The Final Battle at Corfu

ALEXANDER

My mind was a whirlwind, struggling to comprehend the searing pain coursing through me and the rapid descent into the murky depths. I thrashed about, my hands finding the massive chunk of metal lodged in my chest, tearing at my ribs.

A chain was attached to the hook embedded in me. Through the haze of blood, I could see the machine dragging me down, and the vampires lying in wait below.

There were at least twelve of them, fully armed, their red eyes glowing, their white fangs gleaming. Somehow, they had managed to survive the day underwater.

They must have had hideouts in underwater caves. Given the underwater catapult they were using to hook us, I could only guess this was a premeditated attack or a standard defense mechanism.

One I had never encountered in battle before. Anger surged through me as I yanked the hook from my chest, tearing through flesh and muscle. My body screamed in protest.

Bubbles rushed past my face, and to my horror, I saw another hook embedded in Caroline. Her body stiffened in shock, and within seconds, she was being dragged down, her blood clouding the water.

I tried to reach her, but a sharp pain in my leg stopped me. I twisted around to see a vampire had plunged his dagger into my shin.

His red eyes met mine as he smirked. I kicked at his face, missing by a hair’s breadth, but it was enough to make him retreat.

In that split second, I lunged downward and grabbed his head. His eyes widened in surprise as he tried to stab me again, but I sank my fangs into his throat, tearing out his esophagus.

His lifeless body floated away from me. The other vampires were rising from the bottom, weapons at the ready.

Caroline was still struggling on her hook, losing more and more blood. I could hear the muffled sound of her screams.

I swam toward her, cutting through the bloody water with my sword. Vampires were grabbing onto her, pulling her down, their blades slower in the water, but just as deadly.

My rage fueling me, I sliced through bodies, biting and tearing at anything within reach. I picked them off as they swam toward me, abandoning their attack on Caroline for me.

I reached her, tearing the vampire off her leg and ripping the hook from her chest. She kicked and thrashed, her blood forming a thick cloud around me.

Ignoring a sharp pain in my leg, I pushed her upward toward the surface. A vampire raced up toward her, grabbing her hand and trying to drag her down, but with a scream, she twisted out of his grasp.

I watched her kicking furiously, escaping as fast as she could, her hand hanging at an unnatural angle. My blade found her attacker’s chest a moment later.

I turned my attention to the vampires swimming up toward me. With a nearly silent roar, I dove down to meet them, unleashing my fury, my blade guided by my anger.

I attacked recklessly, diving into the crowd of vampires, slashing and biting. I ignored the sharp pain of their blades.

I ignored their bites, their hooks tearing into me. I hadn’t come this far to let any of them catch up with my sister.

As she swam away, I cut through the vampires one by one, hunting them down as their numbers dwindled. My blade was lost in the battle, and I resorted to tearing heads off.

The water was thick with blood, making it hard to see any coming, but I felt their movements in the water around me. My strength was waning; I’d lost too much blood, and I wasn’t healing fast enough.

The water around me was still; the last few vampires had either fled or were hiding deep below again. With a final effort, I pushed off the sandy bottom and kicked toward the surface.

In the distance, I could make out Caroline’s shape, still moving toward Corfu. Ignoring the protests of my body, I swam forward, catching up with her and grabbing onto her.

She struggled for a moment until she recognized me, her expression crumbling as I pulled her along behind me. We swam away from the illuminated human village and toward the rocky cliffs.

The house was perched on top, seemingly small, but it was dug deep into the stone beneath. I dragged myself up the bank, the dark cliff face looming over us.

Water and blood poured off me as I pushed my hair out of my eyes. I could feel the exhaustion in my muscles; my wounds were healing, but my blood loss was slowing me down.

At the foot of the cliff, their presence was palpable, their scent unmistakable. Corfu was no longer a safe haven.

It was overrun with turned vampires, Skotádi, Shahalia, Night deserters, and random hunters. Their footfalls echoed in my ears, growing louder.

My eyelids felt heavy with fatigue. I stumbled, pulling Caroline from the water and onto the shore beside me.

She writhed on the sand, clutching her chest and moaning. Fresh blood seeped from her wound. The vampires’ approach was imminent.

I crouched beside her, my heart pounding in slow, heavy beats as I assessed her injuries. The gash across her chest was deep, but not life-threatening.

