Change is sweeping through the world, as humanity fights for autonomy, discord tears apart the foundations of the vampire order, and dhampirs return to the world after centuries of war between two powerful peoples. Dhampirs, creatures known to heral...
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Static ripped down her spine as she crashed into the void, the doorway tearing away Illiam's soul from within her flesh and casting it off. The nothingness rolled around her in a fog, pitch as night but hindering her sight of Dev none as he picked himself up ahead of her. Realization dawned on him and rage folded his expression into something feral as, his fangs bared his eyebrows crunched so low that his inky black eyes lost any light of sentience.
"Witch!" Dev growl deepened and rolled like a bear tearing through prey, as he stood, flexed his claws, and lunged.
Even if her ability to see a few seconds into the future worked here, it wouldn't save her none. Dev's row of sharpened fangs near wrapped around her throat before something yanked him back. The snap of teeth on teeth as his chin hit the ground sounded painful, and Dev turned to where a hand had reached from the shadows and grabbed his ankle. Flesh barely clung to it, revealing bones at the fingertips, and Tara's stomach did a slow twirl as she knew it wasn't here to help her.
"Dark magic." The shadows whispered as Dev managed to stand up. "Balance. Remove."
Another long, gnarled collection of bones and mangled flash grabbed his shoulder, and Dev spun in futility as more emerged from the void and grabbed hold. Blood burst from Dev's lips so abruptly that Tara jerked back. It rolled down his face in a thick stream as a hand reached through the back of him and out the front. Talons pulled chunks of flesh out of Dev's chest as it retreated, and Dev tried to scream, but it came out a gurgled plea for death as he ruptured like an overripe cantaloupe. Limbs pulled from his body in a sickening crack as the hands and decrepit mouths of specters ripped him to pieces. Dev's head fell to the ground, rolling in the shadows near her feet, but no life was left in his dark eyes as they sank away.
"Life," a voice whispered in her ear, and Tara stiffened as she waited for her end. "Balance. Remove."
A hand landed on her shoulder, cold as ice, and she screamed. She knew it was her inevitable death, but she still pulled away and tried to delay it. The grip on her was stronger than expected and she stumbled and fell into the shadows. With her face in the dark mist, she could see fingers reaching up for her on every inch of the ground, and her stomach heaved as one with barely any flesh clinging to it scraped down her fingers.
"Please no." Tears filled her eyes, and she stood back up so less of her lay in the finger field, but it brought her right back into the ice cold hands on her shoulders. Tara yanked her body away again, but the hands clamped on and held her still this time. She couldn't get away, just like Dev, and her entire body quaked as she waited for the arms to pierce through her chest and rip her heart out.
Tara closed her eyes. It was better that way, if she didn't see it coming. Just let it be over. In the silence, the best she could do was count her breaths, but after about fifteen, the world was spinning and she had to open her eyes so she didn't fall over.
