Follow the Bloodshed (The Executioner Trilogy Book 3)

by Sowder, Kindra

  I turned my face up to see the chaos around me. Gordon was fighting a couple of vampires as he was trying to make his way to Vlad while Sam was preoccupied with a small horde herself.

  A growl moved from my throat and out of my mouth and I let it. The beast wanted to vocalize. I stood and began to make my way towards Gordon’s brother, letting the heat snake through my veins. I would need it to help trap Vlad. I could make this easy for all of us and let the fire flow until everything around us was burned to the ground but, unfortunately, there was one vampire we needed intact.

  I heard someone call my name and I turned just in time to miss a flying fist from yet another vampire. We were surrounded, but I didn’t think there were any many as there seemed to be. Once I was standing upright I put my hand out, palm facing the vampire. His eyes went wide as he spotted the swirling orb of flames. I let them go. The fire engulfed him and his screams flew through the air, not stopping until he fell into a pile of flaming ash.

  I had Vlad in my sights. He was backed away from the group, a smile of joy plastered on his face where a look of absolute terror should be. I was coming for him and he should be afraid, but he wasn’t. I could see the excitement in his eyes at the prospect as he watched me move towards him all stealth and grace as fire blazed behind my eyes.

  I heard his voice in my mind, taunting me. His obsession was evident in the words that he spoke into me.

  “You are meant for me, Executioner. Not my traitor of a brother.” The words spun around me and through my mind like a fog, but I shook them away. That was the obsession talking. Not love of any kind. I had only met him once and he had managed to turn both the beast and me into a puddle of melted human who couldn’t fight back. That wouldn’t be happening again.

  The voice of our little bean came in to drown out Vlad’s; almost managing it except it was still too small to be heard over anything else. I couldn’t tell what he or she was saying. If it was warning me we all knew this was the only way to get the answers we needed. And we would do whatever it took to ensure our safety.

  Within seconds I was in front of Vlad and had managed to fight off a couple of other vampires coming to their master’s aid, my machete ending up back in my hand without me even realizing I had picked it up off of the ground. As I looked into his crimson eyes rimmed with gold I knew this would be a lot harder than we originally thought.

  Chapter 31:

  Impossible Fight

  “You are meant for so much more than this if you would let the darkness take you, Executioner,” Vlad breathed as we stood there. The rain pelted my skin as I looked into his eyes. I felt myself being dragged under the current of his influence, but I did what I could to pull myself out of it. The beast was helpful, too.

  “I think you’re underestimating my character,” I responded. He couldn’t have been father form the truth.

  “Oh, I don’t think so.” He shook his head in disagreement and his eyes bore into mine. I could feel the darkness and the power within him begin to pour into me. All I could do was resist it. The beast within me who drew its power on Hellfire squirmed against Vlad’s power. We wouldn’t give in.

  My arm was trembling as I gripped the machete tighter in my hand. I could feel it tapping lightly against my leg as I fought the urge to drop it to the wet ground. He was strong, but I would prove how much stronger I truly was. If only I could stop shaking. He had a pull over me I couldn’t explain. It must have been engrained in him. He held a power over Executioners for some reason and I knew it must have been inherited from Lilith herself. I could always fight her, but the urge to bow to her was always there. A part of me was a monster. I knew that, but it was another thing to have it proven time and time again.

  I fought against him as best as I could. The beast was doing what it could to remain strong, but a part of it was even failing. I pushed the power into my very core and was able to stop Vlad’s pull enough to be able to raise the machete over my head and begin to strike down. His hand closed around my wrist in a flash and he squeezed until I was forced to drop the blade, the silver and steel clattering against the asphalt beneath our feet.

  I cried out in pain as he began to twist my arm backwards, causing me to sink to my knees. The rain soaked my pants within seconds and the warmth reminded me of the blood I would continue to spill in the name of all that was good in this world. All of the blood I would spill to save humanity. Even if it was my own.

