A Shade of Vampire 22: A Fork of Paths (19 page)

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Authors: Bella Forrest

BOOK: A Shade of Vampire 22: A Fork of Paths

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Julie

I
didn’t even know
where to guide the dolphins. I just knew that Braithe and I had to get away. Far away.

Whatever had happened to Aisha, I was certain that she would make it her life’s mission to hunt me down and give me the end she was so desperate to mete out. I doubted she would rest again until she’d watched me die a slow, painful death.

I felt paranoid now that we floated so exposed on the waves, out in the open for anyone to see. The boat had a small shelter, but it wasn’t the same kind of protection I’d had from her while swimming deep underwater. If she was scouring the waves, she would spot us.

I urged the dolphins on, frustrated that this particular breed didn’t possess the same speed as the sharks bound to my and the Mansons’ ship.

Come on. Come on!

We’d traveled for hours when I caught sight of a huge landmass in the distance. I slowed the boat. I recognized this island. We were nearing the shores of the ogres’ kingdom.

I despised these waters. Not only were they frequented by violent ogres, but they were filled with frightening creatures, just like those lethal crabs.

I began veering the dolphins in the opposite direction of the shoreline when a thought struck me.

Where can I actually go to hide with Braithe?

I couldn’t keep sailing the seas—we were far too vulnerable in this boat. I had to get us to land… but which land? The list of places that I could think of where I could escape alone was short enough, but with Braithe? The list became nonexistent. Who would want him on their island?

I had been in too much of a hurry to leave the witch’s castle to bring the box with me, so I had nothing to hide him in either.

But on the shore of the ogres’ kingdom… I knew that there was a gate leading back to the human realm. It led to an uninhabited tropical island, rumored to be not all that far from The Shade.

If I passed through that gate with Braithe, we could pass the rest of the day and night hidden somewhere on that small, deserted island. It felt safer than staying in the supernatural realm. I was sure that Aisha would be less likely to find us there.

Then in the morning… I wasn’t sure what we would do. What we
could
do. But at least we’d be safer than we were now, and I’d have a chance to clear my mind and think about what our next step should be. I still hadn’t given up hope of finding a cure. Arletta, Colin and Frederick might be lost forever, but I still had Braithe…
And Hans is still in Cruor.
Although Uma couldn’t help me anymore, there had to be someone else in this universe who could.

I scanned the beach more carefully. I couldn’t spot any ogres roaming it. If I hurried there now with Braithe, we could probably slip through the gate unnoticed.

My gaze roamed Braithe and then fell on the drawstring bag, filled with sedative-laced darts. I was certain that I had more than enough of the witch’s drug to keep Braithe under control. And if I came up with a new plan quickly, we might only end up being in the human realm for a day or two…
I mean, what could go wrong?

What’s next? The End is near…

D
earest Shaddict
,

First of all, thank you so much for accompanying me on Ben and River’s journey. It’s been a thrill to write, and now I strive to conclude it in a beautiful, enthralling and thoroughly satisfying way!

Book 23: A Flight of Souls
releases February 21st, 2016.

It’s set in stone that this will be the
penultimate
book in Ben and River’s story, with Book 24 being the grand finale!

Tap here to pre-order A Flight of Souls now
, and reserve your ticket back to The Shade!

Here’s a preview of the awesome cover (you may need to turn to the next page for it to be visible):