Blood Curse by Gow Kailin

Author:Gow, Kailin [Gow, Kailin]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Anthologies & Short Stories, Mythology & Folk Tales, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Anthologies, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, New Adult & College, Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 1597480576
Publisher: theEDGEbooks.com
Published: 2014-03-02T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

For a moment, everything was still – horribly, preternaturally still. All Kalina could hear was the sound of the cave – the dripping of water deep within the belly of the cavern, the hollow wind rustling lamely through the labyrinthine corridors, the lonely scratches of mice and other beasts in the furthest reaches of the cavern's depths. For a moment, Kalina's mind went blank.

She was focusing on the littlest things, on the strangest things. She was focusing on Octavius’ face, and the look of pain in his deep and blazing eyes, on precisely how his nose curled so slightly at the base. She was focusing on Nereti's porcelain countenance, on the way Nereti's left eyebrow was arched upwards in shock as she took in the full force of what she had done: as she realized that her hand was wrist-deep in Octavius’ chest, gorging with blood that overflowed up her forearm, staining it dark, wine-dark.

“No...” Kalina whispered in horror, feeling the pounding in her own chest grow louder, ever louder, with despair. Octavius had saved Justin and Jaegar's life – but at what cost? Was this how it was going to end – could this be how it ended – Octavius murdered by the woman who had already taken so much from him, who had already made him her slave?

Nereti's expression was gradually changing, the features contorting in slow motion. She had previously sported a look of utter fury; now that fury was muted. Instead her face bore the signs of shock, of horror, even of fear. Quickly, with the nimble lightness that befit her status as Mother of Vampires, she withdrew her bloodied hand from Octavius’ broad chest, from which now gushed forth new torrents.

For a moment, she stood in shock – utter shock. Kalina looked at her in wonder. She had never seen Nereti so shaken, so overcome by anything at all.

But then Nereti regained control of her body. She immediately took both of her palms and placed them against Octavius’ chest, against the sweat and the skin. No sooner had she done so than a glowing golden light appeared, radiating outward from her fingertips. The light shone upon the wound.

Slowly, surely, the skin began to close together; the wound began to heal. Kalina could see Octavius’ face – how the pain was slowly leaving him, replaced instead with slightly dazed self-possession. Octavius was being restored to life.

It hit Kalina like a thunderstorm. All at once she began to hear Nereti's thoughts, loud as cannons, landing surefire into her brain.

What am I doing? This is not like you, Nereti. This is not behavior befitting the Mother of Vampires. You are above all things, higher in your solitude than all desires. You are the mistress of yourself, and no man has ever defeated you on the battlefield. No man has ever defeated you. You are strong; you are ancient; you possess the old and atavistic forces of the old world. You have never once faltered. Never once have you shown mercy.

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