Page 86 of The Vampire Curse

I don’t know why he is coming to my defense, but I could almost kiss him for it.

Victor leaps up from the sofa and takes several long strides toward me. “I will kill her right now for what she has done.”

I take a step back, hating myself for showing weakness.

“Itishis right,” Cassius says, shrugging as if they’re discussing who gets the last piece of cake, or something as equally as trivial.

“No,” I say, glad my voice is steady despite my heart thundering in my chest. “That isn’t a fair fight.” I’m furious at them for debating my fate. I hold on to that anger and slap Cassius’s hand away. “What chance does a human have against a vampire?”

Cassius actually has the nerve to look taken aback. His green eyes sparkle with mirth. I glower. How heartless does he have to be to find humor in this situation?

Bastard!

I take in all four vampires. I have never been around them all at once without Alaric nearby. It’s all too much to be a coincidence.

But who planned this, and why? I know it wasn’t Victor—I would be dead by now if he had, and the others wouldn’t have arrived in time.

I narrow my gaze at Lawrence. He said it himself, he can’t prove I killed Rosalie, but he suspects I did. He could have planned this to be rid of me while keeping his hands clean.

I tamp down my theories and questions. It doesn’t matter because finding the answers won’t save me now.

“These are ancient laws set forth by our queen. They are not for any of us to decide.” Cassius holds his hands palm up as if he were the one rendered helpless. He motions to Lawrence and Della. Then he turns to pat me on my uninjured shoulder. “The three of us will witness and report the result to Alaric and Elizabeth.”

My mouth drops open and I can only stare. Being slaughtered while three others—who could save me if they chose—stand and watch is no comfort, but the way he talks, he seems to think it should be.

This will not be a good death.

Cassius grips my upper arm. I try to jerk away, but his hold is too strong, and I only serve to bruise myself.

“Alaric will kill you,” I snap.

He drags me to the center of the room, stopping me about two yards from Victor.

My limbs grow cold as I take in everything about my opponent. My view is broken when Cassius steps in front of me, taking me by the shoulders and placing a kiss on my cheeks—as if wishing me luck in a game without deadly consequences.

A flash of red sears my neck and the white-hot pain blinds me. And then it’s gone. I stand panting, sweat beading across my brow. I reach up and feel my neck.He healed me.

Cassius’s mouth quirks up as he backs away.

“This is a fight to the death. Make it clean. No compulsion is to be used, and no torture.”

These rules are clearly for the vampire’s sake. Even without compulsion, he will still have his preternatural strength and speed.

Cassius retreats to stand close to Lawrence and Della. All three of them block the only way out. “On my mark.”

Victor takes two steps forward. The veiny, black lines reappear. They spread out, nearly swallowing the whites of his eyes, then seep into his skin and over his cheeks, trailing down his face.

I will die—but not without a fight. I swallow and widen my stance.

“What the fuck is happening here?” Alaric’s deep, rich voice demands.

I have never been so relieved to see him as I am now. But that feeling doesn’t last.

In a blink, Victor closes the distance between us, his hand swipes out, fingers curled into claws. I throw myself back to avoid the strike. He misses my neck, but his knife-like nails slice across my left shoulder to the center of my chest. I cry out and slam into the back of a sofa.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Clara