I hadn’t expected Shaz to appear in wolf form but he’d clearly been thinking ahead.
Blood sprayed in a crimson fountain, and I rushed forward to see that it came from Harley’s torn throat. Shaz hadn’t been messing around. Shaz’ fangs were still deeply embedded as Harley thrashed beneath him, beating uselessly at his attacker.
Shaz ripped away enough flesh to expose bone and other not so pleasant things. It wouldn’t be enough to kill a vampire, though it had successfully disabled him. I had to finish Harley now before he gathered his wits and defended himself.
A sickening gurgle came from Harley as he attempted to speak. His eyes were wide and wild, landing on me with accusation in their dark depths. I nodded and smiled grimly.
Arys was so much to me, part of me in so many ways. Yet, when it came to doing what needed to be done, Shaz and I fit like two pieces of a puzzle. I knew then that no matter what happened, if I were to rise one day as a vampire because of my blood bond with Arys, I would always be a wolf first.
The power that crackled through me surged with a renewed strength now that Harley’s hold on me had been broken. I looked down at the flailing vampire, watching as Shaz bit deep and released him just to bite again. The pitiful blows Harley landed against my white wolf grew weaker. I felt it when he reached for the energy he held, forcing it into Shaz with a sudden jolt that caused him to jump back with a yelp.
I stepped closer then, placing a booted foot across Harley’s destroyed throat. I leaned down and lightly touched a hand to either side of his face. I knew how to finish him. I met his eyes with an unwavering gaze. I felt the shift within me that indicated I now looked out through eerie blue eyes rather than my own brown ones. I let the power wash over me into the struggling vampire at my feet, and I watched as it stormed through him with only one intent.
The buzzing in my ears grew louder though my effort became eased, fluid and natural. He tried to use his power on me; I felt nothing. I was in command now, and nothing he threw at me broke through the steady feed I had going.
In my mind, I saw Harley’s destruction. I saw his heart burst and his body turn to ash. Then, it happened.
Blood began to pour forth from Harley’s mouth and his black eyes became red with it. Elation flooded me, bringing a genuine smile to my face. Harley’s hands grabbed at me, but he was weak. It was futile. The moment his heart burst, I could feel it as if I’d squeezed it with my bare hands. I pulled back on my assault. He was going now, and I wanted to take as much of his remaining power as I could before he was ashes.
It was too late. Before I could focus on draining what was left of him, his body shuddered and then exploded beneath me into flames. I jumped back, shocked and curious. I’d never seen that before when killing a vampire.
The fire quickly simmered down until nothing remained but a smoldering pile of ash and bone. My eyes met Shaz’, and he came to me, nuzzling my hand with his wet nose. I slumped down to the floor and leaned heavily against him.
We did it. Harley Kayson was good and dead. Yet, as I stared at the remains of my dark vampire’s sire, a chill stole over me, and I prayed that I wouldn’t live to regret this night.
Chapter Eighteen
Searing pain shot through my skull, blurring my vision as I struggled to stay upright.
I reached out, grasping at the wall, finding nothing to hold onto. Shaz had gone on ahead to where he’d left his clothes after we’d chased out Harley’s intended victim and closed the door to his room. I was alone in the hall as the excruciating pain overwhelmed me.
The faintest murmur of sound reached me from the closest room, and I fought down the urge to shriek, not wanting to draw attention after what we’d just done.
It was Arys. His ice-cold power chilled me to the bone as he battered at my mental block. Good news traveled fast. Shit!
I had no choice but to drop the mental barrier. Fighting him could prove deadly, judging by the insane amount of pain he was inflicting on me with his insistence. I let the wall between us drop and was instantly assaulted by a flurry of angry emotion.
‘What have you done?’ Arys’ voice slammed into my brain with enough force to leave me gasping for breath. His evident fury was scorching hot.
‘I did what had to be done. What you would never do.’ I wasn’t so ignorant as to be fearless. I knew Arys was capable of destroying me but I refused to apologize for this. I had given both Harley and Arys a chance, and instead of playing nice, they’d opted to run rampant like they had in the good ol’ days. Well, those days were over.
‘Why? How? How did you do this?’ Arys’ thoughts were coming hard and fast. His confusion was clear, and the emotional pain he tried to withhold from me instilled the first pang of guilt.