An Unacceptable Mate

Chapter Thirty Four

The volume of screams, grunts and inhumane growls filled the air. I knew from this that Inerra hadn't been lying about it being an army of rogues. The guards of the palace fought to defend it, leading to the creation of the bloodbath that Acera now sped through.

My eyes were forced to close as the wind whipped past at a terrifying rate. I'd never been in a situation quite like this. Hundreds – no thousands – of vampires were swarmed around me and I was running.

For once, I'd been the one convincing Acera that we had to flee and that it was the only option.

The forest was huge, stretching for miles. The autumn leaves were inaudible as Acera glided over them with his superhuman speed. He didn't make a single noise of complaint about the insane amount of strength he needed to carry his brother and mate whilst he had to sprint to safety all at once.

We somehow made it past the most densely packed area of the trees and appeared in a clearing. My eyes zoned in on the black Ferrari. I silently thanked Inerra for telling the truth about there being vehicles as Acera yanked the door open. I clambered down, turning round to face the treeline. I had no weapons, but at least I'd be able to give a premature warning.

    "Charlie, get in. Now," Acera shouted at me. The hum of chaos grew louder and louder, bringing my heart to thud at an entire new level of panic.

I glanced at him as he – bless him – pulled the seatbelt over Inerra's limp form in the passenger seat. "Not until you're ready..."

His irritated orange eyes snapped to mine when some sort of animal leapt onto him. Then more of them appeared. I yelped, finding that at least twenty rogues had appeared, eyes wild and faces smeared in drying blood.

Acera was pulled back from the car in the struggle. I could see them slowly stalking towards me, knowing smirks pulling at their lips.

    "Defenceless human. Don't miss those days one bit," one snarled.

Keeping my movements to a minimal, I edged back to the car, hand reaching inside where Inerra sat.

    "What are you doing, human?" another teased.

In a flash, I slipped inside, slamming the door after me. I locked each door, awkwardly manoeuvring over the unconscious Inerra in the process. They started to scrape at the windows and roof. I was seeing black blotches around my vision.

  "Shit, don't pass out," I hissed at myself, smacking myself over the head to clear the foggy darkness. "Deep breaths." I inhaled slowly and then exhaled once before I returned to searching the inside of the Ferrari for any weapon I could use.

All of a sudden, the back window was smashed through, a hand appearing. I groaned. "Cheap piece of shit this car is. Didn't think of a vampire invasion, did we Ferrari? Nooo, you were too preoccupied with how this baby was going to look and not how it would stand against a vampire apocalypse."

Muttering away faster now, I started to tear every compartment to shreds when all of a sudden, after ripping the leather seat to the right, I found a plank of wood supporting the wall of the car. My brows plucked together. They used wood in Ferraris?

Ignoring my amazement, I knocked at it, clawed at it and then tore it from place. I carefully separated the wood into two parts, both equally as sharp. For once, I had a backup stake.

I peered at the window. There was no one there. My eyes darted to every other one and then to the back. All that remained was a gaping hole where the vampire had punched through the glass. Where had they gone? Were they tricking me? Or had they found something more interesting?