferociousness as her dark magic.

A sword swipes between us, and the sound of flesh and bone cutting has Neve screaming.

I’m body slammed by Dorian and roll onto my side. Quickly, I return to my feet, ready to end her.

No matter the cost.

Cole has run to her. He holds her, easing her onto her knees as she cradles the stump of her left hand.

‘Don’t you fucking dare!’ I yell, scrambling back onto my feet. I feel his magic. I taste it. He’s preparing to use it.

With a final look at me, they both sink.

Tossing aside Neve’s severed hand, I run to the spot they just were.

‘NO!’ I scream, clawing at the ground, digging at the dirt till my nails bleed. ‘NO! NO! NO!’ I reach out and harness the earth's magic, creating a crater before me.

But they’ve gone. I can’t hear their heartbeats. I can’t smell her blood.

He’s gone.

She’sgone.

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