Blood Magic (After Dark Book 7) by Sarah Bailey (historical books to read .txt) 📕

both Questor and her father. He really was a piece of work. She hoped this would be the final straw for him. He deserved to be put down like the dog he was.

She kept trying to send a message to Jamie via their bond. It was the only bit of hope she could cling to. If he knew she was in danger, then maybe he could come for her. There was no doubt in her mind Questor was going to make her breathe a human whether she wanted to or not. And she’d die. Die without Jamie. The thought killed her inside. If she died, it would break him too. There was nothing for it. She put all her effort and might into sending her fear through their bond.

Please, Jamie, you have to know how scared I am. I’m going to die if you don’t come for me.

A single tear slipped down her cheek. Questor noticed it immediately because his smile was back.

“So, the reality you’re going to die is sinking in. Cry all you want. It makes no odds to me.”

Not wanting to respond, she glared at him. She wasn’t crying over what he was going to do. The heartbreak her vampire would feel broke her in two. All she needed in this life was Jamie and she was going to be torn away from him.

“Just get on with it.”

Desolation sunk in. She tried. It was useless. Jamie wasn’t coming. At least she’d told him she loved him. She could go without having that regret hanging over her head. The moments they’d shared meant everything to her. Jamie had given her the world and for that, she’d be forever grateful to her vampire.

“I didn’t think you’d be so eager to die, Dani.”

“I’m not, but you’re not going to let me live so why drag this out any longer? I’m sure you have better things to do than to stand around chatting to me in a dark park.”

He grinned again, shaking his head a little.

“Why, yes I do.”

Clicking his fingers, a teenage boy, no older than seventeen stepped out into the clearing. Dani baulked at the sight of him. She didn’t want to kill a human. Questor stepped up to her, eyes gleaming with violence.

“No one is coming for you.”

He looked her up and down before reaching out and taking her hand. He ran his fingers over her upturned palm. She shuddered with revulsion at his touch.

“You have a surprising amount of magic already running through your veins. This will be easier than I expected. It won’t take much to tip you over the edge.”

“I’ll never breathe him.”

His eyes flicked up to hers.

“Oh, you will.”

He took the boy by the arm and dragged him over to stand before Dani. The boy looked a little sheepish, but he smiled at her.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I know what he’s going to make you do.”

She shook her head. Breathing from him was wrong, especially with what would happen afterwards.

“He’s trying to kill me. You don’t understand,” she said.

“Shut up,” Questor snarled.

“Don’t let me breathe you. I’ll die. It’ll consume me, please.”

Questor grabbed her by the neck and squeezed.

“I said shut up.”

She couldn’t get any more words out, choking as his fingers tightened. The boy just stood there, eyes glazed over. Questor had done something to him. She couldn’t help the tears falling then. She really was going to die.

“Good girl,” Questor whispered in her ear.

He nodded at the boy who stepped closer to her and brought his wrist up.

“Now, I know you don’t want this, Dani, but you will do what I say if you don’t want me to kill your precious Novus.”

He released her neck. She took several gulping breaths.

“What?” she croaked.

“I have your brother and I will kill him if you don’t comply.”

He was lying. He had to be. There was no way he’d have gotten to Novus.

“You’re lying. You don’t have Novus.”

“Don’t I?”

Two fae stepped out, carrying someone in between them. Dani screamed. There were bruises all over her brother’s face, but she recognised him.

“No, let him go.”

She struggled against the magical barriers keeping her immobile.

“Now, now, Dani. You know how to make sure Novus lives.”

Tears streamed down her face. How could he have gotten to Novus? Sickness coiled in her stomach.

“Novy!”

Novus didn’t stir even when the two fae shook him.

“You idiots,” Questor seethed. “Wake him up. I told you he was to be unharmed.”

“Sorry, he didn’t want to come quietly,” said one of the men.

One of them slapped Novus around the face and her brother groaned. They set him on his feet as he raised his head. His eyes went wide immediately.

“Dani!”

“Novy,” she sobbed. “It was him. He killed mother and now he’s going to kill me too.”

Her brother struggled against the grip of the two fae

“Let her go.”

Questor laughed.

“Now, now, I promised your sister you would go free if she breathes this human.”

Dani had absolutely no choice. She could not allow Novus to die for her. She grabbed the boy’s wrist and brought it to her mouth.

“No, Dani, don’t do it,” Novus called.

“Good girl,” Questor said, eyes intent on her.

“Please, Dani. Don’t do this.”

She shook her head. She’d rather die than have her brother’s death on her conscience. Questor had known exactly who she cared about the most apart from her vampire and he’d used it against her.

Closing her eyes, she sent one last message to Jamie down their bond.

I’m sorry. I love you, Jamie. Goodbye.

The translucent energy flowed from the boy’s wrist into her mouth as she breathed him. The magic took hold immediately, causing her to glow.

“No, Dani. No!”

It only took a matter of