Forever Bound Series 1-4(45)

She slammed her body into his. The vampire crashed into the wooden railing. “He was keeping me safe.” The wood began to splinter. “From all the murdering vamps who wanted me dead.”

The wood gave way.

The vampire didn’t try to fight the fall. He just plummeted to the hard floor below.

Allison grabbed a chunk of broken wood from the stairs. She rushed up toward Cade and the witch. “Get your ass away from him!”

Elsa turned around, her eyes were wide, and, oh, yeah, Allison saw the fear flash in her gaze. “You want to take me out so badly?” Allison snarled. “Then here’s your chance!”

But Elsa backed away. She dropped a mirror, and the heavy chunks of glass shattered at her feet.

“Better save him…” Elsa told her as she edged back. “With that silver lodged in his spine, he could be dead in seconds.”

Allison froze, the wood gripped tightly in her hand.

Elsa was still backing away. Going for another weapon? Preparing for another spell attack?

“Unless he doesn’t really matter to you…” Elsa threw out, taunting her. “Unless you want to watch him die.”

Cade was trying to crawl toward the witch. His legs weren’t working—because of the silver in his spine.

She wouldn’t leave her wolf helpless.

Never.

Allison rushed to his side. The wood dropped from her hands as she reached for his back.

“I thought so…” The witch’s nearly purring voice said. “I knew your weakness.”

A rush of wind filled that second-story room. Allison caught the sharp edge of the silver and ignored the pain when it sliced her flesh. “It’s okay,” she whispered to Cade. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be—”

The wind rushed harder, beating on her like hands, and a wooden stake burst through her chest.

Allison didn’t let go of that broken knife. She glanced down and saw the bloody edges of the wood. The same wood she’d brought up to use as her weapon.

That rushing wind, it had been Elsa, using one of her spells…she’d moved faster than Allison could see. The witch had come up behind her and—

“Got your heart, bitch,” Elsa told her.

Allison yanked out the silver blade. She heard Cade’s fast inhale. He’ll be okay now. “No…” She managed to tell the witch even as every breath sent pain pulsing through her chest. “You didn’t.”

The makeshift stake had gone from her back all the way through the front of her chest, but the witch had shitty aim. She’d missed Allison’s heart.

Allison rose to her feet, swayed, but managed to stay upright.

Elsa scrambled back. “No, no!”

A stained glass window waited behind her, one designed to show the beauty of a blooming red rose. But with the moonlight spilling through that glass, it appeared as if the witch were surrounded by blood.

She would be, soon enough.

Allison stalked slowly toward her. Every move hurt, but she wasn’t giving up. Wasn’t stopping. Her hands, already bloody, caught the edge of that stake. Slowly, inch by inch, she pulled it out. Then she held her weapon gripped tightly in her fist.

“Why?” Allison asked because she had to know. “Why did you… come after me?” Her fangs were fully extended, and she wanted to tear Elsa’s throat wide open. I’ve become the monster…and I don’t give a damn. Not then. Then, she wanted the strength that being a vampire gave her. “I never…never would have…”

“You were going to kill me!” Elsa screamed, backing away even more. Her elbows bumped into the big, stained glass window. “I saw it!”

Allison shook her head. That small move had the room spinning. Blood soaked her clothes.

“I tried to change it…” Elsa glanced around the room with bright, almost feverish eyes. “I have to change it.” Then she glanced over her shoulder, back through the stained glass, and the witch started to laugh. “The moon’s not full…it’s not time yet! You can’t kill me!”

Watch me. Full moon or no full moon, Elsa was dying. Allison wasn’t gonna give the witch another chance to attack.

Behind her, Allison heard bones snapping and popping. Cade. Shifting. Healing. Her breath eased out slowly. He’ll be all right.

Elsa wouldn’t be. “I am going to kill you,” Allison told her quietly, hands fisting. “You won’t get out of this house alive tonight.” She wouldn’t give Elsa a chance to come at her again or to come at Cade.

“I had to save myself!” Elsa’s face flushed bright red as they faced off. “The mirror—I saw what you’d do! I saw—”

Screw the mirror. “You made this happen. You started it all. But I’ll end it.” Then, using every bit of strength that she had left—which wasn’t a hell of a lot—Allison jumped forward, diving right for Elsa. She shoved the stake at Elsa’s chest. “My turn.” The stake sank into Elsa’s flesh. Then Allison grabbed the witch, and she shoved her back into that stained glass window as hard as she could.

The glass shattered, raining down to the ground, and as Elsa fell, Allison yanked her hands back.

But the witch didn’t let her go. Elsa’s hands had clamped around her, and Allison was too weak then to break free. She’d used her last bit of strength in the attack and—