Page 91 of Their Blood Rite

More are coming.

Too many.

And they’re all armed with blades, arrows and magic. Archie can’t defend himself. I’m barely able to stand. Crawling, I reach out for Archie, taking his bleeding leg and gripping it tightly. The essence of the blood flows into me.

Bliss. Power. Strength.

I reach out my hand. The one in the middle starts to scream, writhe and judder as his blood boils from inside. The one on the left is so distracted by me he doesn’t see my snake dart up his trouser leg. He goes down in a matter of seconds, meeting the same fate as the other man she bit.

Archie whines and sways on his feet.

I’m draining his strength. His life.

‘I’m sorry,’ I tell him, letting him go and stepping back, rubbing his blood in my palm. ‘I’m hurting you. I didn’t mean-’

The third male gets to me, shoving me away from Archie with his fingers wrapped around my throat. He squeezes with all his strength, cutting off my air completely. I hit out and knock down his hood.

I know him. He was at the Blood Rite. He’s not holding back, and I see it in his eyes that he wants to kill me. He wants me to hurt, suffer and pay. I claw at his fists as they crush me. As they kill me. When my feet lift off the ground, I kick out.

‘Ashe Nectan. So. Youarealive.’ He sneers hatefully. ‘That explains it. Why did you take his eyes, huh? You filthy fucking blood witch. WHY?’

Eyes? What the hell is he talking about?

‘Not content with killing your coven leader, you dig him up and carve out his eyes? You sick fucking monster.’

Archie roars, pulling against the trap as I struggle for breath.

From behind, a pair of arms wrap around the earth witch trying to kill me. He peers back and screams in abject terror. I’m dropped, and the world spins as I take in a rush of air. When my vision clears, I see who comes to my aid. I scream too. Or I would if I could through the damage he’s inflicted on my throat.

The headless corpse pulls the earth witch off me and drags him away. My attacker is kicking and screaming, looking at the gaping wound where the man’s head should be.

With a violent twist, the headless man snaps my attacker’s neck. Then he faces me. Blood still flowing, and his body swaying.

The tip of a sword pierces his heart from behind, but that does nothing. The unknown male wielding the sword looks at the walking corpse with a disgusted sneer before withdrawing the blade. In a swift move, he swipes its knees, severing them both.The corpse falls but continues to twitch. The male then looks at me, his sword ready and dripping red.

Archie roars when he steps towards me and slams his free paw hard into the earth before gesturing to the trap.

‘So you don’t want me to kill her? That’s what you’re saying?’ The unknown male asks.

Archie growls and gestures to the trap again.

‘Keep your fur on, Arch,’ he says, still eyeing me suspiciously. ‘I’m coming.’

The male lowers his weapon and helps free him quickly.

I blink. My eyes are so heavy it’s a struggle to get them to reopen. When they do, Archie is kneeling beside me. He’s back in his human form. His left arm is badly broken, with bones protruding from his skin and blood smothering his skin. He snaps it back in place and returns his focus to me.

‘You gonna tell me who the female is?’ the male asks, sheathing his sword. ‘And maybe who the fuck the dead soldiers are and why one of them was walking about with no head?’

Archie grits his teeth as he looks at the surrounding carnage.

‘Nope,’ he replies. ‘Shit,’ he adds in a whisper. ‘Look at the state of you. Shaw is going to fucking kill me.’

I sit. Then I pass out.

‘Yep,’ I hear him say. ‘I’m definitely getting my arse kicked for this. Give me a hand, would you, Kieran?’

Chapter 13

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