Afterlife (Purgatory Series Part Three)

Chapter Fourteen

Previously...

Tears burned my eyes as the ash drifted from my hands to the floor.

"Are you alright?" Altair's voice asked, his fingers tilting my chin up so he could look into my eyes.

All I could manage was a shake of my head and a shrug. Words wouldn't come out around the lump in my throat, but he seemed to understand I wanted an explanation.

"I burned the spell book and they ran," he supplied, dropping his hands away from me and crossing them against his chest. "I'm sorry I let this happen, Thea. I should never have let them talk me into coming here. Into trying to hurt you."

I nodded, but said nothing. There was nothing to say. Instead I walked away back the way I came.

•••

Chapter Fourteen

I only made it ten feet before collapsing. Goblins whispered excitedly from their hiding places, and their shadows inched ever closer as they waited for the right time to strike. Through sheer willpower and stubbornness I managed to stagger back to my feet, but I had to hold onto the wall for balance.

Whatever spell Delilah had cursed me with was taking its toll. Everything hurt, I was exhausted, and feelings of bloodlust and rage bubbled right below the surface of my skin, setting me on edge and making me jittery. Somehow I was managing to keep it together - but only barely.

What had she done to me?

Despite the fact that Altair probably knew, I couldn't bring myself to ask. In fact, I couldn't even turn to face him for fear I might try to tear his throat out. So instead I just kept walking, hoping by the time I reached the entrance of the mine Roran would be there waiting for me and it would be dark enough to leave.

Without warning my vision darkened and I stumbled on a patch of loose rock. A nearby goblin saw his opportunity and lunged, the knife in his hand glinting dangerously in the low light. My fangs and claws descended and I lowered myself into a defensive stance in preparation of its attack.

But the attack never came.

A flash of bright light temporarily blinded me, and when my eyes finally adjusted all that remained of the goblin was a smoldering corpse. A faint, glowing light from behind me and warmth at my back told me Altair had been my rescuer.

A grunt was all I could form in thanks. He didn't say anything either. In fact, he hadn't spoken since we left the dungeon room. Risking a glance behind me, I was surprised to see him staring at the ground with a heartbroken look and his hands balled into fists.

I didn't care if he felt bad. I couldn't care if he felt bad. I had problems of my own to worry about.

As we neared the end of the mine I couldn't help but feel even more disappointed. Roran wasn't waiting for us and there was far too much light for me to leave safely.

Letting out a curse that would have had my mother dragging me to church, I punched my fist into the wall in frustration and winced when the impact broke open the skin around my knuckles. I stared down at the injury in confusion and fear. I was a vampire. I was supposed to be practically invincible, right?

"What the hell is going on?" I muttered under my breath. "This cannot be happening right now."

"Calm down, okay?" Altair commented, looking over my shoulder. "Everything's going to be alright."

"Easy for you to say!" I shrieked in panic. "You're not the one who got cursed by Delilah's magic!"

Before I even recognized the symptoms, an asthma attack hit me like a train, and I tumbled to the floor out of breath and shaking. My fear doubled when I realized I didn't have an inhaler to help keep my throat from constricting and closing off my air.