Authors: AJ Jarrett
“I think I know that, but I’m just so scared.” Tears ran down Astrid’s swollen cheeks. “Did you hear the gunshots?”
Miles nodded his head. “I did. Do you know what’s going on?”
“No, but I’m so afraid.” Miles pulled Astrid close as he cried.
The sounds of shouting and more gunfire caused Miles to panic. Was this something that happened often with Malcolm, or had the cavalry come to rescue him? Hope chased his panic away.
Miles grabbed Astrid by the shoulders so the man faced him head on. “Astrid, has this happened before? Do Malcolm’s homes come under fire like this usually?”
“No.” Astrid shook his head.
A smiled spread across his face. “I think Ben has come to rescue us.” His heart felt a little lighter at the possibility of being saved. Even if it wasn’t Ben out there causing the fighting, it may just be enough of a distraction to get him and Astrid out of the house unseen.
Miles got up and pulled Astrid along behind him. The tugging on his hand had him stopping to stare at Astrid. “What is wrong with you? We need to get out of here. Even if that’s not Ben outside, this could be our only chance for escape.”
“But I’m a witch. You said your friend hated witches. Why would he help me at all?”
“Yes, witches aren’t very popular in the paranormal world, but you’re my friend. I will not leave without you.” Miles stepped closer and gently cupped Astrid’s bruised face in his hands. “I’m your family now, Astrid. Where I go, you go.”
“Family?” Astrid’s lips started to tremble again.
Miles smiled. “Yes. Family.” Astrid returned his smile. “Now are you ready to break the hell out of here?”
Astrid nodded, and that was all Miles needed to proceed to the door. When he tried the knob, it was locked. He cursed under his breath. Astrid pushed him aside and ran his hand over the knob and the door clicked open.
“You’ve been practicing.”
Astrid shrugged. “You said to always practice. Practice makes perfect.”
“Yes, I did. I’m glad even with everything that has happened to you, you kept working on your magic. I can’t wait for you to show me all you’ve learned.”
Miles could see the pride in Astrid’s eyes. He took hold of his hand again and eased open the door. The hallway was clear, but he could hear fighting coming from down the hall. The sounds of yelling, snarling, and bodies being tossed around caused Miles’s heart to beat a little faster as he edged his way down the hallway. He cringed when he saw one of the guards that was stationed to watch him dead on the ground. The man’s throat had been ripped out. He would like to have said he felt bad, but he didn’t. Miles wrapped his arm around Astrid and stepped over the dead carcass.
“Where is he?”
Miles froze at those words. It was Ben’s voice. He raced down the hall with Astrid in tow. The need to see the man he loved overrode his better judgment to stay out of sight.
As they neared the railing, what he saw damn near stopped his heart. His lover was in battle against Malcolm. Quinn was up against Lucian. All the men he met were in some sort of battle to the death with the enemy.
Blood covered the foyer, along with debris from broken furniture. It looked like a bomb had gone off in the house.
“Silly warrior. He’s no longer your mate. I claimed him two weeks ago.”
“Liar.”
Miles could see the hurt in his lover’s eyes. He hated knowing he caused such pain to Ben.
“You know it’s the truth. You can’t best me in this battle. You’re getting tired, and I’ve just begun to fight. The mating bond has made me stronger than you can imagine. Tell me, warrior, would you like to die before or after you watch me fuck my mate?”
Miles watched as Ben charged Malcolm. Malcolm had a knife in his hand ready to impale Ben on its length. Not knowing what else to do, Miles ran down the stairs and skidded to a stop. A piece of broken glass lay on the floor at his feet, and he snatched up the shard.
“Stop!”
Everyone seemed to be frozen. No one moved or spoke a word. All eyes were on him, and he only had one chance to fix this problem. Miles just hoped one day Ben would understand.
“Sweetheart, what are you doing out of our room?”
Miles turned to face Malcolm and raised the piece of glass in his hand. “Shut up, you sick freak.” Miles darted his eyes to Ben. “He forced me. He had a spell cast on me that took away my free will.” Tears welled in his eyes. “Please, Ben, say that you believe me.”
Ben took a step toward him, and Miles raised the piece of glass at him.
“Baby, what are you doing?”
Miles shook his head. His body felt heavy. Knowing what needed to be done would only be harder if Ben got too close.
“Ben, stay right where you’re at.”
“See, you fool, he doesn’t want you either.” Malcolm’s harsh laughter echoed off the marble floors.
“Miles.”
Standing next to Quinn was Trevor. Miles’s hands started to shake. He didn’t want Trevor to witness this, but what choice did he have? To save them all, he had to sacrifice himself to weaken Malcolm.
Tears blurred his vision as he looked at Ben. “It’s the only way.”
With strength he didn’t know he possessed, he raised the glass to his throat and swiped the sharp edge against his skin. The tissue separated easily, and blood fell freely from the wound. Miles gasped for breath, but it was pointless. He fell to the floor.
The sounds of screaming and fighting ricocheted all around the room as his blood puddled around him. His body became cold, and he could no longer feel any pain.
Ben had said if one mate died, the other became weakened. He hoped he gave Ben the opportunity he needed to end Malcolm. If Miles’s plan worked, it would be for the best, sacrifice one to save many.
