woman, like me. Not an indecisive little virgin accustomed to fooling around. He knows the pleasures of the flesh, dead or undead. He is done with you.”
Kalina caught sight of Octavius’ face, of his eyes. If only she could see something , she thought desperately, some glint in his eyes, some change in his expression, that might reveal that he still felt something for her, that there was a power in him that could rebel against the spell Nereti had put him under – then she would know that he loved her still. But he betrayed nothing. His eyes were glassy and vacant. There was no hatred, no anger, no fear, no nothing. There was only a dull and neutral look – the look of a living doll.
“If you're so sure he wants you,” Kalina's voice dripped with sarcasm. “Then why don't you unglamour him? If you're as special as you say, he shouldn't need to be transformed into a zombie to want you.”
Nereti's mouth thinned into a tight, hard smile. “Insolent girl,” she muttered. “Do not speak of what does not concern you.”
“Why?” Kalina felt her face grow hot with anger. “Are you scared? Are you afraid that if you let Octavius off his leash, you'll find that he doesn't want you anymore? Is that the only way you know how to keep a man – with magic?”
Nereti's laugh was terrible as it echoed around the caves. “Says the girl whose power lies in the magic of your blood!” She snorted. “You think you're special, after all? That all the vampires between Mongolia and Mont Blanc love you because of you ? No, my sweet. You're just a source of blood to them. Of sweet, tasty, Carrier-borne Life's Blood. That's all you ever were to Octavius. To Jaegar. To all those foolish brothers who lost their heads over you as a dog might for meat from a bloody bone.”
Her insult had landed. Kalina felt the blow deep within her heart. Nereti was lying – she knew she was lying! – she knew Octavius had loved her, that Jaegar loved her...
But Nereti looked so confident, so sure, as she watched Kalina react to the sting.
“But no more talking,” she murmured. “You don't want to waste the last moments of your life in idle conversation, do you?”
“Not a chance,” said Kalina through gritted teeth.
At once they were at war. At once, Nereti was gliding through the air, her lithe limbs slicing through the empty space between them, her rippling muscles taut.
As much as she despised Nereti, Kalina felt a sense of awe. She was in the presence of a great warrior – of an ancient power – she could feel Nereti's power all around her. How could any woman, how could any vampire, be so graceful, so strong?
Help me. Kalina closed her eyes, trying to tap into the power of the Life's Blood within. Carriers past, present, and future – hear my plea. Let me tap into your strength. Let me be strong enough to bear this.
Suddenly, she felt as if her whole body were shaking. No longer did she move by her own will, by her own choice. Something else was controlling her body – a force as powerful as that she sensed lurked within Nereti's muscular frame. It was her Life's Blood, boiling, coursing, nearly bursting her veins, carrying within the red blood cells memories of Carriers old and new, of that ancient race of women who had given their lives to fighting against evil.
She heard a murmuring all around her – echoes of whispers. Names of women who had fought, and suffered, and died. Names of women who had loved. Names of all those Carriers who had given everything to get a plague like Nereti off the face of the earth forever.
Kalina began to fight.
She matched Nereti blow for blow, feint for feint, dodge for dodge. She was
Kalina caught sight of Octavius’ face, of his eyes. If only she could see something , she thought desperately, some glint in his eyes, some change in his expression, that might reveal that he still felt something for her, that there was a power in him that could rebel against the spell Nereti had put him under – then she would know that he loved her still. But he betrayed nothing. His eyes were glassy and vacant. There was no hatred, no anger, no fear, no nothing. There was only a dull and neutral look – the look of a living doll.
“If you're so sure he wants you,” Kalina's voice dripped with sarcasm. “Then why don't you unglamour him? If you're as special as you say, he shouldn't need to be transformed into a zombie to want you.”
Nereti's mouth thinned into a tight, hard smile. “Insolent girl,” she muttered. “Do not speak of what does not concern you.”
“Why?” Kalina felt her face grow hot with anger. “Are you scared? Are you afraid that if you let Octavius off his leash, you'll find that he doesn't want you anymore? Is that the only way you know how to keep a man – with magic?”
Nereti's laugh was terrible as it echoed around the caves. “Says the girl whose power lies in the magic of your blood!” She snorted. “You think you're special, after all? That all the vampires between Mongolia and Mont Blanc love you because of you ? No, my sweet. You're just a source of blood to them. Of sweet, tasty, Carrier-borne Life's Blood. That's all you ever were to Octavius. To Jaegar. To all those foolish brothers who lost their heads over you as a dog might for meat from a bloody bone.”
Her insult had landed. Kalina felt the blow deep within her heart. Nereti was lying – she knew she was lying! – she knew Octavius had loved her, that Jaegar loved her...
But Nereti looked so confident, so sure, as she watched Kalina react to the sting.
“But no more talking,” she murmured. “You don't want to waste the last moments of your life in idle conversation, do you?”
“Not a chance,” said Kalina through gritted teeth.
At once they were at war. At once, Nereti was gliding through the air, her lithe limbs slicing through the empty space between them, her rippling muscles taut.
As much as she despised Nereti, Kalina felt a sense of awe. She was in the presence of a great warrior – of an ancient power – she could feel Nereti's power all around her. How could any woman, how could any vampire, be so graceful, so strong?
Help me. Kalina closed her eyes, trying to tap into the power of the Life's Blood within. Carriers past, present, and future – hear my plea. Let me tap into your strength. Let me be strong enough to bear this.
Suddenly, she felt as if her whole body were shaking. No longer did she move by her own will, by her own choice. Something else was controlling her body – a force as powerful as that she sensed lurked within Nereti's muscular frame. It was her Life's Blood, boiling, coursing, nearly bursting her veins, carrying within the red blood cells memories of Carriers old and new, of that ancient race of women who had given their lives to fighting against evil.
She heard a murmuring all around her – echoes of whispers. Names of women who had fought, and suffered, and died. Names of women who had loved. Names of all those Carriers who had given everything to get a plague like Nereti off the face of the earth forever.
Kalina began to fight.
She matched Nereti blow for blow, feint for feint, dodge for dodge. She was
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