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“We need to find somewhere to hide, Anna.”

Where, I had no clue. She needed a healer. The castle had many, but it was too far away. Anna would never make it, not on foot. I eyed the remaining horses. Could I get Anna over one and ride her back to the castle?

Stars, what would happen then? I’d have lost my chance to flee, but that didn’t matter now. Not when my friend lost blood. Not when I might lose her.

“Anna, I’m going to pick you up and take you to the horse. We’re going to find a healer at the castle. We—”

“W–w-ood-s.” Anna forced the word out and placed a trembling hand over mine.

She wasn’t thinking clearly. The moment we left the city, she’d only have me and I would be unable to heal or help her.

“We can’t,” I retorted. “I’ll lose you, and then I’ll die. I—”

“You’re going to die anyway, you worthless piece of slave trash.”

I twisted around fast, and my heart stopped. Prince Gervais had landed blows to both Prince Vale and Sir Caelo, filling the air with the tang of blood. Both faeries staggered to their feet, but the vampire was already closing in.

My eyes darted to the stake I’d dropped before my hand did. Prince Gervais caught the motion, and he blurred to it, kicked it down the street. “No more of that. No more fighting your fate. I’ve waited long enough for you.”

His hand shot out, wrapped around my neck, and he lifted me so that we were eye-to-eye. My legs kicked as it became harder to breathe. “Pity it had to end this way. I do love a wildcat. We might have had fun.”

He bared his fangs. This was my last chance. Prince Vale and Sir Caelo remained too far away to be of help. I had only one chance, but if the prince saw me move too early, my chance would evaporate. I waited until the moment he sunk his fangs into my skin, slowly, deliberately, so I’d feel every bit of the pain. I waited until he pulled his first drink and moaned with delight in getting to feast on my blood.

My hand shot down to my other holster. The second stake was still there, ready and waiting. I gripped it tightly, fighting through the shooting pains of my neck and ripped it up. I struck below Prince Gervais’s left rib and pushed the stake into his heart.

Fangs tore from my neck, and I screamed as the vampire released me. I fell right on top of Anna, who let out a gurgling whine of pain.

I rolled, hoping I hadn’t done more damage to her, all the while grabbing at my neck to staunch the flow. I came to a stop just in time to witness Prince Vale relieve the vampire’s head from his neck.

Blood spurted out, covering my face, my chest, and Prince Vale’s legs. The vampire’s head rolled away as the rest of his body slumped on the ground. But I didn’t get to focus on the vampire for long because the next moment, Prince Vale stood in front of me, covered in blood with a wicked cut on his face.

“Let me see the wound.”

Slowly, I lifted my fingers from the bite marks.

He exhaled. “A relatively clean exit. Here.”

The prince knelt and wiped vampire blood off me and rubbed it on my neck, then wiped again and brought his hand to my lips. “I have no cup, so you have to lick it. You need to ingest the blood. Between his blood and your healing abilities, it will seal your wounds quickly. The stars granted you luck that he didn’t tear an artery, or even that much skin, on his way out.”

Disgusted, but knowing he was right because I could already feel the vampire blood working topically, I licked his hand until there was no blood on it. The magic in the vampire’s blood worked with my own and the skin of my neck grew hot as it healed rapidly.

“The skin is sealed,” Prince Vale said and exhaled. “Those bastards are nasty, but their blood certainly is good for something.”

“Thank you,” I rasped, aware of how lucky I was to not only have vampire blood at my disposal, but powerful Laurent blood. All vampire blood could heal, but the royals’ blood was the most potent.

“You’d already killed him. I just wanted to pay him back.” Prince Vale had murder in his eyes. “That son of a harpy deserves to die ten more times for what he’s done.”

“Agreed. But I feel fine, and I can talk.” Each word was coming out stronger and easier, so I must actually be fine. Or as fine as one could be given the circumstances.

“You look well enough.” He pivoted to Anna. “However, even if she ingests some vampire blood, we need to get her to a real healer. She’s human and doesn’t have our rapid healing. I know of a discreet one close by.”

I nodded, thankful that, at the very least, we wouldn’t have to return to the castle, but when I took Anna in this time, my breath stilled. Her eyes had closed, and her chest fluttered up and down with shallow breaths. She was deteriorating by the second. Why had I wasted precious seconds allowing Prince Vale to examine me? My friend was human and far more fragile.

“Anna,” I whispered. “Stay with us. We’re taking you to a healer. We—”

Her chest stopped moving.

Chapter 42