Footsteps sounded down the hall, but they’d be too late.
Samuel wrenched the daggers from his belly and chest, and they clanged to the floor as he stepped over the ruined crimson fabric of Avianna’s dress, headed my way. Then he tugged the one out of his hand and it fell to the floor only feet away.
It may as well have been a mile. I’d be dead before I could reach it. Even now, my vision was dimming at the edges.
“I don’t need weapons to kill you,” he hissed.
My heart managed a beat, then another, but the space between was too long and the pain was excruciating.
His gaze jumped toward the door as the footsteps grew nearer and he staggered to the corner where James had been standing, stepping on his uncle to get away, but to where?
My back was to the door, but I felt the others pouring into the room, their entrance bottlenecked by the bedroom door and Greenbriar’s body.
“Avianna!” Jocelyn screamed, appearing toward my left and racing toward Avianna as Samuel reached for a statue on the fireplace. A secret door popped open in the corner, previously hidden by the wooden molding.
“Avi!” Benedict followed his mate to Avi’s side.
The constriction of my heart eased up as the door swung fully open, and it was easy to see why. Through the tears of Samuel’s shirt, I watched as his skin knitted together, healing the wounds I’d given him.
Samuel raced for the secret entrance and I took my first full breath as the pain vanished…and Avianna’s took its place through the bond.
Her heart was slowing, stammering, trying to pump blood that wasn’t there.
I lunged forward, grabbed a bloodied dagger from the floor and scrambled to my feet, running to the other side of the room, jumping over James’s body and continuing pursuit. I was ten feet away from the secret door, but I saw the path just fine. The hallway ran the length of the next room, then curved.
Avianna. Her pain was unbearable, her breaths shallow gasps. I could chase Samuel or I could be with my mate. I could save her.
There was no competition to be had.
Avianna won.
“Benedict, I think she’s dying!” Jocelyn yelled.
I threw the dagger. It sailed through the air, but before it could pass the doorway to the secret hallway, it was snatched out of the air by Saint.
“No!” I bellowed.
“It is my right, my place to end the life of my twin.” He palmed the dagger and faced me, his chest heaving. “Hawthorne, I take upon me your blood vow as my own.” He gave me ancient, formal words that I’d only ever read in the archives. “Upon my life, I will see it done!” He took off into the hallway, clutching my dagger, Dagon close on his heels as they gave chase.
The bond weakened. Avianna was slipping away.
“Avi!” Alek yelled, pushing his way into the room and falling to Avianna’s side. “Get these chains off her!”
Jocelyn raised her hands, and the manacles fell open.
“She’s drained,” Benedict remarked as I ran toward her side, but they were all crammed in the corner, all blocking me.
“I’ll volunteer my wrist,” Ajax offered.
“Thank you—” Alek started.
“The hell you will!” I shoved them both out of the way, the males both staggering backward as I fell to Avianna’s side.
She was paler than death, her beautiful blue eyes closed to the world, her heart slower than mine had been in Samuel’s grasp. The bond between us was faltering.
“Mine!” I tugged Avianna out of Jocelyn’s arms and into mine, cradling her against my chest before I ripped open my wrist with my fangs and held it to her ashen lips. “Drink, Avianna.”
Alek and Ajax both moved forward as Avianna’s lips opened. Her throat worked. She swallowed. Come on, Princess. You can do better than that.
“Hawke.” Alek’s tone held a warning that I didn’t give a shit about. My mate came before my king, before my brethren, before anyone.
“Mine!” I didn’t even recognize the voice as my own. The predator inside me had control. His wounded mate was in his arms and he only recognized the other vampires as threats.
Alek raised his brows, and he and Ajax shot each other a look before stepping back.
And with that simple motion, the beast retreated.
“Fucking territorial, that one,” Ajax muttered.
Avi fed, but there wasn’t a fast enough blood flow at my wrist. I lifted her a little higher and leaned down, putting her mouth at my throat. “Bite, Avi.”
She whimpered.
“Fucking bite!” I snapped at her. “You don’t get to die today, Avianna. I don’t care how bad it hurts, how much you want to give up. Bite!”
She struck, and I cradled her head at my throat. There was none of the pleasure that usually followed her strike, just pure, euphoric relief that she was feeding, swallowing faster and faster. Fucking thank you, God.