Page 30 of Donovan
Without thinking, I launched myself at them. My senses were still overwhelmed, but the sight of Donovan, my Donovan, vulnerable, so close to death, snapped me into focus.
I moved faster than I thought possible, my body slamming into the first creature with enough force to send it flying through the air.
It landed hard on the ground, its shriek of surprise turning into a guttural snarl.
The other vampire turned toward me, its bloodshot eyes narrowing with fury, but I was already on it, my fangs bared, my hands curled into fists.
The bloodlust was back in full force, but now, there was something else. Something that made the hunger less important.
I wasn’t just fighting for myself, for the monster inside me.
I was fighting for Donovan, for the man I cared deeply about, the man I couldn’t allow to be torn apart by these creatures.
The second vampire lunged at me, its claws swiping toward my throat, but I was faster.
I slammed my fist into its ribs with enough force to send it staggering back, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop until it was dead.
Donovan was still on the ground, and he was bleeding. I needed to finish this.
The first vampire was back on its feet, rushing at me again, but I twisted at the last second, using its momentum against it.
My elbow cracked against its skull, and it shrieked, momentarily disoriented.
I didn’t wait. I lunged forward and sank my fangs into its throat, the warm rush of blood filling my mouth.
Its struggling weakened as its shrieks became gurgles before it went limp in my grip. I turned back to Donovan, my heart pounding.
He was barely conscious, his face pale, his body trembling. His blood smeared his skin, the scratches and bite marks on his arms and neck glaringly obvious.
Fear twisted in my gut, but it wasn’t the hunger anymore. It was the terror that came from realizing how close I had come to losing him.
I knelt beside him, my hands shaking as I gently lifted him into my arms, pulling him close. His head rested against my chest, his breath shallow, his eyes barely open.
“I’m here, Donovan,” I whispered, my voice rough. “I’m here, and I’m not leaving you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
His hand gripped my shirt weakly, and I felt a stab of guilt pierce my chest. I had been willing to leave him.
I had thought it was better for him. But now, now that I had him in my arms, I knew I would never let him go.
I stumbled back to the cabin, my body trembling with the aftermath of the fight.
Donovan barely weighed a thing in my arms, and I studied him. His breath was shallow, his skin cool to the touch.
He’s alive, I reminded myself. The forest had been eerily silent when I’d left it behind.
The feral vampires were dead. But as I carried Donovan back to the cabin, a thought gnawed at me.
What if they had more allies in the woods? What if this wasn’t over? If those creatures had others lurking nearby, they would come looking.
The scent of their dead would linger, and when they found the bodies, it would only be a matter of time before they sought revenge.
And when they did, if they did, they’d come after Donovan. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to make sure that once he was better, once I got him through this, we would leave.
The sooner, the better. The thought of facing any more of those creatures, or any other threats lurking in the woods, was too much.
My thoughts were jumbled as I pushed open the door to the cabin.
I had barely managed to keep myself from losing control completely out there, and I hadn’t even realized how much blood was on me until I stepped inside.
