Page 65 of Vow of the Undead (The Bloodrune Saga #1)

I adjusted my grip on the stake, my arm growing tired. Blinking away the black spots in my vision and resisting the dizzy spell thrust upon me by my erratic nerves, I tried to process everything he’d said, stopping at one odd point. “Wait, us , as in you and me?”

“Silver made me a vampire.” That wasn’t possible, but instead of arguing, I soaked in his words.

“And when we discovered you were chosen by the Gods and granted the same powers of the first witch—powers Silver already innately had—we knew you were tied by more than sisterhood. If she dies, they cut off your powers and I become…human again. I’ve no doubt they’ll kill me. ”

This was why he’d begged for marriage. Not because he cared, not because he was fascinated by me or whatever bullshit he’d fed me. Because he didn’t want to become a vulnerable, mortal human again.

And my sister was never a witch. How she’d come by these powers now, I didn’t know.

“I wanted to blame you for this life my sister led,” I spoke just above a whisper. “But I was the one who sent her here.”

“I know the story. My mother was one of the executioners who was instructed to find you and take you to King Roderic.” My heart skipped. “Silver and I grew up together.”

When he spoke her name, his voice cracked, as if she were a childhood friend he’d lost long ago, not someone who he’d had her mouth sewn shut.

“No.”

“Yes. And it wasn’t all terrible, but I can’t tell you any of it was good. For either of us.”

“It’s my fault.”

“You were scared, Lux. Not evil.”

That coming from the man who’d threatened to kill both Silver and I just last night. It was laughable, but I had no energy left. He’d carved me out, left me raw with the truth.

The night the Grimward came for me, I was scared. So fucking scared.

I hid, and I didn’t come out when they thought Silver was the one they were searching for.

“I was the witch the executioners came for, not her.”

“Yes, but when the first witch tried to be reborn, her powers were split. I suspect you became a seer while Silver carried the power the first witch learned regarding the undead she created. Powers that you now have because the Gods can’t stand that they don’t have total control.”

So it was possible. My sister had powers similar to mine, similar, but entirely different.

She could make the vampires, I was destined to unmake them.

Was this all the magic of the first witch?

We’d always been the opposite—I, the scared girl who would run and hide, while she dared spit on the executioners’ boots as they walked by.

Had our mother’s pregnancy destroyed the first witch’s attempt to be reborn? There were two of us, and according to the king’s understanding, it split her powers. I rolled this over, trying to process it.

Though it made sense, I wasn’t ready to absorb it all just yet.

King Drakkar continued, unaware of the questions taking my mind captive. “But if we cut those powers off, we free you, and Ylva and Darius will leave us be. They’ll have no reason to risk killing your sister and bringing forth the first witch.”

“And you get to stay a vampire—” I cut myself off. Who cared what he was if it saved my sister’s life? It was time I stop making the selfish choice. I never wanted to take this Call and now I had a reason to reject the darkness within.

“You have to choose to bind yourself to me.”

I barely breathed. It all sounded too unbelievable, but also, so intricate that he couldn’t have conjured it from an amalgamation of lies.

King Drakkar never lied, and I knew he wouldn’t start now with my stake at his heart.

Why lie about his own vulnerability? The man who liked to grab my throat just to flex his power because he was so desperately afraid of any sliver of control he had slipping away.

“Marry. Me.” He tugged me even closer, the tip of the stake pinching into the fabric of his shirt now.

I recoiled. “Is that all you think of? Binding and controlling me? Do you have someone lined up to take your place as my husband? Some sort of sick legacy of power?”

“Never.” His voice was low, grating, as his eyes searched mine. “I could never see you with someone else.”

Again, I was faced with destroying him and I could not do it. “Let us leave now or I’ll kill you.” My gaze dropped to his hand around my wrist. He wasn’t hurting me, but he held on tightly enough to pull me into him once more, the stake the only barrier between us.

“Do you really want to kill me, Lux?”

I couldn’t speak because I didn’t want to lie. No, I didn’t want to, and I suspected he knew that. But this was my destiny. This was exactly what Odin had asked of me, so why the fuck was I hesitating?

“Eyes up, Lux.” Drak’s voice was softer than I’d ever heard it.

I dragged my attention from the weapon to my betrothed—my first kill, if I could bring myself to do it.

He licked his lips and gave me a slight nod as if to praise me for listening to him. “Good girl, now push. I know you have it within you.” My mouth parted. He wanted me to stake him? “You should determine your own future and if this is what you really want, I’m here for it. ”

None of it made sense. I sucked in a breath. “Why would you want me to kill you?”

“Because this is what you want. Isn’t it?

I’m fucking sick of watching the Blood Council get their way.

I’m fucking sick of watching the Gods control us all, especially you.

But if this is what you want, not the Gods, you , then at least I can give somebody a decision.

Nobody else gets to make their own choices Lux.

Life is all a game but the pieces are moved by the Gods or the Blood Council or men like your father.

Now the only person I care for wants the same things I do, revenge and freedom.

I get to give you this decision, so take it. ”

“Why me? You swore to kill me if I didn’t marry you.”

“It was either marry you or we would both die. Lux, once upon a time, I just wanted to take you from Odin, but now I want to take you. All of you.” His eyes dipped to my mouth.

Feral hunger flickered in his gaze. He drew a sharp breath and tore his focus away from my lips.

“And since you won’t have me, I refuse to watch you become his puppet.

I’d rather be dust than lose you to the Gods.

” He tipped his chin back and leaned in, the stake now digging into his flesh. “So kill me.”

Accept the call. Kayn’s voice echoed in my head. Or maybe he’d said it aloud, I was aware of nothing outside the bubble enclosing me and King Drakkar. It could have even been Odin screaming at me from Valhalla.

I had the strength. The Calling was within reach, all that would allow me to unearth the truths and stop the injustice thrust upon all of Vylheim from the Blood Council.

I met the king’s icy gaze and a shiver rippled through me.

Why can’t I do it? He was the only one who’d ever told me the truth and for some reason, despite every life he’d taken, that was enough to keep me from thrusting the stake into the hollow of his chest.

Footsteps echoed in the hall, drifting in from where the door was left open.

“You will let us leave.” I released the pressure on the stake and helped Kayn to his feet.

“For now,” King Drakkar said. I shot him a glare before we stepped into the tunnel. “A war is coming, Lux, and I want the huntress on my side.”

“No way in hell.”

“You already know I’m not very good at asking.”