  He leaned down, putting his lips next to my ear. They were close enough to graze my skin as he spoke. “That child growing inside of you isn’t meant for this world. It’s an affront to what you fight for and I cannot allow it to be born.”

  I let my own anger and rage fill my words as I said, “Then you’re going to have to go through us because I won’t let anything happen to my child.” I could feel his power tickle the edges of my own. I wanted him angry because with fury came mistakes and I needed him to make just one so we could get our opening.

  I used all of my own rage and strength to break his hold and jerk my arm away, hitting his cheek with an open, back-handed slap that caused a snarl to spread over his lips. I kicked out and made contact with his bent knee. He screamed out in pain as he fell to one knee, leaving him wide open for an attack. I let the heat burst into my palm, bringing it up to collide with the left side of his face, but he was too fast for me. He was on his feet in an instant and I swirled to stand before him, machete still gripped tightly in my hand and ready to strike. I could hurt him, but not so badly we couldn’t use him. So I’d do whatever it took to take him down just enough to get him into the warehouse and in shackles.

  We circled each other, his red eyes glowing slightly in the near darkness and watching me intently. He was obsessed with Executioners enough to know how we fought. This meant I would need to change my tactics, but how? I twirled the machete in my hand as I thought, letting my own glowing orbs watch him with just as much intensity. He smiled that same crooked smile Gordon had and I shook my head to ignore it.

  I turned with the blade outward, letting my shoes slide through the puddles underneath my feet and was greeted with a fist to my temple. I stumbled a few steps backward, the world reeling around me as I fought to catch my balance. I wasn’t prepared for that and stuff like that would be something I’d need to be on the lookout for. He was sneaky.

  “I see you’ve been studying up.” It wasn’t a question. We were circling each other again. This was going to be harder than I thought.

  He shrugged and retorted, “Just a little bit. I wanted to know what I could about you so I’ve been keeping an eye out.”

  “Ahhh,” I answered. “I don’t think you’ve learned enough.” I had a trick up my sleeve. Okay, I had a few tricks up my sleeve, but he didn’t have to know them. I was sure not every Executioner had my power. As a matter of fact, I knew Sam didn’t so what were the chances he had seen it before me? Close to none.

  He had no weapons in his hands, which almost made me feel guilty if it weren’t for the power he had flowing through his own veins. I made a decision in that moment. I stopped circling, flipped the blade in my hand once more, and put it back into my sheath with a flourish. This caused him to raise an elegant eyebrow, another smile crossing his harsh and beautiful features. He and Gordon were too much alike, making this even harder.

  “What are you doing, Executioner? Don’t you need your precious blade to kill me?” He sounded smug.

  I smiled back and got into my fighting stance. Fists in front of my face, guarded, and feet spread out with my body slightly turned towards him.

  “Not at all.” His eyebrow went up again and I almost laughed. “You don’t know me as well as you think.”

  “You think?”

  I pouted a little bit at his insistence. “You man enough to find out?”

  He laughed and it was a musical, pleasing sound that would’ve had me entranced in different circumstances. Even with the sounds of combat and bloodshed around us it caused me to freeze, catchi
ng me by surprise.

  “Oh, you have no idea how much of a man I am.” He stalked towards me and I took a few steps back in response. “I’ll even offer you the opportunity to find out.”

  I acted like I thought about it for a second before answering him. “No, that’s okay. I don’t think you have what it takes.” His smile turned into a devilish grin, like he heard the challenge in my voice and was more than willing to give it a shot.

  I saw the rage in his eyes and I knew I had him. He reached out to grab me and, with the power still right underneath my skin, I reached out in enough time to grab one of his arms and pour as much heat into his flesh as I could. He screamed in pain as I turned his arm over and swept my leg behind him. He fell to the ground but his grip didn’t waver. I went down with him and before I knew it, he was on top of me. He was intimidating as he towered over me and, before I had the chance to do anything to defend myself, he was rearing back his head with his fangs barred.

