Page 110 of Ruby Red Sky

The man stilled, his bones jerking before his limbs. “What?” He asked, showering red spittle everywhere.

Using the back of my hand, I wiped my eyes and face and sat back, straddling him. A sparkling white fog began to cover his skin, turning the flesh below a bright shade of turquoise blue. The frost slowly crept along his skin, covering more and more of the man once thought unconquerable until his entire body was a chilling shade of ivory.

I slid off him and patted down his body, searching for weapons. He had a dagger strapped to his ankle, and I took it, having lost most of my own in battle. My sword was in a corner, and I stretched to reach it, dragging the blade along the ground until it was beside me. I had no idea what happened to my second sword, but it was likely plunged through someone’s heart.

Rising to my knees, I attempted to lift the sword over my head. Dizziness overtook me, so I let it fall to my side. There was no way I would allow Wyvon to remain in this cave, he didn’t deserve the honor of any type of burial.

I grabbed the dagger I’d just taken from him and raised it over his chest.

Before I could plunge it into his heart, a feminine screech pierced my eardrums. Annalise stood at the mouth of the cave, her diaphanous dress pristine, and her cosmetics perfectly in place. Her mouth was stretched in horror as she glanced between me and her now dead husband.

“Nooooo!” She screeched again.

Finally, she glanced at me, her calculations visible in her vibrant emerald eyes. Whatever verdict she reached, it didn’t matter. I plunged the blade into Wyvon’s chest, and he shattered into a billion flakes of icy powder.

I leaned down, keeping my gaze locked to hers and blew as hard as I could, sending glittering frost into the air. The crows rose into flight from their hiding spaces, scattering the mist in shiny plumes as I got to my feet.

Annalise stared at me in disbelief and I smiled a quick, small smile at her. Her eyes shone with anger and I stepped forward, intent on seizing the woman.

In a blinding flash of light, she disappeared.

A split second later, the dark clouds dissolved into the atmosphere, taking the faint red tint with them. Sunlight sparkled against the tundra, shining off the congealing blood. The air was thick with the scent of copper and ruin, and the crows descended quickly in a massive flurry to feast.

The energy to transition myself back to the castle was nonexistent. Annalise had gotten away and when I searched for her, she couldn’t be found.

Missing, as well, was her insistent perusal of my mind. There was nothing to block or misguide, no intrusive thoughts or impressions. The woman had vanished. Most likely, she’d transported herself to a faraway Realm, outside the reach of myself or anyone I might have sent after her.

I would know if she returned. The woman couldn’t resist assaulting me and crossing my boundaries. The suspicion that she would never return was strong, and I doubted me or Cassia would ever have to worry about her again. She’d witnessed what I was newly capable of, and she’d never been a fool. She knew she would be dead before she got here.

The only thing I had to worry about now was not succumbing to my injuries on the journey back to Cassia.

If any Kakians had survived, they’d likely head to the castle. I had to trust that Elijah would keep her safe, but I knew his priority would fall to Selena. My own would be the same—Cassia over Selena.

The trip down the mountains and back to the forest took far longer than it should have, and if I’d been anything other than an ancient pureblood vampire, my corpse would fall to rot in the brush. Blood was flowing from my wounds, leaving a path with every step I took. If anyone had been searching for me, it wouldn’t take them long to zero in on my location.

When I reached the tree line, I breathed a little easier, thankful for the additional shade and shelter. Cassia would have heavily disapproved of the copious amounts of squirrels I devoured, for lack of any wandering, careless humans.

When night fell, I heard a heavier stirring in the bushes and discovered a chupacabra foraging rabbits and mice. I laid in wait, letting its thirst for blood beckon it my way. My skin and hair were saturated, and I didn’t have the strength or wherewithal to do anything about my scent and appearance.

Daybreak came within two hours, and I continued without stopping until I came upon the stream. I didn’t bother to remove any clothing and stumbled to the edge of the water, landing on my knees.

Shiny silver fish the size of nickels swarmed my fingers when I dipped them in the liquid, greedily feeding on the particles of blood and waste.

“What happened to you?”

The woman’s voice startled me, and she jumped backwards before my nails could disembowel her.

“Kate,” I said.

She eyed me warily. “What happened to you? Door Delivery gone wrong?”

She referenced a food service I’d heard of in the Third. “Not exactly,” I replied. Her fresh, clean blood instigated a deep and voracious hunger within me, and my mouth watered as my teeth strained to break through my gums.

“I... want to help you. You know, you saved my life, it’d only be right.”

I rose to my feet. “Is that your cart?” She nodded. “Bring me to Elijah.”

She started to protest and changed her mind. “Okay, I can do that.”