Struck (A Vampire Novel) ✔

Forty-Five

When I tore around a corner and flew into an opened area in the building, a loud eruption crashed so close that it caused me to halt sharply. I watched as the wall of the building crumbled as if it were made out of straw. I wasn’t sure what caused it to crumble, except for the massive hole that had been created through it just beforehand. I turned my gaze from the destroyed piece of architect to the opposite end of the room.

Jacobi was almost unrecognizable. His clothing was torn and dirty, nearly as destroyed as the wall behind me. Blood splattered across his form in random places, though I couldn’t see any visible wounds. He stood furious, eyes blacker than death itself and fangs extended dangerously. I could only stare at his frightening figure with near-wonder, almost enthralled by the power I could feel pulsing from him.

As he spotted me, he wavered, lowering his hands which had been clinched in fists at his sides. He looked at me as if he didn’t believe I was actually here. Had he thought I was gone, either having run away or been killed? It didn’t matter. I only hesitated a moment longer before I began to run to him, wishing nothing more than to feel those dangerous arms wrapped around me once again.

My progression was halted by a set of different arms, causing me to scream once I knew they belonged to someone else altogether.

“Elysia,” Jacobi called out, stepping to help me.

“I will kill her if you make one more move,” Vincent snarled, his hand wrapping around my neck just under my jaw in a threatening manner. He clearly intended to break my neck, which I was sure I couldn’t recover from as easily as a vampire. I could feel his claws, sharp and extended, scraping against my skin dangerously. I froze in his grip, afraid if I struggled I would have my throat slit rather than a broken neck.

“Let her go,” Jacobi hissed angrily.

“Shall we make a bet about your Mate?” If being called Jacobi’s Mate startled him any, he didn’t show it. Vincent breathed in my scent specifically to make a point and I closed my eyes momentarily, my heart throbbing in my throat under his claws. “I bet I can slice her head off before you can reach me. We’ll see who wins. I must warn you, I do have an impressive record. I guess you could say… I practice.” Jacobi tensed, as though preparing to take Vincent up on his bet, and Vincent’s grip tightened, drawing blood from my neck. I winced, whimpering against my will, and it was enough for Jacobi to hesitate.

“What do you want, Vincent?” Jacobi spat. He clearly wasn’t willing to risk losing my head.

“Well, let’s keep this simple. You give me your life and she can keep hers,” Vincent responded shortly, scraping a single claw against my flesh slowly. “Once you’re dead, your coterie will need a new Master. My Xander will come crawling back to me. And, even better, your Kindred.” He chuckled, deep and low, causing a repulsive chill to run over my skin. Jacobi seemed to think over the choice, which sent me into a different type of panic.

“No, Jacobi! You-“ Vincent cut me off by tightening his iron grip around my neck. I bit down on my tongue and began to struggle viciously. I wouldn’t just sit back and let Jacobi kill himself to save me.

“Choose quickly, Jacobi. Your mate is beginning to irritate me,” Vincent growled dangerously.

Jacobi only paused a moment before relaxing slightly, as though giving up completely. His eyes reverted back to those golden brown orbs, which were trained on me carefully. I fought against Vincent even more desperately, wanting to scream for Jacobi to stop. I wasn’t worth it. My life wasn’t more valuable than his. He was a Master of the wealthiest and largest coterie in the United States. I was just… some girl; a daughter of a vampire hunter without a family.