Page 33 of Their Blood Rite

My arm is soaked in the blood of Cole’s father. I reach out, and the covens go soaring through the air. I feel them. I feel their blood like a force. A string tethered to my soul. Another righteous shout and a sweeping motion of my outstretched hand has them all crashing to the right, their bodies manipulated by the invisible connection I have. My arm goes left. They follow, screaming and clawing at the ground.

Their bodies hit the trees. Bones snap, and they sob in pain, with blood trickling from the ears and nose.

I’ve broken their insides just like they ripped at my outsides.

Good.

I look at my hand as if it is some great weapon. Itisa great weapon. I can feel the power of the blood. The connection that has been made. Not to my blood. That gives me nothing. But their blood… Cole's father's blood, which drips from my skin,thatis powerful.

The fire revealed it, and now it is mine. It’s dark. I know it. I can taste it. Hear it. It’s telling me to hurt them. To make them pay. To make them bleed and use their blood to feed my power.

I raise my hand again.

I’m hit with a wall of dirt and rock, crashing into me so hard I end up on the other side of the clearing. I push myself up, ignoring the crippling pain, to see Cole with his hand stretched out.

Bastard.

He looks at his hand, just as amazed at his power as I was. Then, his gaze falls on his father, who is pale and whimpering beside me. He’s dying.

Strange. I can smell it. The stench of death looms around him.

I rest my foot on his neck.

‘Don’t, Ashe,’ Cole warns, firming his hand again, ready to use his newfound power. ‘I’m warning you.’

‘Oh no, Cole,’ I reply. ‘I’m warning you.’

Cole begins to blink rapidly, looking at his body with confusion. He staggers back. Then he starts to yell, clawing at his neck and face.

I feel it. The heat of my vengeance heats his blood, and he starts to burn from the inside. His skin glows as if embers lurk beneath, and he falls to the floor with the surviving members of the coven, who groan and whimper on the ground.

Cole keeps screaming, writhing as his blood boils.

I, once again, look at his father. I still feel the blade he placed between my legs as if it’s still there. I hear his words. His encouragement to cut. Cut! CUT!

I look up at Cole, who pants furiously, unable to do anything but watch and try not to scream.

All I hear are his lies.

That he would love me and make me happy.

Lie.

That he would never hurt me.

Lie.

I place a foot on either side of his father’s head.

I see Cole’s face all scrunched up as he fucked my best friend.

I feel the wound he inflicted on my side, still bleeding.

‘You should have let me go,’ I snarl. ‘And you shouldn’t have betrayed me.’

I piss over his dying father, holding eye contact with Cole the entire time.

His hatred is strong enough to stop his pathetic cries, and he returns my loathsome stare with one just as powerful.

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