Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 67437 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67437 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
One taste. That would be it.
The next second, I lunged forward and plunged my fangs into her neck. Her skin was warm and soft.
Ahhh.
Her pulse quickened beneath my lips. A potent and intoxicating sweetness filled my nostrils.
Yes.
I began to drink. The first taste of her blood was an explosion of sensation. It was warm and sweet, the essence of life itself. It flowed into me, washing over me. A flood of intense energy rushed in too as the liquid cascaded down my throat.
Oh my. This is. . .
Sweet cinnamoned liquid heat radiated within every drop of her blood. The taste was otherworldly.
This is exhilarating.
An unfamiliar ecstasy swept over me as the richness of her blood filled my mouth, bursting against my tongue and coating my throat like hot honey.
This taste of blood was very different from what I had drunk from Phinova’s body. This liquid was the wine of life. The nectar of vitality.
And it seeped into my veins and ignited a glowing brightness within my darkness.
Then, a sharp pain shot through my body, causing me to gasp in agony. It felt like a thousand needles piercing my skin.
Ahhh.
I tried to drink some more, but. . .I was so overwhelmed. My knees buckled beneath me.
My fangs left her throat. the power of her blood coursed through me, shattering my insides.
What is this?
Slowly, I fell back, losing my hold on her and myself.
I called out to my men, pushing my order into their heads.
Get her! And chain her to my bed!
The last thing I remembered was the taste of her blood—still warm on my tongue—and the sensation of falling into an abyss.
More! I want more!
Chapter 7
Elixir
The Quiet King
When I came back to consciousness, it must have been hours later.
That cinnamon, honeyed blood still coated my tongue.
I was no longer on the ground.
Now, I lay back in my bed.
Satin blankets covered me.
My men must have carried me away?
I kept my eyes closed and inhaled. The air was heavy with the aroma of lilacs and a hint of the impending rain, and under that was tones of cinnamon and love.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and froze in shock.
W-hat is this?
I awoke in a world not of my knowing.
Am I. . .dreaming?
My heart pounded in my chest.
Tension gathered in my shoulders.
Ambi, help me. What is this. . .new reality?
The never-ending grayness with red bodies was gone, replaced by faded shadows and colorful blurry shapes.
Yellow. Blue. Purple. Other colors! What is this? It must be a dream.
Yet, it didn’t feel like one. I swore my eyes were wide open. Blinking, I made out more colors as these. . .beings moved throughout the room. Some got closer to my bed.
Wait. This is not a dream.
I looked down at the stark whiteness.
This is my bed.
I put my view back up and some of the beings leaned forward.
How could this be?
Sounds—though muffled and distant—left the beings and reached my ears. It was disorienting, alarming even.
But. . .I can. . .hear? No. How would that be?
The whispering noises began to increase.
I stiffened, completely caught off guard. For so many decades, I had always been at peace with my deaf, mute, and blind existence.
But now, this was something else entirely.
Where are the red bodies? Are they near? Or. . .are the beings, the red bodies?
I could see. . .somewhat. It was not clear, everything a blur of indistinct shapes, but it was an improvement.
And the sounds. . .they were faint echoes, not full words or sentences, but it was better than the deafening silence I had grown accustomed to. I could hear. . .to a degree.
I do not understand.
Muffled noises sounded.
I tilted forward and focused all of my energy on this new noise.
Soon, I made out words.
A male spoke, “Why is he looking at us like that?”
Another replied, “I do not know. But could we really say that he is looking if he is blind?”
“Fair point. Then, why is his face in our direction in such a way that is not normal for him?”
“Unfortunately, I do not know this answer either.”
I studied the blurry colorful images.
Are these the voices of my men?
Another man spoke from the other side of the bed, “Shield your minds. He is probably probing.”
“It is clear.”
“Mine is clear also.”
Hmmm. They have learned how to protect their thoughts from me. Very interesting.
One spoke by my bed, “What happened last night?”
“He bit her. That was it.”
“He bit the woman that is now chained to his bed?”
“He did, and then fell to the ground and slept until the sun came up.”
I was asleep for that long?
Confusion swirled in my head.
Then, a sudden realization changed my mood to excitement.
The blood mage is here? Chained to my bed? Good.
Slowly, I turned my head and made out a distorted shape of brown lying next to me.
This must be her.
That lush scent filled my nostrils. I reached out with my hands, and began to see a blurred vision of my fingers in front of me.