Page 64 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

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We returned the way we’d come, the cold growing deeper and deeper as we headed toward the coast. I was terrified we would run into more yetis on the way, and that would be a disaster with just the two of us. I’d been able to take down that yeti because he was distracted by Aurelias. If I were to do that alone, there would be no chance of victory.

We only made camp when it was pitch black, and we were back on the road at the first ray of sunshine. Kingsnake took the watch every night because he could see in the dark, so he got no sleep on the return journey.

It was cold and miserable.

Kingsnake was distant and standoffish once again, entirely focused on keeping us alive. We never shared a bedroll. Didn’t share a single kiss. His mood was always sour, both from the journey but also the fact that he’d left his brother behind.

After several days of hard riding, we finally returned to the coast and lit the fire just before sunrise to signal our arrival.

I hated that voyage across the water, the constant rocking of the ship, the storms that made it worse, the stale food. But at least it was warm—and Kingsnake was in my bed. “I’m not going to miss this place.”

Kingsnake stared across the water as if he didn’t hear me.

“We’ll see him again, Kingsnake.”

“What did he say to you?” He turned to look at me.

“Tried to talk me into immortality.”

He had no reaction on his exterior, but I saw a hint of surprise underneath. “Did he succeed?”

“No.”

He looked across the water again, and his disappointment was paramount.

The galleon became visible, slowly making its way toward us across the water. Soon, it would drop anchor, and the smaller boat would row out to meet us and return us and the horses to the ship.

I tried to change the subject. “What’s our plan when we return?”

He stared across the water for a while. “We travel to Raventower first. Cure those we can. Then move on to the next kingdom, guaranteeing their alliance for the war.”

I had friends in Raventower, but I also had an ex there whom I didn’t want to see again. I would have to give him the immunity like everyone else—even though he was the one who’d thrown me to the wolves.

“We’ll need to do this as discreetly as possible. Because once the Ethereal know…it’ll be much more complicated.”

“I hope nothing terrible has happened while we’ve been gone.”

“Yes,” he said. “Me too.”

12

COBRA

The Cobra Vampires made themselves at home in Grayson. It was difficult to house everyone in the city, so builders quickly built extra housing so everyone wouldn’t be confined to tents. The others were camped outside, making the best of a shitty situation. I knew my people were unhappy with the arrangement, but no one dared to complain. It would take time for housing to be available to everyone else. It might be a futile investment of time and resources, because the war might happen before we finished building, but it was smart to expand Grayson while Kingsnake was away.

Needed to do something productive.

The city had been greatly damaged in the attack by the orcs and goblins, so the buildings that were lost were rebuilt once more. I stayed in the palace, taking an unoccupied bedroom for myself.

I quickly realized how loyal Kingsnake’s soldiers were to him, because they weren’t exactly thrilled to take orders from me. It was always begrudgingly. Viper was my saving grace, because he didn’t hesitate to follow my rule, and when the others saw him follow, they did the same.

It was late into the night when I took my favorite prey to my bedchambers. Unlike the prisoners we housed, my prey wanted my attention, wanted my bite and my touch. She and others like her paraded around my castle, wearing slips that barely covered anything, and most of the time, wore nothing at all.

Of course I’d brought them along.

I threw her onto the bed, and she released a giggle when she hit the mattress. Buck naked with firm tits and long hair, she opened her legs as she beckoned me to her, exposing her throat so she could take my bite.