It was already beginning to heal. Her wrist was broken, twisted and crushed, and her leg bore a deep cut. She was weak, but she could still move.

Tears, tinged with blood, streamed down her face as she stared at the moon, whimpering. A memory flashed in my mind—her, small and delicate, trying to join me on a hunt and getting hurt in the process.

She had never cried more than when I carried her back to our mother, scolding her for following me. I had been indifferent to her feelings.

Now, she looked like that little girl again, heartbroken and in pain.

“Callie,” I murmured. I brushed her wet hair away from her face.

Her crimson eyes locked onto mine, her chest rising and falling rapidly. I could hear her heart pounding.

Tears welled up in her eyes. I realized I didn’t know how to comfort her.

I barely knew my sister. “Just breathe, focus on the pain, focus on our healing,” I whispered, caressing her face.

“They’re coming,” she gasped, her voice shrill.

I nodded slowly. “Yes, I can hear them. You rest. I’ll take care of them.”

She moaned, her eyes glowing bright crimson. “But they’re coming.”

“Focus on your healing, Callie,” I squeezed her damp hand. “Focus on your healing.”

She nodded, exhaling heavily through her tears and closing her eyes. I stared out at the water, wiping the blood from my eyes and taking deep breaths.

I wasn’t going to heal in time; my wounds were wide and gaping, my blood seeping out, staining the sandstone.

They were getting closer, moving faster. I clenched my fists. We had come so close.

My head fell back, heavy, and my eyes struggled to stay open. I could hear Caroline’s heart beating slowly.

I thought of Aya. I couldn’t feel her presence anymore. She was too far away.

I remembered her smile, her wide-eyed wonder when we were young and traveling together. When we were free. When we were just getting to know each other and couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

She had always been perfect. I hoped she would find happiness, that she would continue to explore the world, that she would eventually forget me and move on.

I had nothing left to give her. No more strength left to fight.

The vampires swarmed around us, hissing and snapping. They lunged for the kill; blood splattered, and pain surged through me.

My movements were sluggish. I fought them off me, then off Caroline until I collapsed on top of her, shielding her with my body. I had nothing more to give her.

Blades cut into me, fangs ripped at my skin, and I roared in pain. The image of Aya’s smile was fading from my mind, replaced by encroaching darkness.

Suddenly, silence filled the air and for a moment, I was convinced someone had decapitated me. A piercing whistle sounded, and the vampires surrounding us slowly retreated, hissing.

Two large hands gripped my shoulders and hoisted me up. Others picked up Caroline, cradling her limp body in their arms and carrying her away.

They dragged me up the sandstone cliff, and I lost sight of Caroline ahead of me. They pushed open the mansion doors and hauled me inside.

My blood left a trail behind me; my shoes squeaked on the marble floor. I was thrown into the main entrance and dumped at the foot of the stairs.

I heard a gasp, a small squeak of a sound. My head rolled back, my eyes squinting. A few meters away, Caroline had been discarded on the ground.

A small figure crouched next to her, rocking back and forth, her red hair concealing her face as she murmured Caroline’s name. I could smell her tears. Jessica.

A chilling voice echoed through the darkness, making me shiver. “Finally,” it said, sounding almost relieved.

I struggled to turn my head, trying to catch a glimpse of the figure approaching me. The sound of shiny black boots echoed off the marble floor.

My head was spinning, and my vision blurred as blood trickled into my eyes. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t show,” the voice joked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

The voice was unfamiliar, as was the scent that filled the room, but there was no mistaking it—he was a pureblood.

Suddenly, a blade flashed before my eyes, its cold iron pressing against my chin. The pressure increased, forcing my face upward.

I found myself staring into a pair of mesmerizing blue-green eyes, set in a youthful, broad face. A curtain of dark hair fell over his forehead.

For a moment, I was lost, my mind spinning in confusion. Then, recognition hit me like a punch to the gut. The last time I’d seen him, he was human.

A human who had somehow transformed into a pureblood. He was the queen’s brother.

And standing next to him, a hand resting casually on his shoulder, was a face I knew all too well. A face that belonged to my most ruthless ex, who had once promised to kill me while still being betrothed to me—Phoenix Mcnoxnoctis.

She pushed a fiery lock of hair behind her ear and winked at me, a smirk playing on her lips. “Welcome home, Alexander Night,” she purred, her fangs glinting in the dim light.