Page 5 of Liar Witch

“I’m not going, stupid vampire. I’m finding the key. I promised my witch I’d get you out.”

“Where is she? You have to keep her away from me.”

Opal turns her head back to give me such a scathing look that I instantly shut up.“She’s gone. Didn’t you hear the palace bells?”

That’s all she leaves me with. Disappearing into the darkness with a flick of her tail.

She can’t mean dead.

No. Nilsa isn’t dead. I’d...

I’d never know. We never completed the bond.

A roar rips from my throat. Regret drowning me.

If we hadn’t spent so much time lying to one another...

My thoughts start to go hazy as the scent of a fresh kill drifts down the corridor from the pit above. Hypersensitivity is one of the worst parts of bloodlust. It makes it impossible for me to ignore even a tiny paper cut nearby. The blood is a beacon.

Time blurs. I have a vague memory of fighting again. I definitely feed, blood drenching my tongue, somehow worse now that I know what it is I’m missing.

But the blood starts to taste wrong as my mind fixates on the memory of the one thing that tastes like heaven.

By the time Opal returns, I haven’t even drained the latest human in my cage. I just snapped his neck and left him in the corner. But that’s not a good thing.

It only means I’m more dangerous to my mate. The bloodlust has been fine-tuned to one particular obsession. It’s gone from blind hunger to a very specific need.

Goddess, it might take decades for me to be under control enough to be around my mate again. If she even still lives.

The silver-grey tabby tiptoes through the bars and bites me again. Somehow, her company helps me stay lucid, or closer to it than usual.

“There aren’t any keys. Not that I could find, anyway.”

I don’t question her. I’ve never found a way out of the Pits. The last time I was here, I was a gladiator on loan from a private owner. It was only when my ‘mistress’ decided to take me back that I managed to escape.

“How long has it been?” How long have I been stuck in the endless cycle of feed, fight, feed?

“Since I left? Days? I don’t know, I got a bit distracted by a mouse...”Her eyes track the shadows on the opposite walls, searching for prey.“I did say I was hungry, didn’t I?”

“Opal, focus.”

The cat rolls her eyes at me.“You’re lucky you’re my favourite. I have a plan. They keep animals down here, don’t they?”

“Trolls, cyclopes and other species from beyond the walls. It spices up the fights for the spectators. But they’re stupid.”

“Oh really? I didn’t notice.”Goddess, this cat has a sarcasm problem.“Mypointis that they don’t have fancy locks on their doors. I’m going to let them out and cause some chaos. I’m pretty sure a cyclops rampage will do enough damage to your door if I herd them in the right direction.”

Okay, the cat’s insane.

“What about Nilsa?”

The hiss that erupts out of Opal startles me.“I’m here, rescuing your sorry ass instead of searching for her, as her last request.”The cat slips back through the bars and heads away.“Don’t mention her again or I’ll leave you to rot.”

“At least tell me she’s still alive,” I beg.

Opal spares me a last, long glance.“If she dies, I do too. My bond to her is weak, but it hasn’t broken.”She turns and struts away, her voice echoing into my mind even when she’s out of sight. “When the time comes, be ready. This temporary bond I’ve created so you can hear me will wear out soon and I’ll have no way of warning you. You’ll have to stay lucid enough to escape on your own.”

That’s the real challenge.