Twilight's Eternal Embrace by Karen Michelle Nutt

the morning ' s light.
    The trees were a blur of green as he moved to catch up with Fergal , before it was too late.

Chapter Twenty-One
    Ad r yanna kept one arm wrapped around Talia ' s waist as she raced her mount toward home. What had Talia been doing out in the woods? Fear clutched her stomach, making it ache. Talia would be dead now if Bram hadn ' t intervened and whisked her away from the Oiche S it h ' s grasps.
    Bram ' s last words came back to tease her. One of the Oiche Sith had been his brother. She knew it had to be the larger one of the three, the one who held Talia with the intent to drink from her. He was the only one who had gone through the change. The other two had not. Bram had told her his brother had been through the blooding ritual.
    She knew she hadn ' t killed Bram ' s brother, but the male felt her sting. A chill slid down her spine as she recalled how the Oiche Sith ' s eyes blazed with hatred. She had a hunch the Oiche Sith wouldn ' t let the matter go. He would want retribution for such an attack.
    A sound to the right of her drew her attention. Her eyes widened as she saw a flash of color before something large and unyielding slammed into Talia and her. They flew from the mount ' s back, landing hard on the ground. Pain radiated through her limbs and the air was knocked out of her from the crushing blow.
    " You are nothing but a female, " the male hissed as he crouched low, ready to spring .
    She recognized the Oiche Sith, but it seemed in his blood rage he did not recall her. The male had cornered her with a friend outside the gates of Dungannon on the day she'd first met Bram.
    Again Bram had halted her attempt to teach this male a lesson. She was an excellent marksmen and her arrow would have left a mark. It was too late now to regret the folly. She rolled to the side and tried to scramble away. She spotted Talia sprawled on the ground like a discarded rag , either unconscious or dead.
    " Nay, you are not going anywhere. " The male grabbed her hair, yanking her onto her back. He straddled her and held her hands above her head easily with one hand. " How about you and I have a little fun before I kill you? " With a hiss, he plunged his teeth into her neck.
    She screamed, the pain a burning sensation she remembered all too well from when she suffered the bite from the Draugr. She struggled to be free, but it was no use. He was too strong. Any attempts to move only egged the male on, drawing more of her life essence with every pull of his lips. She could feel herself weakening. Her gaze wavered to the side where a shadow moved with the practice d grace of a cat.
    " Bram, " she murmured, believing she imagined him there, but then the Oiche Sith at her neck was yanked away. Her hand fluttered to her wound, blood seeping through her fingers.
    Her eyes tried to focus on the fight, but the blurs of color were all she saw whipping around her. Growls and hisses sent fear skittering through her veins. Fear for Bram ' s life. " Let him be all right. "
    A sickening crack and a thud, indicated the fight was over. Her vision blurred and wavered as she tried to make out which Oiche Sith remained standing.
    Light eyes met hers as Bram knelt down beside her. He tore at his wrist, drawing blood. He removed her hand and placed his wrist to her wound, their blood mixing together. Warmth spread through her veins. His blood worked faster, better than his saliva, the pain already lessening.
    His hands cupped her face. " Are you all right? "
    " Better, now that you are here. " She gave him a whisper of a smile. " Talia ?" She glanc ed toward the female who had yet to move.
    Bram flitted over to her. " She still draws breath. She must have bumped her head. "
    Adryanna came to her feet, feeling steadier than she thought possible. Bram ' s blood was potent.
    " Can you walk? " He asked her as he scooped up Talia.
    " Aye. " She nodded. " What about him? " She gestured with her head toward the Oiche Sith lying still, his neck