  I blinked and then those fangs were buried in the nape of my neck. The pain was exquisite and now I knew what he was after. It wasn’t me or my child. It was my blood. A part of me had known that, but there was a part of me that wanted to ignore it. Now he had gotten what he wanted and he had barely had to try. I couldn’t keep the moan from escaping my throat and I knew I had to get him off me. I placed my hand on his chest and he pulled away from my neck to look into my eyes and I saw something there I didn’t expect.

  Complete and utter reverence and adoration. I had had enough once I saw it and knew what it would mean for all of us. He would kill everyone but me and the world would fall to ruin at Lilith’s hand. There was the cry of a familiar male voice in the background as two rivulets of blood ran from the punctures on my neck. Gordon had seen what had transpired.

  “No,” I whispered as heat made its way from the blinking light in my chest, through my veins, and into my hand. It poured into his skin, causing his rain soaked shirt to sizzle underneath my hand, the embers of the fabric making way to the flesh underneath.

  His eyes went wide, but then he smiled. He had bitten me, tasted my blood, and knew all of my secrets. And now, as far as he knew, I would change into something that could be his companion.

  Not if I had anything to do with it. I would do whatever it took. Not that we had the supplies to stop the change, but I didn’t care. Even though everything that Chase and Beth had been able to find had gone up in flames with the house we could always find more of the supplies. Panic set in. Would it be in time? With a bite from Vlad I wasn’t sure how long the change would take, if long at all.

  I pushed the heat out further, causing him to back up against the wall of one of the warehouses around us. What could I do now besides lie here and keep him away from me? With my hand out, I stood, Vlad’s eyes watching me carefully. He was watching for the change that he was certain was coming.

  I looked up to see Gordon and Sam watching me. There weren’t any vampires left besides Vlad and we wouldn’t be ending his life tonight. The venom of his bite was working through my veins, causing a delicious sting to run through my entire body and the light and heat emanating from me to flicker on and off in response like an inner light bulb burning out. The sting began to turn into an intense burning sensation as it flowed, causing each and every cell to scorch with it. I took a step forward, dropping my arm as weakness took over. It was trying to shut my body down.

  It wasn’t only me raging against what the venom was trying to do to me. The beast was inside fighting with everything it had against it, I was afraid it wouldn’t be enough. I was afraid neither one of us would be enough. My eyes met Gordon’s.

  Sam was only a few feet behind him watching with wide and teary eyes. I could barely see the tears in the dim light, but I could see them well enough to know she was doing all she could to keep them from falling. I let my gaze turn back to Gordon as the pain became stronger, causing me to fall to my knees as they watched me crumble. Vlad was still against the wall, his shirt smoldering and hissing against the rain with a large grin plastered on his face. He was proud of himself.

  Fury, pure and deep, moved through me; pushing against the venom. It felt like the anger was enough to help push the venom out of my system, but I wasn’t sure. I stalked to Vlad, putting everything I had into the punch that missed its target. My vision swayed and my fist obliterated part of the wall next to his head, sending shards of brick and mortar everywhere. A few pieces had caught his face and he was bleeding from a few small cuts on his cheek and forehead. He hadn’t bothered to turn his head away from the rubble. The small, neat cuts healed as I watched; stitching together flawlessly.

  His eyes never left my face, a snarling smile on his like he had won a prize. A sadistic prize, nonetheless. An extreme pain flared to life in my belly, spreading up and into my chest. I felt like I was on fire. I took a few steps back from him, curling around my midsection, and crying out in pain as I sank to my knees.

