Page 109 of Blood Sacrifice

Luna

It took a moment for my head to stop spinning after Salvator set me on my feet. It looked like the volcano was erupting, but it wasn’t smoke that was being released, but excess magical energy. I sensed it as it reached out into this world for the first time in centuries, tasting the air and touching everything the smoke brushed.

Salvator’s fingers wrapped around mine, his strength seeping into me.

Step at a time, we walked forward, my magic responding to the energy of the void, a wild, feral creature inside me raising her head to sniff the air.

Salvator stopped, his rigid body pulling me back, and I realised I had almost been intoxicated by the aroma surrounding me.

“We’re not alone.” His voice was nothing more than a whisper on the breeze, but every cell in my body stilled at his words. I felt the tension in his fingers, his body almost vibrating beside me.

“I may as well make my appearance as you are expecting me.” A tall male emerged from the smoke, his appearance unfamiliar at first since it had been so long since I had last seenhim. The hairs on the back of my neck stood to attention, and I felt Salvator’s shock echoing through our bond.

“I have no need for another dead priestess, but I welcome all warriors into my army.” He spread his hands, and I noticed the black tattoos that covered his skin moving as if they were alive, his presence pulsing in the air with authority.

Soldiers emerged behind him, an elite guard who had served him all those years ago, dressed in black, and carrying curved scimitars.

“The rumours of your death were seriously overestimated,” Salvator said, tugging me closer to him. “People were so outraged, they started a war that has lasted centuries.”

Everything fell into place, including the vacant look in Balor’s eyes. This man had commanded the army we served in four centuries ago. He had stormed across South America taking villages and lives, and like every other immortal, he had to disappear before the humans realised that no one could live that long without aging. We had believed Emperor Atahualpa was a mortal who controlled warlocks, when in reality he was a magical being who craved power.

He stepped forward, snapping the fingers on his right hand. Balor appeared at his feet as if he had plucked him from wherever he had been and dumped him there. Swirling patterns of tribal tattoos moved over his skin, connecting symbols together in an ancient enchantment.

I had read about such magical creatures that collected the powers of others, but this was the first time I had encountered one in real life.

“You hid well in plain sight,” I replied, squeezing Salvator’s hand as I moved forward. “It was a stroke of genius to create a war to allow you to pursue your ambitions in the shadows.”

A half smile curved his lips. “I was looking for the combined powers of the priestesses, when I should have beenlooking for one who had been hidden within the temple.” He glanced down at Balor. “I couldn’t even trust him to find that.”

Another plume of smoke emerged from the volcano, reminding me of my mission. “I cannot allow you to summon the void,” I said.

His smile turned feral. “I claimed this land lifetimes ago when I discovered the location where the sanctimonious elders had buried their rivals. I guarded it, knowing that one day I would possess the key to opening the doorway.” He spread his arms wide. “That day has now arrived.”

“Over my dead body,” Salvator threatened, the deep baritone of his wolf combining with his voice.

The emperor shrugged one shoulder. “It is a pity to destroy a strong warrior, but I have no problem walking on your corpse to get what I want.”

I felt them before they emerged, our people arriving to defend us. Owen and Maia appeared to my right, dire wolves amassing behind Salvator, and a familiar dark figure took his place with an army of vampires behind him on the rocky terrain. Dominic always did know how to make an appearance.

There was nothing more to say, nothing to be gained from a war of words. The void was ready to re-emerge into this world, and I had to believe that mother priestess had been guiding me all these years to protect what lay inside the volcano from falling into the hands of the man who sanctioned her murder.

The magic in my fingertips throbbed for release as I rubbed the symbols on them together. He stumbled back two paces when I hit him with an attack he hadn’t been expecting, but it wasn’t a normal spell. Over the years, I had adapted spells and enchantments to ensure they couldn’t be deflected. His powers would be bound for several moments, and the more he struggled, the stronger his bindings would become.

His howl of rage filled the air, and it was my cue. I sprinted forward in the confusion, throwing a barrier up behind Salvator and me. Owen slammed his hands together, activating magic he had incorporated into the ground when we arrived at the volcano carpark what felt like an eternity ago. Ghostly hands sprung from the earth to grab soldiers and warlocks in a macabre scene that would be engrained in my memory forever. Necromancy was a forbidden form of magic, but Owen wasn’t governed by the laws of the elders, and had developed his own brand of powers while living among his vampire coven. Maia summoned an elemental storm to push those back who tried to follow us.

“This is some fucked-up shit,” Salvator shouted over the storm as we continued our climb.

I stumbled, falling onto my hands and knees, wincing as the sharp rocks cut into my palms. Blood dripped from my hands as I tried to push myself up.

Salvator reached to help me, but I held my hand up to stop him as I watched the blood on the ground absorb into the rocks.

Blood.

Everything in the immortal world revolved around our blood and gifts held in them. My instincts took over, and all the clues from Purgatory slotted together. Salvator was my mate for a reason.

“I need your blood,” I said, my eyes meeting his.

He bit into his wrist without question, holding his bleeding limb out to me. I combined our bloods and pressed my hands onto the ground.

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