Page 77 of You Will Obey

“It’s going to hurt,” Tylendel warned him.

“So I’ve heard, but he’ll need blood if he’s going to finish this right bastard off,” Deacon said, his British accent a bit thick as he spoke.

I took the offered wrist and bit him. He hissed at first, as the pain of my bite broke through his skin, then groaned loudly as I began to drain his blood as fast as I could. I needed to regain my strength in order to finish Alexander and save all of my vampires and allies. Deacon’s blood was pure ambrosia. It’d been so long since I’d enjoyed the blood of a wolf and never one that was an Alpha. I wished I could allow myself to savor this moment, but I had a foe to kill. Once I felt like myself again, I released Deacon’s wrist and he sank to the floor, leaning on a pile of bodies.

“Jesus, that fucking sucks,” he complained.

“Keep his vampires back,” I told Tylendel.

Some of the vampires had also been burned and killed with the fire Tylendel had released, which caused the others to steer clear. They thought they were immune to fire, but no one was immune to that. Tylendel stood at the entrance where his vampires were coming in and they began to run, but Tylendel released hisPurefireagain and I could hear hundreds of vampires screaming as they burned to death in the narrow tunnel as well as smell the scent of their charred remains.

With no more vampires coming to help their King at the moment, I rose and walked over to Alexander, who was healing slowly. His skin was recovering from thePurefireTylendel had nearly killed him with. I didn’t bother to waste any time gloating. I punched a hole in his stomach, then reached up through blood and organs, taking hold of his heart. If he was so certain that he could kill me and not himself, I decided to take the same chance. If this was going to be the end of all vampires, at least it would be at my hands and not his. Alexander whimpered in the excruciating agony I’m sure he felt, and tried to reach for my arm. I was past all mercy and I yanked back, ripping his heart from his chest. The sounds of wailing and screaming rung in a chorus throughout the tunnel and the city above.

“They’re all dying,” I heard Deacon say.

I felt something shoot through me, like an ice dagger stabbing my heart, and I cried out as I gripped my chest. I closed my eyes as I endured this new torture. Was this our death?

“Father,” I heard Théoden say and he crawled over to me, leaning his forehead on my shoulder.

The pain began to fade away, leaving me panting and sweating, but alive. I still held Alexander’s bloody heart in my hand. “I’m… I’m all right, child,” I said through gritted teeth and pained gasps.

“Damn,” Tylendel gasped as he collapsed on the ground. “That battle was second only to my very first.”

We were all worse for wear, but I now held Alexander’s heart in my hand and he lay dead before me. His gray eyes clouded over and emptied of all life. A better death than he deserved.

“What are you going to do, Father?” Théoden asked.

I looked at the heart in my palm, still dripping blood from its arteries, and wondered what power did it contain, if any? Both wolves and dragons had to devour the heart of the leader before in order to get their powers. What would happen if I devoured the heart of Alexander?

“Father, what’s wrong?” Théoden asked since I hadn’t responded to him. I could hear the concern in his tone.

“I’m going to eat his heart,” I said, then rose to my feet. I looked at everyone and at all of the damage done by Alexander and his army. So many lay dead, vampires, dragons, and wolves. I’d lost vampires of my line as well, many who never had a chance to defend themselves. Who died in their sleep. I never wanted this to happen to me again.

“Fucking hell. So, is it over?” Deacon asked me, his chest heaving from his exertions during the battle.

I looked at the brave Alpha and nodded. “Every vampire of his line is dead, I'm sure of it.” I looked down both ends of the tunnel to see their dead bodies. Even the ones who’d only been injured in battle had died the moment Alexander had. I now had indisputable proof that when a Royal died, only their line of vampires perished with them.

“Good,” Deacon said.

“Alpha, is it over?” asked one of his wolves who was approaching him. About thirty of them had gathered around, those who had survived the war, I figured.

Deacon nodded. “Yeah, I believe so. We need to gather our dead and check on any wolves who may be injured,” he said. “I need to return to Elijah.”

“Before you do that, let me present something to you, wolf,” I said, gaining his attention and that of his pack.

He cocked an eyebrow and I had to admit, he was handsome for a wolf. And I liked his tattoos, the one of a lion wearing a crown on his neck was particularly interesting. I was betting there was a story behind that.

He took a step toward me, his interest piqued. “If it’s to keep our alliance after this shit, the answer is–”

“Don’t be so quick to make that mistake,” I interjected.

He frowned and cocked his head. “A mistake?”

“I will give you the choice and you can choose to elevate your pack, or remain as you are,” I said.

“How?” Deacon asked.

“I will share a portion of this heart with you. I’m willing to bet you will get power from it,” I said.