The Vampire Gift 2: Kingdom of Ash (33 page)

I remain in my hiding spot, seething. If I had come across Victoria alone… maybe, just maybe, I would have risked ending her life. She’s been a thorn in my side ever since she was made some forty years ago. It was only after she left The Crypts with James that Father recognized my utility to him again…

I wait for them to leave. Then, when I’m sure that I’m alone, I get up and start deeper into the caves.

The spell alerts me to somebody else underground. None should be here, especially with The Ancient taking control of The Convicted and directing them against the humans.

As I get closer and the spell gives me more information, I realize this other vampire is barely clinging on to life, too. I smirk. What are the odds of coming across two stragglers like that?

The smirk fades when I reach the small entrance hidden in the cavern wall and see that it is James bleeding on the floor.

Immediately, I mutter a spell that forces his eyes closed. I cannot risk him seeing me. He groans as the magic sets in, straining his already-spent body.

I go to my knees at his side. His wounds are numerous. They’re not healing, either.

That means they’ve been made with a silver weapon.

Conflict wanes through me. If James managed to get himself killed, there’d be nothing for me to do. But he’s not dead yet. If I turn a blind eye, however, he’d only last minutes more.

What to do, what to do?

Eventually, loyalty to my family wins out. James might be a bastard, he might be an asshole, but he is still my half-brother. Despite the secrets of our connection, and the tenuousness of it,
I
know.

And if I let him die, guilt will haunt me for ages.

Shaking my head, I bring my wrist to my mouth. My fangs protrude. I pierce two small holes on the underside of my arm.

I let a drop of blood fall on each of James’ wounds, watching as it fizzes and mixes with his and begins to heal him.

I bring my arm away when the worst of his injuries are sealed. Doing it this way, instead of feeding him my blood, makes the process less efficient. But I’ve been forbidden to feed any vampire my blood, because of The Spark I possess. Because of the unintended consequences sharing such blood with others could bring.

James groans and rolls over. It’ll take a while for him to get up. But with the worst of his injuries gone, I’ve pulled him away from the precipice of death. That, in and of itself, is a more precious gift than he has any right to expect.

I rise and focus my energies on ripping that hole in reality that’ll allow me to escape. The familiar blue light greets me. A portal opens to the Paths.

Without looking back I leap through. Only when I’m on the other side do I realize I neglected to lift the spell binding James’s eyes shut.

A perverse sort of glee takes me. The spell might last a day, maybe two. James will think he’s gone blind. Wouldn’t that be frightening?

But I think, if he knew, he’d agree: a bit of discomfort is well worth keeping his life.

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