Page 142 of House of Crimson Kisses
“Yeah, Dahlia. I’m not going down without a fight,” I snarl.
“I do hope so. I like it when my victims put up a fight.”
She swings her leg at lightning speed, and it connects with my shoulder, knocking me off balance. I fly back, skidding to the floor. A good fighter would dive after me and make the most of me on the ground. But I’ve trained to fight, so I predict her movement and use the force of my momentum to roll out of the way. Then I spin around and kick my leg up and at her leg.
Her calf tears, her knee dislocating with a crunching pop that makes me want to gag.
“You little cunt,” she bellows and then drags her floppy leg across the ring like a childhood horror. Her eyes are all wide and frenetic, her teeth bared.
I scramble until my back hits the rope. But I should have got up. That was my mistake. Suddenly, I don’t want to lose. I don’t want to get mashed to a pulp by Dahlia, but if I don’t, all of this, hurting Octavia, was for nothing. So I close my eyes and wait for the blow to land.
Even though I know it’s coming, the force with which her fist collides with my skull makes the world shudder.
I see black. Then I’m wrenched off the rope as another blow makes my jaw crunch against itself.
Blow after blow, she pummels me until my vision is bloody. Her teeth sink into my arms and tear chunks of flesh.
Her foot, now healed, stamps on my legs, shattering them in multiple places. And all I do is lie there taking it, knowing that this is how I die.
Colours fade to grey behind my eyelids. Octavia broke my heart, but now my body matches. Blood pools beneath me. I fade in and out of consciousness. I’m not sure whether I can take any more.
I am certain I am bleeding internally. Most of my bones are broken. It would take draining an entire vampire to survive this.
I am going to die.
“ENOUGH,” the Chief’s voice booms around the ring, as both she and Cordelia pull Dahlia back.
“Strength trial is awarded to Dahlia St Clair.”
Dahlia whoops and fist pumps into the air. But the crowd is silent. I can just about make out the sea of slack jaws as they gaze upon me.
“COME ON,” Dahlia jeers at the crowd. “I WON.” She reaches out to Lincoln to pull him on stage, but he shrinks back, his eyes flitting between Dahlia and me.
I must be in bad shape because he wears the same slack, horrified expression as the rest of the crowd.
“Lincoln,” Dahlia snaps. “We won…”
But the only response she gets is a silent crowd and the bubbling, haggard breaths of her dying victim.
Chapter42
CORDELIA
One Thousand Years Ago
As I sit waiting for my mother, I realise it would be remiss of me not to address the darkness swirling about my heart.
This is the story of the worst night of my life. But what I need you to understand is that neither of us wanted this.
There is no magic, no curse, or argument that could tear my heart from Eleanor’s. Regardless of what happens, I will find my way back to her.
If fate wills it, and she is not to be mine in this life, then I will forge my way through space and time until I find her heart anew. She belongs to me. Hers is the only love that twines with my soul and makes me complete.
No matter what happens with Mother, Eleanor will always have a place in my heart.
Let me begin with that fateful night.
* * *
