Forever Touched (Touch of Vampire #5)

CHAPTER 33

33

ADALYN

More than once, a rogue almost got the better of me.

I used my knife and weakening magic to ward them off, and they soon moved on, clearly interested in bigger game. I’d barely left the ballroom behind when an earth-shattering roar pounded my eardrums.

Pure devastation flooded the soulmate bond, and I nearly fell to my knees.

He knew. Everett knew that I’d run away.

ADALYN! he roared again, this time through our bond.

I didn’t respond. Couldn’t. He needed to focus on protecting his family, and so did I. Even the slightest distraction could spell our doom.

So I ignored the growing ache in my chest, an ache that had nothing to do with the broken pactum and everything to do with Everett. With the hurt he felt that I’d left him. Apologizing wouldn’t help anyway. No apology could fix what I’d broken. What I’d destroyed.

This was the fate I’d chosen, but I wouldn’t allow it to become my familiar’s fate. I might be dying, but that didn’t mean she had to. I just had to get back to the house before my body gave out. If my last act was freeing Pepper from this life, then I could die knowing that I’d done at least one thing right.

I might have screwed everything up with my soulmate, but he still had his family. Pepper had no one. No one to protect her. I was her one and only hope.

I used that knowledge to fuel me onward, to stop myself from looking back. From returning to Everett. Pepper needed me more, and I was going to save her.

As I continued to stumble toward the exit, the sounds of fighting started to fade. A few human maids scurried past, but the halls were otherwise empty. Still, I kept my guard up, not knowing where the Faircrofts had scuttled off to. Maybe they were already claiming their spot on Sanctum Isle, prematurely celebrating their victory by picking which house they wanted to settle down in. I knew Mistress had always coveted the Venturi mansions on the island. Or maybe she planned to make the castle her new home.

Either way, I kept a sharp eye out as I reached the grand foyer that would lead me outside. The double doors were wide open, and when I neared, I caught sight of the guards splayed across the floor. Dead. Fresh pangs of guilt racked my body, further adding to my misery. If only I’d broken the pactum earlier, I could have prevented their deaths. I could have stopped this all from happening.

But I’d been selfish. I hadn’t wanted to sacrifice my happily ever after. I’d wanted to live .

Doubling over, I threw up what little remained in my stomach. Weakness stole over me, and I grabbed on to the doorframe to keep from collapsing.

Give up , my failing body urged me. Lie down and succumb to your fate .

No! I shouted back. I’m done lying down. I will fight. I will fight for however long I have left!

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself upright and stumbled out into the night. It had begun to rain, and my hair and dress were soaked through within seconds. The added weight threatened to pull me down, but I trudged onward, barely able to see through the deluge. I was almost to the stone stairs that led to the packed roundabout when I staggered to a halt. No way would I reach Pepper in time if I used a car.

There was only one way I could reach her, and now that my powers were fully restored, I had the ability to do it.

The thought of reuniting with Pepper in a matter of seconds filled me with fresh resolve, and I willed magic to my fingertips. When it quickly sputtered out, I dredged up the last of my strength and threw my arms wide with a determined cry.

A circular portal sprung into existence before me, the edges glowing bright blue. Sighing in relief, I swayed toward it. I would make it in time. I couldn’t say goodbye to Everett, but at least I could to Pepper.

But when I stepped forward, something small darted in front of me. I recognized Kenna’s fox familiar as she lunged for my legs and latched onto my dress, frantically yanking on the delicate material. It started to rip, but she only pulled harder. Not toward the portal, but away .

“Silver, no . I can’t go back,” I firmly told her. “I have to save my familiar.”

The portal began to flicker. Desperate to enter it before the last of my magic faded, I surged forward. As I did, something barrelled into me from behind. Something huge .

The force of the hit sent me flying into the air. I shot past my dying portal and down the steep stairs. When I struck the unforgiving stone, a sickening crack filled my ears. I struck again and again, uncontrollably tumbling down the stairs. Several more cracks rent the air, my frail body breaking under the fall’s impact.

When I reached the bottom, I rolled to a stop, unable to breathe. Pain consumed every inch of my body. Pain that stole the last of my strength. I tried to move, but agony locked me in place.

My time was up. I was done. I had nothing left to give.

Silent tears coursed down my already wet face. Tears of defeat.

