Fear the Reaper [malexmale]

Chapter Seven

I was going to break into that fucking room one way or another. And I knew the moment I did, I'd find a way to save those souls locked in the statues as well. Two birds, one stone. Now I just had to find the goddamn stone.

No use standing around in front of the door, kicking at it, though. So I left it alone, made a mental note of where it was at before I headed toward my room. The sound of my boots echoed on the marble floors as I walked, frowning and trying to figure out what to do next. Of course, I didn't really get too in depth because a strange pulse went through the air, bringing me to a complete stop.

I froze, listening to the silence of the castle around me, the soft wind outside the windows, windows that gleamed under the lights inside, spread eerie shadows out onto the snow outside. The pulse that went through the air rippled, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Before I knew it, my legs were carrying me down the hallway at a steady walk that turned into a run.

I knew that presence.

I knew who was here.

My run turned into a hard sprint, my boots thumping against the marble, my arms pumping at my sides. My heart was pounding hard against the inside of my chest as I wound another corner and bolted down one of the hallways that would take me straight into the foyer. I came in, stopping just by the stairs to confirm the crackling source of magic I'd felt clear across the castle.

Standing in the foyer, looking thoroughly pissed as fuck with blazing icy blue eyes, Xiphrus was glaring up at the top of the stairs. However, the moment I came in, his eyes swung around and locked on me, widening slightly.

"Stanton," he gasped, taking a step toward me. Instinct made me take a step back, only to bump into a body behind me and I went still at the coldness that engulfed me as Viviana's arms came around me, pinning my arms to my sides, her magic holding me prisoner far better than her arms could ever hope to achieve.

"Ssh," Viviana purred, making Xiphrus pull up short and suck in a sharp breath, "I told you what would happen if you broke our deal, Xiphrus." I was confused for a moment, because I could've sworn she already did this sorta thing, only kidnapping me and dropping me in her castle to not only give Xiphrus a heart attack, but apparently for something more. Except pain erupted up my spine and my head fell back as a shout tore my throat. Ice flooded my veins, crackling right up into my chest, spreading out, tightening everything inside me, my muscles pulling taut.

Christ, it was like that horror show the other day.

No part of me could move.

I was frozen, stuck in place, paralyzed, again.

My lungs ceased their steady inhale-exhale, going absolutely frigid and still, like they'd been frozen over. My heart's pounding went from violent to slow, to non-existent. Everything inside me cracked and tightened with cold, so cold that my final breath escaped as a cold cloud up into the air. My vision darkened at the edges, went from showing the dark rafters overhead, cloaked in dark shadows that only stared down in silent observation, to images of everything that had ever plagued my nightmares. Blood hit me across the face, fangs flashing in my peripheral vision, a phantom pain exploding in my throat from where I'd been bitten, someone's arms tightening around me.

And all the while, I was forbidden to move.

All I could do was stand there as someone devoured me, piece by piece, my own blood sticking to my face and hair, my lips parted in a silent scream.

Unlike last time, however, this assault of morbid memories vanished like a cloud of smoke over my head and I was back to staring up at the rafters, for only a moment. Because a second later, I hit the floor in a crumple, gasping in pain, clawing at my throat. I rolled over onto my back, gasping for breath as I looked up to see Xiphrus standing over me, his grasp around Viviana's throat, his fangs bared. His chest was pumping up and down, his eyes flashing a variety of colors from blue to orange to red to green and back again. His tattoos flickered on and off, like lightbulb struggling to turn back on after so long without usage.