His vision began to fade. Miles wasn’t sure if it was his mind playing tricks on him or not, but he mouthed the words “I love you” to the image of Ben standing over him. Then his eyes fell shut, and an all-consuming numbness engulfed him.
Chapter Thirteen
“No!” Ben screamed as he watched Miles slit his own throat.
“What have you done?” Malcolm shouted as he fell to his knees, grabbing at his chest.
Ben started toward Miles but then stopped. His mate had given him this one chance, and he wouldn’t let Miles’s sacrifice be for nothing. Picking up a machete one of the dark warriors had dropped, he turned toward Malcolm.
“You will die for this,” Ben said through clenched teeth. His heart had just been ripped out, and someone had to be held accountable for the rage inside him.
“You can’t kill me.” Malcolm tried to laugh, but it only came out as a wheeze. “I have information daddy dearest is going to want. You can’t kill me, stupid boy.”
“You want to bet.”
With that, Ben swung his arm around and brought the blade down to Malcolm’s neck. The fear he saw in the man’s eyes before the deathblow came gave him little satisfaction. To know his mate had to die to give him the chance to stop Malcolm made killing him meaningless.
Malcolm’s head fell to the floor with a wet thud. Blood coated the hard floor. No sense of peace came with this kill. He didn’t know what Malcolm meant by saying he had information for his father. If it were true, his father would have told him.
“Get away from him.”
Ben spun on his heel at Trevor’s frantic shouting. He saw a small man kneeling beside Miles chanting words he couldn’t make out. The only paranormals who chanted like that were witches.
Fear for his mate had him running at full speed to Miles’s side. He had to get the witch away from his Miles. He neared the small group surrounding Miles.
“Knock it off, Trevor.” Quinn pulled a squirming Trevor away from Miles. “He’s trying to save him.”
The small man continued to chant. Ben kneeled on the opposite side of Miles and caressed the cold skin that use to be so vibrant. His hands shook as he combed his hands through Miles’s soft brown hair.
“Are you Ben?”
Ben looked up to meet the small man’s eyes. “Yes.”
“My name is Astrid. Miles is my friend.” Ben nodded. “I’m keeping him alive, but I need your help.”
“What? I’ll do anything.” Ben wiped the tears from his eyes.
“Miles said you were a vampire.” Astrid hesitantly reached a shaky hand out to Ben’s shoulder. “You have to turn him to save him. I’m not good at magic and can only keep the wound closed for so long.” Astrid’s voice shook. “Please save him. He’s all I have.”
Skepticism lingered in Ben in dealing with any witch, but if he could help save his mate, he would do anything. Ben looked down at a lifeless Miles, and he hated knowing he was taking the decision of whether or not he became a vampire out of his hands, but he had no choice in the matter. To save Miles he had to turn him.
He gathered Miles in his arms and held the man close to his chest. “Please forgive me, my love.”
Ben struck fast. There was no time to spare. His fangs pierced the ice-cold flesh of his mate’s neck. He sucked as much blood as he could into his mouth then licked the small wound closed. Glancing to his side, Ben picked up the piece of glass that Miles had used to end his life. It seemed only fitting to use the same instrument to bring him back.
Ben gritted his teeth as he sliced a mark across his wrist. Blood dripped like rain and splattered to the floor. With as much care as he could, Ben pulled open Miles’s mouth and covered it with his bleeding wrist, letting his blood bring life back into Miles.
The wound closed, and Ben brought the glass back up to cut another mark.
“Ben, stop!” Quinn shouted as he came to kneel by him. “It only takes one sip for the change to occur. Giving him more will not change the inevitable.”
Ben looked up at his friend. The words Quinn spoke sounded so far away, like Ben was trapped in a tunnel, only able to hear echoes from the world outside. A shudder racked through his body, and a sob was wrenched from his throat.
“Miles is strong, my friend.” Quinn wrapped an arm around Ben’s shoulders and hugged him tight. “Have faith.”
“Is he going to live? Why isn’t he moving? If you turned him, shouldn’t he be awake or at least breathing or some shit?” Trevor’s words were coming out fast and breathless. “Why is nothing happening?”
“It all depends on the person how soon they awake,” Ben whispered. He continued to comb his fingers through Miles’s blood-matted hair.
Please wake up. Please, for me. I can’t live without you.
“Miles spoke of you often.”
Ben shifted his eyes to look at the sprite of a man sitting next to his mate. He had almost forgotten about the witch.
“He said he loved you more than anything.” Astrid giggled. “Even after you brought all the crazy into his life.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure what that means, but it made Miles laugh.”
A laugh escaped his own lips. Yep, that sounded like his mate. Taking a deep breath, Ben held a hand out to the smaller man. “My name is Ben, as you already know. What is yours?”
The man looked frightened as he reached out his hand to shake Ben’s. “Astrid.”
Ben’s heart broke at how timid Astrid was. If Miles had befriended the witch, he must be worthy.
“Astrid, I’m very grateful for you trying to save Miles.”
“But we don’t know if it worked.” Tears streaked Astrid’s face. “He was the only friend I had. If he leaves me, I’m all alone again.”