Blood and Belladonna: Westwood Origins by JD Caren

Author:JD Caren [Caren, JD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-03-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

The trip back out the tunnels was much more enjoyable. True, there wasn’t anything to see since it was black as pitch, but there was also no searing pain, and this time Camilla trusted Shaughnessy to not drop her in a hole. As soon as they were outside, she pulled in deep breaths of the crisp, fresh air.

The moon was just rising. It would be full tonight. The chilled air tickled against her bare legs and she wished she had them covered. Anyone who took one look at her dressed this way and in the company of a man would make assumptions. She was to walk back into Westwood Castle where assumptions were guaranteed. But the only available covering was the trousers Shaughnessy was wearing and that would be worse.

A warbling sound caught her attention. While she looked for the source, a solid thud came from behind her accompanied by a groan of pain.

“I am sick and bloody tired of being staked to things,” Shaughnessy growled. She recognized the weapon buried high on his chest near the shoulder the moment she saw it.

“Rowan.” She ran to where Shaughnessy was working the blade loose from the tree at his back. It had cut straight through him. “Hurry,” she breathed and used her body to shield his. Rowan was out there in the dark somewhere and he was almost as fast as Shaughnessy. With any luck, he’d run ahead of the hunters to scout and was alone.

She glanced back to see Shaughnessy snap the staff over his knee. By the time she was facing forward, Rowan was there. “Move away from her, Shaughnessy.”

“Rowan, wait,” she said and grabbed hold of Shaughnessy’s arm with both hands when he moved forward. “Shaughnessy, please, go. Leave now. I’ll be safe with Rowan, but he will kill you.”

“There is no leaving. The king has ordered you dead on sight.” He pulled the two short swords that were his brother’s preferred weapons from behind his back.

“We wouldn’t want to disappoint the king,” Shaughnessy said in a distorted voice that meant his fangs were at full length. His eyes glowed amber and he crouched forward. Blood coated one side of his chest, but the wound had stopped bleeding. She wasn’t sure anymore that Rowan would win this fight.

“No, stop,” she said, giving his arm a jerk. “There is no need to fight. Rowan, I’m coming with you. He won’t try to stop us.” Rowan was already shaking his head.

If Shaughnessy ran, there was a good chance Rowan could catch him and one of them would die. They were on edge now, each waiting to see what the other would try first. Rowan’s expression tightened every time his eyes wandered down to the shirt and her legs. Assumptions.

“Then we have a problem,” she said and dropped her hand from Shaughnessy’s arm. “I won’t let either one of you kill the other.”

“Camilla, you know what Eirnen will do if I pass this opportunity. The vampire deserves to die for what he’s done.

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