Dark Craving: A Watchers Novella
though I know she’s just playing along, for an instant I feel lit from within.
    Dagursson’s brow pinches. “I wonder at the connection between the two of you. I tried to warn Alcántara, but he dismissed it.” He peers intently at her. “Hugo refuses to kill you, but why? What secrets do you hide?”
    His eyes are roving up and down her body, and I jerk and fight against my bonds until the urumi slices deep into my belly. “Look at me instead, coward,” I say, trying vainly to wrestle free. “She’s not hiding anything.”
    But the vampire is focused now, focused only on her. “You are a key, Acari Drew, and yet I fear what door you’ll unlock.” His hand skims across the table, sliding like a snake toward her. “I must kill you myself, I suppose.” He leans, reaching closer. “Apologies, my child. It really is such a waste. But you’re simply too dangerous to live.”
    “And too stubborn to die,” she says with a wild smile. She throws her last star, and rather than aiming for Dagursson, she’s aimed for his sleeve, pinning him to the wood.
    It takes him only a second to tear his arm free, but it buys her enough time to dart away yet again, dashing for a small sofa before the hearth. She leaps onto it, her small feet dashing along the back edge, and hops up to grab one of a pair of crossed fencing sabers hanging there. “I’ve always wanted to try one of these,” she says giddily.
    She’s mad. And it gives me hope.
    Dagursson purses his lips, the distaste clear on his face. “Young lady, there’s no call for you to be racing about like a jackal.” I see how he wants to fly at her, tear into her, but he merely stalks toward her, one feral cat tracking another. “We can be civilized about this.”
    “Civilized?” She executes a quick hop around him. “Decorum class was last semester.” She’s at my back now and whispers, “Just a sec,” as she quickly wriggles the saber between the urumi and my body.
    Coaxing Dagursson away from me has been her plan all along, and he shakes his head, walking toward us. “You children persist in trying my patience. What is it you think to accomplish with this farce?”
    He’s standing right over us now, and she wrenches the saber. Steel slashes my palm. She gasps, mutters, “Sorry,” but a moment later the urumi uncurls from my waist and falls to the ground, coiling back up with a sharp snap .
    I try to find my feet and rise, but instantly double over, a veil of black dropped over my vision. Every breath is an agony.
    “Enough,” Dagursson thunders. “I thought we’d have a pleasant discussion, but I see we must do this the hard way.” He swoops behind her and pins her in his arms.
    I lunge for him but stumble as I launch from my seat. My torso is on fire. “Let her go.”
    I’m moving in slow motion, but Dagursson only stands there, watching me as he holds her, wearing an expression of serene patience. “Are you quite recovered?” he asks me. “Because I think I’d like you to watch.” He sniffs deeply, devouring her throat with his eyes. “Watch as I take my prize.”
    “Face me,” I scream. I’m on my feet, staggering toward them, the urumi back in my hand. My physical pain is gone, all that remains is this black sea of hatred churning inside me. “Coward, look at me. Take me. You wanted me.”
    But he doesn’t look away from her throat—his pupils are dilated now, entranced only by her. “There are cleaner ways to kill a girl,” he says in a low, considering voice. He wrenches her neck back and studies it. Licks a fang. “But this will be a rare treat.”
    She elbows him—not nearly hard enough to hurt a vampire—but it startles him, distracts him.
    “Silly girl,” he growls. She curls herself closer into him as he readjusts his grip,. “That’s right, come to me.” A hungry smile curves his lips. He opens his mouth.
    “Silly, sure.” Her sleeve is tugged back. I spot a glimmer of silver in her hand. “But not

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