Braden was about to throw his arms around her and kiss her profusely when he realized the draugr wasn’t dead.
With the crunching sound of metal, Strix pealed back Liz’s hood and stumbled out from where he was pinned. Unsteady on his feet, but still smirking, he moved closer, glaring at both of them. Blood gushed from his mouth, but a perverse need kept him moving. Lapping at the crimson that stained his lips and chin, only his uneven gate signaled some kind of alarm.
Glancing down, both Braden and Liz saw what slowed the vampire’s movement. The staff he had ripped only moments earlier from Braden’s hands was now imbedded partly in his chest, a result of the weight and momentum from Liz’s car.
Looking down, the draugr’s face looked bemused. The arrogance he had worn like a crown since making his appearance was gone, replaced by his first semblance of unease. Wrapping his hands around the object, he pulled but the rod wouldn’t budge.
Snapping out of his trance, Braden stalked straight up to the vampire, and with a flick of his wrist, shoved the staff into Strix’s heart.
Dropping to his knees, Strix refused to take his eyes from Braden. As his features twisted and shimmied, looking almost birdlike, he muttered in disbelief, “It wasn’t supposed to happen this way…”
“Too bad,” Braden grunted, sending it the rest of the way in.
38
LIZ
Liz was incapable of moving. Strix’s body was motionless on the ground, the large staff the cherub once held, was planted in his chest.
He looks like someone went pole vaulting and he was the target…
Even after having witnessed the genocide in Vancouver, she had hoped the wicked creature would disintegrate and turn into ash. Knowing that thing had followed them from Canada was terrifying. At least if he burned up or turned into some kind of sticky vampire goo like in the movies, she would find it easier to sleep at night.
Liz realized she was in some weird state of shock. Braden was up and moving, his own body healing from the draugr attack. As he reached for her, she allowed him to take her into his arms.
“I love you so much, you crazy, crazy woman.”
“I felt you,” Liz whispered, looking into his face. Gone were the white eyes and fangs. Her sweet Braden was with her again, safe, breathing, healed Braden. A little on the pale side, but he was gaining color with each passing moment. “I could feel what was happening, that you couldn’t hold him off for long.” Standing on her tippy toes, she took his face into her hands and kissed him. First his chin, than his lips, ensuring everything was okay between them.
Braden gave her a searching look. “I’m sorry I scared you. It’s our bond. The whole time, I felt your strength, your love. It kept me focused and strong. I would do anything to keep you safe.”
“I know you love me,” she said and it was true. Maybe their attraction initially came about because they were destined to be together, but it had become so much more. Now that they had soul-bound, her heart was his forever, and she wouldn’t want it any other way. “Why? Why did Strix come all the way here to kill you?”
“I don’t know,” Braden answered, his heart pounding with hers. “When he had me pinned down, he was getting off on the violence, but it was the thrill of the hunt that drove him. It wasn’t just me that he came here for. Strix planned on destroying our family.”
“Did he say anything else?” Liz asked, afraid of what the answer might be. Riley’s face flashed through her mind. She didn’t want him to be gone forever.
He has to be okay.
Pressing his forehead against hers, so only their noses could touch, Braden breathed in her in and sighed deeply. “I think my brother is okay,” he said finally. “Strix had some kind of hope the two of them would eventually make some kind of killing team. But, he didn’t mention where Riley was.”
Tightening her hold on Braden’s waist, Liz just held him near. For now, it was enough. Eventually the two of them could decide what to tell the elders about Braden’s brother and come up with a plan to find him. For now, she just wanted to curl back up with Braden in his small bed and cherish how much she loved him. How thankful she was to have him and what a miracle it was that he was