Ascension of the Hunters | 18+ ✔

Book 3⌇14. Blood Magic

Chapter 14 ∣  Blood Magic

-Locaine

"Evie! NO!" Lucca yells at my daughter with pain shrouding his voice. Evie removes herself from behind the protective form of Erebus, her eyes shifting to a black rose as she sets her sights on Kadessa. Erebus attempts to restrain her, his sudden grip on her upper arm halts her for a moment.

Kadessa's form is unmoving, held in place by unseen bonds chaining her in front of the leader she once followed. Orion clutches his heart, collapsing to his knees as he gasps in shock. I've seen this before...but there is nothing I can do, he's already a vampire and my blood can't heal his heart, neither can his blood magic. In fact, if it wasn't for his trace amounts of blood magic running through him, he'd already be dead.

Cristela's cry is the only sound that shatters the stunned silence as it carries over the wind to where we stand. She pushes past Kenzie and Kato, but Annika wraps her arms around her before she can get to the line of purebloods.

Evie's eyes flicker from Kadessa to glare at Erebus, snatching her arm back out of his hand with violent force. She moves faster than I've ever seen her before, the palm of her left-hand contacting his chest and sending him flying back toward the line of security. He's just as surprised as I am, catching himself before he hits the ground.

Lucca locks eyes with Killian, a silent message being sent to him.

What's going on? I don't understand.

Killian darts toward Evie, coming up behind her and grabbing both of her wrists securely. She hisses at him, her fangs elongating, her long white hair falling over her shoulders as she pulls forward rolling her wrists in his palms and locking her hands around his wrists. She hurls Killian over her head viciously, his body sailing in the air and in half a second, smashing against a tree on the outskirts of the open field.

Orion's breathing is ragged, his eyes fighting to stay open as he gazes up at Kadessa's still form. She's gritting her teeth and desperately trying to move her body. Not a single muscle will budge.

Evie...

Locaine, you must stop her...please.

What are you talking about? Why would I do that?

If she keeps her blood magic connection open, that unborn being is going to kill her!

My blood runs cold, my eyes glancing at Lucca and then to Evie. I breathe in deeply, calming myself before placing my right hand in my pocket, my fingers wrapping around the syringe. It's my last resort...if Orion attempted to use his blood magic to try to kill anyone.

If I stop Evie, Orion dies.

If I don't, I'll lose my daughter.

Forever.

Evie's footsteps come to a sudden stop beside Orion, kneeling beside him and placing her hand on his shoulder. It takes every ounce of his strength to lift his head up, his eyes meeting hers as she whispers, "You saved my life...twice. I owe you mine. Saving you...will seal the trust and bond between hunters and vampires."

Her voice is not completely normal, not her own. The words that came from her lips are laced with an echo, a slightly lower tone mimicking her words as they trail off. That voice...it must be coming from within her. The being within her.

My grip tightens slightly on the syringe.

I'll do whatever it takes to protect my family.

Before she can take another breath, I'm behind my daughter, the syringe flipping in my hand as I bring the needle into the side of her neck. My eyes widen in horror as I can't bring myself to press the plunger down with the pad of my thumb, dispensing the Lovenox to render her blood magic useless. In fact, I can't move any part of my body, Evie irritatingly reaching with her free hand to take the syringe from my frozen hand, pulling the needle out of her neck.