Asylum (Causal Enchantment #2)(76)

“We have bigger issues than petty revenge, Rachel,” Sofie called out softly. “We’re on the brink of a war.”

War? What did Sofie mean?

Rachel’s fingers dug into my neck like tiny daggers. “There’s always time for revenge.”

“She’s suffered enough.” Sofie’s tone was pleading, and her eyes brimmed with distress.

A vicious cackle in my ear tensed my shoulders. “She hasn’t even begun to suffer.”

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Caden shift his weight and flex his hands by his sides, as if ready to make a move. Unfortunately, so did Rachel. She pulled me even closer, until her body pressed up against my back, until we were like one. “Any sudden moves and I’ll snap her neck like a twig. You’ll never make it here fast enough to stop me,” she warned. Her arm loosened its grip and her hand slid to my chin to pull my head back until my neck was exposed. With her mouth grazing my ear, she whispered, “You thought you could outsmart me? Lie to me and get away with it? Say good-bye, little human.”

I swallowed, tears now streaming down my cheeks.

“You’ll never get out of here alive if you kill her,” Caden warned. “You might have a chance if you don’t—”

Rachel giggled softly. “Who said I was going to kill her? But make one move toward us and I certainly will.”

“Rachel, you won’t—” Caden began.

She cut him off. “Come on! You’ve got front row seats to watch!”

Oh God. Watch what? Rachel ripping my teeth out, one by one? I felt faint, my legs weakening, but Rachel gave my body a swift jerk up as she continued talking.

“Then you’ll see me leave with her. If you don’t follow, you might see her again. Follow, and I’ll hand you her heart. Simple.”

She had it all planned out. She would do whatever she wanted to me—it no doubt involved torture in front of an audience—and then she’d escape. At that moment I dearly wished I would lose consciousness. But of course, it was one of those few times that I wouldn’t.

Her fingertip caressed my neck. “Why would I give her a quick death when I could drag it on for years?” she drawled. Another surge of panic tore through me. What did she mean?

Sharp pain rocketed through my body as Rachel’s teeth clamped onto my neck, the ferocity of the pressure making me sure she’d rip a chunk of flesh out. I gave a strangled gasp as the pressure intensified, my eyes catching the panic on Caden’s face. Sofie had dropped to her knees, her hands covering her mouth and nose, her green eyes wide with anxiety.

Rachel was drawing on my blood so fiercely that my limbs grew heavy in mere seconds, my energy draining away. Was that her plan? To bleed me dry? That didn’t make sense . . .

The pressure abated suddenly and a familiar burn began coursing through my limbs. It brought disturbing memories back from that first attack on Ratheus, when the blonde vampire had pumped venom into me. Rachel’s plan finally hit me. I can drag it out for years, she had said. She wanted to turn me so she could stalk and continuously torture me.

Suddenly, the situation didn’t seem so bleak. The pendant was off, the curse gone, and if I could get away from Rachel, I’d have what I wanted—to be with Caden forever. Sure, I’d have to deal with an eternal game of cat-and-mouse, but I’d have Sofie and Caden by my side to help fight her.

Just like that, I wasn’t afraid anymore. Rachel was giving me what I wanted. My mouth actually curved into a smile. Now, I welcomed the venom. I craved it. Rachel’s fangs in my neck wasn’t pain. It was bliss. Don’t worry, I tried to communicate as my eyes rolled lazily up to land on Caden. Everything will be okay.

On the brink of unconsciousness from the massive loss of blood, I was only faintly aware when Rachel retracted her fangs and released her grip on me, shoving me away from her as she let out a howl of agony. My legs immediately buckled, too weak to hold me up. I would have dropped to the ground, had it not been for strong arms swooping in to scoop me up. I felt my body sail away from the heat of the fire.

Rachel continued to scream, just as the blonde vampire had cried out before he was poisoned with his own venom, only Rachel’s screech was ten times worse. What was happening? Unable to summon the strength to move my head, I let it roll to the side to see Rachel. She was on her hands and knees, her face contorted, hateful, glowing eyes fixed on me. She opened her mouth to let out a skin-peeling scream just as Mortimer appeared beside her. Grabbing her by the throat with his powerful hands, he lifted her and launched her backward into the center of the pyre. Her shrill scream abruptly stopped as the flames enveloped her body.

A hand slipped behind my head and lifted it up, ever so gently. I found myself staring up at Caden, his face a mixture of happiness and confusion. No hideousness, no blood lust. Just the Caden I knew. My Caden. And then I lost consciousness.

When I came to, I was lying on a soft surface, staring up at a white ceiling, the sound of a loud engine humming in my ears.

“It’s about time,” a familiar male voice whispered in my ear.

I rolled my head toward it. Caden was lying beside me, his head propped on his arm, watching me intently. “Caden!” I croaked, and immediately began coughing, my throat parched.

“She’s awake!” a raspy voice called a second before a curly mop of hair appeared to hover upside down over my face.