Page 42 of Vampire Sins
I didn’t question him and took his wrist without hesitation and bit down. The power of the ancient vampire’s life-force filled my body and made me dizzy with power.
Likewise Luke and Nate put their hands on me, sending my runes blazing to life.
I grinned as raw magic zapped at my fingers and took form of what I needed: a bow and arrow.
Not that I’d ever fired a bow and arrow in my life, but hey, this was magic doing my bidding. I didn’t need to be trained. The power of my Blood Stone burned in my chest with approval and pride as I manipulated my bond and the willingness of my bondmates to lend me their strength. I notched the arrow back, tracked the dragon as it completely ignored me as inconsequential, and then I aimed for its blue eye… and fired.
The streaking arrow that blazed with hellfire pierced its target and sent the blue orb free from the dragon it’d belonged to. The creature shrieked and bucked backwards. The dragon slammed to the ground and sent coins flying in all directions.
Giving Jet an opportunity, he whirled and his wide wings flared as he banked hard and landed on the ground. His swirling, emerald eyes appraised the situation and I held my breath as he weighed his options.
He glanced at the blue orb that rolled onto the coins. I knew that was something valuable to him. I sensed through our bond that this was the heaviest sin of all and with the power of that orb, he could obtain something he’d craved all his life. Respect from his people.
Then there was me. His reptilian eyes flashed at me with desire and recognition as his mate.
I recognized the trial now and knew that in this, there wasn’t anything I could do to help Jet. I bit my lower lip that threatened to tremble and straightened. He had to choose me. He had to decide that I was worth all the gold in the world and every treasure that dragons held dear.
Jet’s dragon diminished until he was a man walking towards me, all smiles as tattoos swirled over his skin as if dancing with the joy of his decision. Elation made me feel as if I could fly away.
He’d chosen me.
Jet crashed into me and engulfed me with his arms. I’d forgotten how huge he was and soon I was dwarfed by him and entangled in his grip. He wound his fingers through my hair and tilted my head back, his gaze lingering on my lips. “May I kiss you?” he asked.
I laughed and wrapped my fingers around his neck. “You better kiss me,” I said.
He grinned and crushed his mouth to mine, filling me with his scent and his power. Red-hot heat scorched through me. I’d almost forgotten the delicious burn of his dragonfire.
A roar and then a rumble at our feet broke our kiss. Jet blinked at the members of my bond who surrounded us protectively and faced the dragon that still writhed in the coins. I balked as I realized that the landscape was devouring the creature.
There wasn’t much time to consider what that meant, for as soon as the coins and dragon disappeared into a void, the ground opened up beneath our feet and we dropped into darkness.
Limbo
Sonya
Memories came backto me as we fell. I’d just managed to get through the first four rings of hell, each one linked to a cardinal sin overcome by a member of my bond. However I knew that four was my magic number, my limit when it came to my power, even though there were seven cardinal sins.
A blurry nightmare struggled to take form in the darkness as I floated in nothingness. I knew I wasn’t alone. Luke’s hand found me first, and then his power slipped into me, securing itself in the rune that marked on my skin. Xavier was next, a red-hot bite that hit low on my abdomen, followed by Nate and Jet.
They joined me and their spirits wound into my runes. For the rest of my stay in hell, they’d be with me, lending me their strength and their love. I knew I was going to need it.
Then the memory took hold and I watched a scene unfold that I’d relived a hundred times, but a witch’s magic had ensured I’d forgotten the moment I woke up.
My mother had made a deal with a witch of the Shadow Coven, and now that I was lucid for this nightmare I could see past the wisps of shadow that swirled around the witch’s face. To my surprise, she was young and beautiful, but I imagined anyone who sold their soul for power would be vain.
I settled onto my feet and faced her. My fingers shook and I curled them into fists. “You,” I growled.
The witch turned and faced me, ripping free from the nightmare where she branded me with runes over and over again.
She snarled at me, her beautiful features twisting into wrinkles as she growled in return. “So, the bitch finally comes to allow me to finish the job.” She pointed a glimmering ceremonial dagger at my face. “You should have died, child, all those years ago. Now, I’ll make sure you die, slowly, painfully, and beg for mercy underneath my blade.”
She slashed at me and I used my vampiric speed to avoid her strike, although her blade came dangerously close to my cheek. “So you picked up a few tricks before you died. That won’t help you.”
I grinned. The witch thought I was here because I was dead and had gone to hell! That gave me an advantage. She didn’t know that I had the power of four sins on my side and I was very much alive. “What have you done with my mother?” I spat and dodged her blow for a second time. I’d thought my mother dead and burned this whole time, but now that my memories had returned, I knew that she would be down here, somewhere, and that thought alone surged me with resolve to take this bitch out.
The witch snarled. She ignored me and instead her lips moved as she chanted a spell. I doubled over as my three runes of Pride, Sloth, and Lust burned hot. I didn’t have mates to resolve those sins, and a witch of the Shadow Coven would be sure to sniff out my weaknesses. I cursed and whispered a chant of my own.
Nate. Luke. Xavier. Jet. Help me.
