Blood Curse (Pulse #8) by Kailin Gow

out...
              She found herself in a large cavern, deep within the belly of the caves. The room was enormous, hexagonal in shape, lit only by a few candles scattered in candelabras about the room. Nereti stood in the center of the room, a cruel and mocking smile upon her porcelain white face, the ruby lips curved like a scimitar. In Nereti's hand was the one diamond she had taken from Kalina. Slowly, deliberately, she took the diamond and pressed it into the ground.
              What was she doing? Kalina craned her neck to see. But no sooner had she taken in Nereti's action than the whole cavern began to shake. The diamond was trembling in the earth, causing a shudder to spread throughout the whole cave network, cracks splintering in the floor, along the walls, separating the ground. A deep chasm appeared, as if from the bowels of the earth, cleaving the room in two.
              Kalina gasped as she looked down into the chasm. It seemed to have no end. Darkness followed upon darkness – an eternal abyss.
              “So, this is what it's all about?” Kalina's words were quiet, so quiet that she didn't think Nereti had heard her. But as soon as the words were uttered, Nereti looked up and saw Kalina, a burning look of fury upon her austerely beautiful face. Surprise spread across her features. “How dare you follow me here?” she bellowed, her words echoing off the cavern walls. “How dare you try to usurp me? This is mine to have, not yours, imposter!” Her words hissed – they were terrible. “Just because you look like me does not mean you will be the one to inherit its power!”
              Overcome by anger, Nereti stamped her foot. But the force was too great. Immediately, the whole cavern seemed to tremble and shake, the fault lines becoming more and more numerous, until the whole cave network had started to crumble.
              “Kal, no!” a voice cried.
              Kalina turned to see Jaegar and the others – horror and confusion on their faces. But they had come a second too late. No sooner had she spied them than a huge conglomeration of rocks fell down from the ceiling, separating her from the others.
              “Kal!” It was Max – her voice drowned out by the sound of the crashing rocks.
              She was trapped. The rest of the vampires – both Nereti's and her own friends – were on the other side of the barrier. She was alone with Nereti.
              Or was she?
              A dark figure she had not noticed earlier was standing silently in the shadows. Slowly, calmly, he stepped into the light of the candelabra.
              Her heart skipped a beat.
              It was Octavius. He was as desperately, devastatingly handsome as ever, his broad shoulders powerful, his taut muscles rippling, the sweat glinting from his tanned, toned chest. He was shirtless, his long dark hair in sensuous tresses, his mouth as wickedly seductive as ever, the thick lips curved in an intoxicating pout. Against herself, Kalina felt the sudden compulsion to run to him, to embrace him, to bury herself in his arms. Surely the sight of her must bring back old feelings – old goodness?
              But there was no love for her in his eyes. Nor was there even the slightest bit of desire – or recognition. His eyes were glassy and blank: a cold, cruel stare.
              Nereti laughed, a laugh that was almost a cackle. “My general has no interest in you, Imposter,” she said. “Octavius doesn't feel the same way about you anymore. He is now my loyal general. He listens to, answers, serves, services, pleasures...only me.”
              Kalina hadn't expected it to hurt this much. She'd suffered Octavius’ betrayal nightly in her dreams, but the sight of him here, in the flesh, was overwhelming.
              She needed him like she needed oxygen. But she couldn't touch him.