  “Robin,” Gordon cried as he moved next to me, sinking to his knees on the wet asphalt, not caring about the rain. His hand gripped the back of my neck and he ducked his head, trying to look into my eyes. I couldn’t look at him. Everything hurt, but my belly and chest hurt the worst. I was still curled around the pain. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, mixing with the rain in a salty and metallic mix. Within seconds Gordon was no longer next to me. He had stood and launched himself at his brother, taking a silver chain and wrapping it around his closed fist. He punched Vlad. I only heard the grunts and the sound of the impact. Silver hissing on cursed flesh sounded above the rain.

  A thought ran through my mind, bouncing off of my skull and ricocheting through my brain like a stray bullet as another wave of pain ran through my belly. My baby. What would this do to my baby?

  The glow within me went out and for a moment there was nothing. No pain, no noise, and no beast to drown out everything else. The only noise was the rain falling around us, the sizzling of silver on Vlad’s flesh, and my racing thoughts. Everything was still and when I looked up all eyes were on me. Something was happening I couldn’t see or feel. Panic and sheer terror set in.

  Vlad began to laugh, the smile lighting up his crimson eyes. Gordon slammed his fist into his gut, causing him to double over, but the laughter didn’t stop. He laughed through the fit of coughing that overtook him, and stood with tears streaming down his cheeks. Gordon placed the silver at his throat again and hissed the only question any of us knew to ask.

  “What’s happening, Vlad?”

  Vlad’s laughter died away and was replaced by grunts of pain as the silver bit into his flesh, burning him. His face was twisted in pain, but he gave nothing else away in his expression. He looked up and his eyes met mine as something shifted behind those crimson orbs.

  “Nothing good,” his gaze turned back to Gordon as his message hit home. “Your child won’t survive the change, and don’t bet on the Executioner still being on your side once it happens.”

  Gordon pushed his arm harder against his brother’s exposed throat. There was a murderous look in his eyes I had never seen before, and it terrified me. The one life we needed to save was growing inside of me and I wasn’t sure what to do. All of us were clueless. I felt something shift inside of me, moving through my muscles and my bones like a slithering snake. The feeling sent my heart racing even faster.

  “Gordon?” I spoke up. My throat was sore and my voice hoarse as I spoke past the sound of the pounding rain. He turned to me, his face a mask of horror, outrage, and sadness. “Something’s happening.” Something odd and something unexpected.

  Heat crept into my face, into my eyes, and throughout my entire body as the beating glow in my chest resurfaced. The beast was back and it was angry. The heat turned into burning, and then the burning turned into the excruciating scorching of everything inside of me. It felt like my skin, muscles, bones, and everything else were on fire and melting away into the rain soaked ground beneath our feet. I felt bile rise in my throat and I gave int
o the urge to wretch. Red, hot liquid spewed from my mouth followed by bright orange liquid fire that singed my throat. It sizzled in the rain and felt like it would never stop coming. I stopped heaving and took a deep breath only to be taken to the ground by a barrage of fire flowing through my veins. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I knew it would change everything.

  Chapter 32:

  Born Again Executioner

  My whole body was on fire as the beast took over and it was like I could see the world through rose colored glasses. I was on the ground, staring at the black sky and rain pelting my face. I couldn’t feel anything except the beast moving inside me, the pain of what felt like a million tiny fire ants biting my insides growing. A scream came from my mouth unbidden, no doubt drawing more vampires and crawlers in our direction, but I had no control. All I could do was see and feel everything.

  The scream was all animal with no trace of the human I was left in it. My heart was racing, my eyes seared, and I was convulsing. I tried to latch onto my muscles to stop it, but was left grasping at nothing. There was nothing I could do.

  I could see Sam standing over me, but Gordon was absent from view. He must have been holding Vlad with a silver-laced grip. If we lost Vlad we lost everything, and without the information in his head we had no way to find Lilith and end all of this madness.

  I felt the water steaming from along my skin, sizzling into the air as it evaporated. I felt something change inside me as the pain intensified. It was like the beast and I were merging even farther into one being. We were fused and I knew with absolute certainty that the beast was saving me. Us. All of us.