I was suddenly flipped onto my back. My injuries screamed at me, so loudly that darkness edged my vision. I squinted through the rain, struggling to focus on the face peering down at me.

“Leaving so soon, Star? ” a familiar voice said, one that filled me with dread.

I openly glared up at Heath, letting him see how much I despised him.

He chuckled, as if he found my reaction to him amusing. “You always did think you were too good for me,” he drawled, crouching beside me so I could clearly see his face.

When he swept the hair off my neck, I ignored the pain shooting up my arm and slowly reached for my thigh. Noticing the movement, he clucked his tongue and yanked the garter off my leg, along with my knife. The violent action sent fresh agony streaking through my body. As I cried out, I succumbed to a coughing fit, each movement like a jagged knife cutting into my flesh.

Blood spilled from my mouth, and Heath cocked his head to the side. “Oh, I get it now. You’re dying. What, you didn’t think I knew about the pactum? Shame you had to break it. I was looking forward to making you my personal blood whore. Well, at least I can taste you before you die. Waste not, want not, and all that.”

Before I could fully process his words, he lunged for my vulnerable throat and sank his fangs in deep. I weakly flinched, opening my mouth in a silent scream as fresh pain flooded me. I tried to move, but my body was done. All I could do was stare blankly at the night sky and wait for him to drain the last of my life away .

Perhaps it was better this way. Quicker. My suffering would come to an end all too soon.

He didn’t dull my pain, though. Didn’t feed me his venom. He wanted me to suffer. He always had. He took sadistic pleasure from it, using pain to remind me of how weak I was compared to him.

That reminder hit me full force now, filling me with indescribable agony. But something else was filling me too. Rage . The emotion whipped through me so forcefully that I knew it wasn’t just mine.

It was Everett’s too.

It pounded through me like a war drum, infusing my body with sudden strength. Even as Heath ravenously drained the blood from my body, I felt strong. Strong enough to say, “You forgot one important thing, Heath. Something that will be your downfall.” A small smile stretched my lips. “I can control your mind now.”

He stiffened, realizing his terrible mistake too late.

I struck like a python, coiling my magic around his mind, then squeezed . Just like that, he froze, his will now mine . With a single thought, I commanded him to release me. He did, sliding his fangs from my neck.

I felt the rage grow stronger.

He was coming. Everett was coming for me.

Struggling to stay focused, I told Heath in a shaky voice, “Now stand up. Stand up and face the fury of your future king. Face your fate, Heath Clancy, and know that I control it.”

He obeyed my command. Like a puppet, he woodenly stood to face the stairs. I squinted through the rain just as a dark figure appeared at the very top. I could barely make out his features, but it didn’t matter. My heart weakly fluttered inside my chest, recognizing its mate.

As he took in the scene below, shadows erupted from him. He released a furious roar, then streaked toward us like a torpedo.

Wanting him to fully feel Everett’s wrath, I let go of Heath’s mind. At the last second, he realized the danger he was in. Realized what I’d done.

But it was too late.

Too late.

Too late.

He didn’t even have time to scream.

With one violent sweep of his arm, Everett knocked Heath’s head clean off. It flew through the air like a soccer ball and vanished into the night. Before the headless body could finish crumpling to the ground, Everett was kneeling by my side. He softly touched me, wincing when he saw how broken I was.

“What can I do?” he croaked, looking so lost that fresh tears squeezed from my eyes. “Tell me what to do, Adalyn. Tell me how to help you.”

“You came,” I whispered, struggling to keep my eyes open.

“Always. I will always come for you, baby girl.” He gently touched my cheek, his face lined in agony. “Tell me how to fix this, Adalyn. Please .”

He couldn’t fix this. The broken pactum was calling for me. Calling for my death. It grew louder and louder by the second, and there was nothing Everett could do to stop it.

I tried to smile at him, but my lips suddenly felt cold. Numb. My entire body did, the pain slowly melting away. “It was a dream. A beautiful dream. I’ll cherish it forever.” My eyes fluttered shut.

“No. No! Adalyn, open your eyes. Open your eyes for me, baby girl. Don’t leave me like this. I need you!”

My heartbeats slowed. I tried to open my eyes, to see him one last time, but they were too heavy. Everything pulled me down, down, down. Darkness dragged me into its waiting embrace. Before it could fully claim me, I managed to whisper one last thing.

“Save Pepper.”