An End of Night (A Shade of Vampire #16)(46)

As we continued to blast each other with spells, it became apparent that he too was feeling the strain. His curses were beginning to do less damage each time one hit me. Finally, the spells that hit me barely caused more discomfort than a prickle.

Realizing the futility of attacking me with spells, he reached for his belt and pulled out a ceremonial dagger, the same one I’d seen him holding earlier before the ritual. Even as we circled each other, I couldn’t help but notice how strange it was. Rhys and I, among the most powerful witches of our time, were now fighting with less grace than even vampires.

I could see the shame of it in Rhys’ eyes. The humiliation. I knew the pride he took in his magic—it was the only thing he lived for. He had always chosen it over me, even when he’d claimed to love me. He loved magic even more than he loved himself.

I didn’t stand a chance against him physically. He was taller, stronger and more skilled in combat. The only thing that had made the match even slightly fair before was the fact that I could wield magic.

Still, I wasn’t going to run from him.

This was a battle I had to fight alone.

As he closed in on me, I wondered whether he had it in him to kill me this time. Although he wouldn’t admit to it, I knew he’d saved me from the burning tree. And that day when he and his army had attacked The Shade, he’d avoided killing me then even though it would have been easy. He’d had me tied up in a tree. He could have done anything he wanted to me. But he hadn’t.

Rhys lurched forward. It was almost embarrassing how easily he wrestled the knife out of my hand and pinned me to the ground. My back flat against a rock, I stared up into his black eyes.

His blade pressed against my neck.

My skin broke.

A trickle of blood ran down my neck.

I’ve pushed him too far.

He’s going to do it.

Regret consumed me as he pushed the blade even harder against my flesh. How could I have been so selfish? I have more than just myself to think about. Kiev is half of me.

I should have just run…

I began to struggle harder against him.

He lifted himself off me abruptly.

I thought for a moment that I’d managed to kick him in a painful place, but he was showing no signs of pain as he stood over me. Looking down at me through hooded eyelids, he raised his dagger again. Fearing he was about to hurl it through my chest, I rolled over on my side.

But I didn’t need to.

He brought the dagger down against his right wrist, then his left, slashing through his arteries.

Casting one last, lingering glance down at me, he displayed raw emotions for the first time. Frustration. Longing. Perhaps even regret.

Then our gaze was ripped apart as he leapt across the rocks and dove into the ocean.

Breathless, I scrambled to my feet and hurried to the spot where he had just disappeared. The waves were tinged red with his blood. But he was showing no sign of surfacing.

This part of the ocean was teeming with sharks. It would not be long before they claimed him.

Despite myself, tears welled in my eyes and spilled down my cheeks. My vision blurred as I stared at the churning water.

And so it ends.

The life of a man who could have had everything, yet in the end chose nothing.

Goodbye, old friend.

Chapter 31: Rose

“There she is!” I shouted as Mona clambered over the rocks toward us. She looked exhausted, cuts and bruises covering her body.

Kiev was the first to rush over to her. “What happened to you? Are you okay?”

I was surprised to see that her eyes were watery. She swallowed hard. “I’m fine.”

“Have you seen Rhys?”

“Yes,” she said. “We… will not be seeing him again.”

“He’s dead?” I asked, gaping at her.

“Yes. He took his own life.”

We all fell into hushed silence.

“I always knew there was a screw missing with him,” Micah said after several moments.

Mona bit her lip, a pained expression on her face. “There was something missing, that’s for sure.”

“So,” my mother said. “Now what? Ashley is still waiting around the side of the castle with the humans we managed to free. Some of them are in a bad state. They need medical attention.”

We all looked around the battleground, scorched from my father’s flames and strewn with blood and bodies.

What we had just accomplished still hadn’t sunk in. We’d spent so long fighting to end these enemies and thwart their various plans, for it to come to an end… it seemed surreal.

“There is a gate within this castle, as most of you should know,” Mona said. “We can travel through it back to the human realm.”

I exchanged a glance with Caleb. “Uh,” he began, “I’m not sure that will work.”

“Why not?” Mona asked.

“When a group of us came here to rescue humans days ago, we destroyed the other side of the castle. Or rather, the dragons did. If we pass through the gate, we’ll meet a colossal pile of rubble.”

Mona turned to Corrine and Ibrahim. “Why don’t the two of you go through and clear out a path? I’m sure you could manage that.”

Ibrahim raised a brow. “We’re talking about an entire collapsed castle. Yes, I’m sure Corrine and I can create a path through to the surface, but it will take time.”