Love Bites (gxg)

Chapter 10

As the weeks turned into months, our relentless journey took its toll on us. The lush forest that had once been our sanctuary now seemed endless and unforgiving. Maeve's crimson red eyes, a striking testament to her vampiric nature, glistened with determination and weariness. We had been on the run for far too long, hunted by Dracula's assassins, and it was taking a toll on both of us.

Each passing day brought us further into the heart of the wilderness, and the world around us became a dense, labyrinthine forest. The towering trees blocked out the sun, casting long, eerie shadows on the forest floor. Our journey had become a test of endurance, both physically and emotionally.

But we couldn't afford to stop. Dracula's relentless pursuit showed no signs of waning. His assassins, skilled and relentless, were always close behind. We had managed to evade them so far, but the Mate bond that bound us grew stronger, making it increasingly difficult to remain hidden.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the forest in a dim, foreboding light, a sense of unease settled over us. We could feel their presence closing in, like a shadow lurking just out of sight. I turned to Maeve, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Maeve, we're not alone," I murmured, my voice laced with worry.

Her crimson eyes met mine, and a mixture of fear and determination flickered in their depths. "How many?" she asked, her gaze scanning the darkening forest.

I couldn't give her an exact number, but I could sense their approach. "Several," I replied tersely, my hand sliding toward the concealed dagger at my side.

Moments later, they emerged from the shadows, five vampires cloaked in darkness, their eyes glinting with malevolence. These were Dracula's assassins, relentless in their pursuit of us.

The leader, a towering figure with jet-black hair, stepped forward, a sinister smile curling his lips. His gaze bore into Maeve with hungry intent. "Well, well, what do we have here? The runaway princess and her precious mate."

I stepped protectively in front of Maeve, my fingers tightening around the hilt of my dagger. "We're not going back," I declared, my voice trembling with defiance.

The assassins advanced, their movements fluid and predatory. It was clear that they were skilled fighters, but so were we. Maeve, with her martial arts prowess, and me, with centuries of combat experience, we were not to be underestimated.

The confrontation was brutal and swift. Fists collided with fists, and the forest echoed with the clash of bodies. I fought with a fierce determination, knowing that Maeve's safety depended on it.

Maeve herself was a whirlwind of punches and kicks, holding her ground against the assassins. But then, in a cruel twist of fate, one of them, a red-haired vampire, managed to disarm her and gain the upper hand. Before I could react, she produced a silver knife and drove it into Maeve's left thigh.

A gut-wrenching cry of pain escaped Maeve's lips as the silver blade pierced her flesh. Anguish and fury surged through me, and I moved with a speed I had never known. In an instant, I incapacitated the red-haired assassin and rushed to Maeve's side.

My trembling fingers assessed the wound, and I could see the silver poison already coursing through her veins. Maeve gritted her teeth, her crimson eyes filled with pain but also determination.

"We have to go," she managed to say through clenched teeth.

I nodded, hoisting her over my shoulder, and we made a hasty retreat deeper into the forest. The assassins were left behind, their malicious laughter ringing in our ears.

As we put more distance between us and our pursuers, the reality of our situation weighed heavily on my heart. We had been running for months, our journey had become an unending nightmare, and Dracula's relentless pursuit showed no signs of relenting. The Mate bond that bound us had grown stronger, and it was time to find a new home, far from the darkness that threatened to tear us apart.