Page 53 of Entombed By Blood
“Come,” she snaps, snatching up her bag. “We haven’t finished our tour yet.”
I push through the door and almost walk straight into a human. The sky isn’t starting to lighten yet, but the crowds have already increased. Herds of humans hurry past in relative obliviousness to the predators among them.
Draven rejoins us as we head back the way we came, glowering at the crowd of commuters like they’ve done something to offend him. The lycan from before is nowhere to be seen, and the smells of the city have drowned out any clue as to where he might have gone.
Being foiled again has driven Callie’s normal strut into a frustrated march that doesn’t encourage conversation. When she finally starts to slow, we’re at the edge of a forested area I recognise. The park outside the Tower.
“This was called Central Park once upon a time,” Callie is in full, drama queen mode as she strides through the gentle pathways. “When our sire revealed himself and the humans fell at his feet in fear, this was one of the first places that they renamed in his honour.”
Eventually, the path opens out into a clearing. It’s a huge space, dominated by a fountain in the centre, formed in the image of… us.
“Five Daughters’ Fountain.” Callie sweeps her arm out like she’s presenting her own art. “A fountain in honour of all of us, but two of us weren’t even there to support our sire at the beginning of his reign.” She glares at me. “Two of us don’t deserve to be glorified like loyal daughters of Cain.”
“Your insecurities are showing,” I comment, my tone mild, even as I catalogue the desperation leaking through Callie’s expression with fear.
Desperate people do unpredictable things, and I’m not strong enough to fight her. Not so soon after being poisoned by our sire.
“I passed your tests, Callie. Isn’t that enough for you?”
Callie’s growl is sub-vocal, and her upper lip peels back at the corners as she bares her fangs at me. “No, Evie. You have to fail.”
Draven
In a move so fast I can barely catch it, Callista slices open her own wrist. Blood flows. The stuff in her veins is so fucking loaded with power that my gumsacheat the memory of the taste of it.
Evie’s nostrils flare and she backs up a step to put distance between herself and temptation.
“Stop this,” she hisses.
“No.” Callie rips the collar of her shirt down, exposing the ugly, barbed silver locket and chain there. “You don’t deserve to just waltz back here after all you did. Was the mortal a good fuck, Evie? Was he worth it?”
Evie is caught between the urge to feed and the need to get away. There’s horror in her eyes, along with true fear. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a naked emotion on her face, and I can almost hear her mask shattering the longer Callista’s blood perfumes the air.
Weak. She’s still weak. Too weak for these games.
My hands twitch, and I have the oddest urge to clasp Evie’s shoulders and pull her back towards me. I frown at my palms in confusion. The urge to comfort another is normally anathema to me. Certainly nothing I’ve bothered doing in recent memory. I ball my hands into fists, resisting the odd impulse.
Evie’s stubborn. Even with her face broadcasting every emotion she feels to the world, she tilts her chin up in challenge.
“I don’t want your fucking blood,” Evie growls.
“Callie, enough,” Bella snaps.
Callie laughs, the sound callous and cruel. “I’m just doing as I’m told.” She raises her wrist to her lips and licks her own wound closed. “But if my blood doesn’t do it for little Evie, perhaps Draven’s will.”
Despite her obvious struggle, Evie is still too dazed by bloodlust to do more than watch as Callista dances around her, making a beeline for me.
Her fingers fist my shirt, holding me still as her head moves in to bite. This close, the scent of her perfume is overwhelming, mixing with the scent of her blood in a familiar mix that makes anger churn in my gut.
I could snap her neck here. I’m not restrained in that soundproof cell anymore. There’s no silver to keep my hands shackled while she punishes me.
Callista’s fangs are inches from my throat when my control starts to break. I feel the ice walls I put up around her shattering as her breath huffs out against my skin. The thrall bond dances erratically in my chest, reflecting the chaos inside my mind. My fingers twitch, all thoughts of the consequences fleeing as she draws closer.
If she bites me, I’ll kill her. Instinct will take the choice out of my hands.
But she’s wrenched away before she can do it. Her talons rip my shirt with the force.
Evie puts her delicate frame between me and her sister, chin tilted up in challenge. “He’s mine,” she growls.
