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We were almost at the border when we heard the sounds of pursuit. Leaves crushed loudly behind us, to the right and left. Whoever was trying to engage us wasn’t doing so quietly. They wanted us to know we were being targeted.

It was an ambush.

I stopped running, and Luke did the same a moment later.

“What’s wrong?” Grace asked. I had forgotten that her limited human hearing meant she couldn’t tell we were being chased.

“We’re under attack,” I said.

She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. “Oh no.”

“Get between Luke and I,” I commanded. “And stay between us no matter what happens. We will protect you.”

Luke nodded. “No harm will come to you.”

Grace looked pale, but she nodded and did as we asked, her eyes darting around.

A moment later the first attacker jumped at us from our right; he was a vampire, of course, in Rosworth military clothing. At least Athalis didn’t seem to be betraying us; from how well our talks with the king had gone, I doubted he would make such a move. No, this ambush was clearly orchestrated by Rosworth, taking the opportunity to try killing us now that we were cut off from the rest of our forces.

Luke took out his stake and quickly impaled the attacker. The vampire died, his skin turning gray. I didn’t have time to watch what Luke did next though as two more vampires emerged from our right.

I engaged them both in combat, pulling out my stake. I staked one of them in the heart while the other tried to kill me by doing the same. The only way to murder a vampire permanently was to stake them in the heart. Rosworth had come prepared, and they really wanted us dead.

Grace screamed as more vampires suddenly poured out from behind the trees.

I staked one more, but with how many were coming now, I had to up my game. So when the next three came at me, I punched a fist straight through the chest of one of them. It was a gory tactic, and he would heal up later, but at least for the time being he fell to the ground, too injured to fight.

I then ripped the throat out of the next vampire. Another one came at me with a stake, so I ripped off his arm. I didn’t care if my fighting was messy anymore.

The only thing that mattered was protecting Grace at all costs.

More vampires attacked, and Luke and I continued our brutal fighting.

I ripped out someone’s heart, then I sent someone’s arm or leg flying. There was blood everywhere.

When the massacre was finally over, I turned around to see if Grace was alright.

She still stood where I had told her to stand, between me and Luke. Her pants were splashed in blood, but there was no ripped material or open wounds, so I could tell she hadn’t been wounded. Yet I felt little relief as I was struck by the utterly terrified look on her face. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she was breathing heavily and shaking.

“Grace,” I said softly, extending my hand to cup her cheek.

I stopped midway through, realizing my hand was completely soaked with blood.

Grace noticed too and gave my hand a scared look. She wrapped her arms around her midriff.

Quietly she said, “Don’t touch me.”

My eyes widened. Was I hearing her right? Just a few days ago she had longed for my touch, enjoying every second my hands roamed over her body. I had showered her with kisses and fucked her until she couldn’t take it anymore.

Where was the Grace I had held in my arms back then?

My wife took a step back, shying away from my touch. “Don’t-“ She said in a broken voice.

“Grace, what’s wrong?” I asked her.

“You… You’re what’s wrong,” she said.

My heart sank.