Of Blood and Ice : Vampire Witch Romance Novella 1 ✔

CHAPTER 1: A Choice of Life and Death

ISDA

Wind howled with the sonic boom worse than before. I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping I had slain the threat. I knew my voice was powerful enough to kill a thundering elephant at full charge. 

Yet,  there he stood with his rose emblazoned shield covered in dust and grass. Even at my full power, the soldier was defying me blow for blow.

Sucking in air for the last time, I saw him inching closer and closer. There was no defense for me to use at this point. All of the others were inside, kept under the safety of the coven's frumpy tent walls. I didn't know what how much longer I could hold.  

"Come any closer—

I threatened, my voice hoarser with the attempt. My fear was making me more difficult than normal. Moreover, there was no reinforcement in sight. 

The crunch of armor inched closer and worse, there was no response to my question. It was like he was deaf when only I spoke. Were vampires like this always? 

However, I felt a shiver of anticipation flee when the soldier lowered his shield to meet my gaze. Sweat trickling down a straight aristocratic nose. Lips set in a line of tension. Most of all,  his face - especially his blood-red eyes - held a passion unlike any other living creature.

We stood there staring at each other, gauging what our next move would be. Yet I couldn't stop myself from being fascinated by those captivating garnet eyes. It was like they had a life of their own, waiting to be set free from their masterful prisoner. 

Cold, unfeeling, and reptilian weren't even applicable to describe this vampire male. Yet those were the exact descriptors my mother would tell me to use whenever we met another of his kind. 

No matter their origins. No matter their characteristics. At moment in time, he was the enemy. His clan were the murderers of my father, the plunderers of my coven, and the breached threat of Tsohg—my serving realm. 

They had taken too much and if I lost anything more...

Steeling my nerves for the next attack, I took a breath slowly through my nose and unwillingly noticed his spicy winter scent. Even his scent was amazing—addictive—perfect.

Shield in place, the vampire inched himself closer. No hesitation in his glittering eyes.

It was then I found my opportunity to strike. Unfortunate for me, I had lost far before I had known. When I opened my mouth to scream, my well-exhausted throat had already sealed shut. In the very same moment, my fate was sealed. 

Cursing my last moments, I fell into the worse enemy of my sister's lives...death. 

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NAHARIEL

She was fragile. She was so very warm and fragile. Like the fleeting fresh summer wind, her fresh orange blossom scent invaded my nostrils cursing my body to ache with thirst for her blood. 

No, you mustn't.

I chanted lifting her weight easily enough. She was petite and curvy with gorgeous butterscotch skin and sun kissed brown hair—not that it mattered but I couldn't help but notice with the enticing scent of her blood filling my breath in every inhalation.