Chapter Fifteen

Jared's gloating smirk grew wider. "You're out of time."

Esmae wished she could have given that the response it deserved, but for once, Jared was right. Her tongue was frozen in her mouth, her lips stiff and unable to part. Ice encased her arms and legs, her heart fighting its hardest to beat beneath the ice and slowly losing the battle. She'd be dead in minutes. The last thing she would ever see would be Jared's victorious expression.

She'd wanted to tell him—what? That he was wrong about her? That he had no right to do this? It had seemed like the righteous thing to do. Yet now, with her death crawling around her, she wished she'd stayed in Silas's arms today. That she'd let him love her and be with her until her fate claimed her.

Jared started to turn away, to leave her to die, when his eyes flared wide and he stumbled back. Esmae couldn't twist her neck to follow the movement, but she could at least shift her eyes enough to see a giant mass of darkness spring from nowhere.

In her periphery, she could make out just the shape. Large as a mountain, a black-scaled beast stood on the field. A creature she'd thought only existed in storybooks: a dragon.

"How dare you!" the beast roared. It was a pure, animalistic sound. Esmae wasn't sure if it was her magic that let her translate the roar or if it was actually speaking in the common tongue.

Jared scrambled back. With glistening armor that shone like obsidian and blood-red slitted eyes, the beast looked more like a demon than anything.

But the red eyes.

She knew those eyes.

Silas .

He found me . Her heart didn't have a beat left to skip, but some deep relief went through her. Yet it was chased away through the icy fog of her mind.

No, no, no . How could he see her like this? After how she'd tried to spare him? Her tears turned to beads of ice, plinking down her frozen cheeks. Her entire body was encased in ice. Gods, Esmae had never been so cold, only to be made worse by the icy terror at the realization that despite everything she'd tried to do, she'd failed. She'd failed to save herself, and perhaps worse, failed to save Silas from losing her.

"G-get back," Jared stammered. "I'm a mighty witch! I'll curse y—"

Jared's threats turned to screams. The dragon—Silas—let forth a massive blast of fire. The flames engulfed Jared, turning him to ashes. For Esmae, the flames didn't hurt. They melted the ice around her and left her unburned.

But it was too late. Her body had no strength left. Air blew past her as her body collapsed. Before she could hit the ground, Silas caught her, the dragon gone and the man she knew standing above her. He cradled her limp body so tenderly, his eyes glowing like embers.

"Y-you came." Her voice broke. Despite the heat of his flames, the ice still surrounded her heart.

"Of course. Esmae, I would always come for you."

She tried to lift her hand to cup his cheek. Her body refused to move. Maybe his flame could have beaten the curse. But it was too late. Her body was so cold, even with his heat.

"It's t-too late. Curse."

"I'll fix it, little witch. I promise," Silas vowed.

She shook her head, trying to memorize his face in her last moments. "Impossible."

"I can't lose you. I won't," he snarled.

"You'll… be okay. Your mate. Find her." It was her only comfort.

Something seemed to stab right in her chest. "Esmae, I did. You are my mate. I'll love no other."

She was? Then Silas would be alone. Again. Why was fate so cruel?

"There must be a way. Tell me."

"Cost… too high. Just h-hold me. Please."

Silas obeyed, pulling her close to his chest as he sat on the ground. "Tell me, witch. I won't compel the answer from you, but please. If you care for me at all, tell me."

Her heart tore in two. She wanted to spare Silas this, but perhaps she owed him an answer. "‘Spilling the blood of the monster that haunts the C-Condemned Cliffs will save you from your c-cursed fate,'" she intoned.

She felt determination bloom in her chest. Which, while not her own, was comforting. Was this what happened to mates?

"That's why you tried to kill me." Silas gently lifted her chin with the crook of his finger. "I'll save you, Esmae. All my blood is yours, forever."

"No—can't kill you."

Had any male ever looked at a woman with a more tender expression? "My love, if that was what was required, not even you could stop me. But there's another answer."

He lifted his wrist to his fangs and tore open the flesh. "Drink my spilled blood, and stay by my side forever, Esmae. "

Turn into a vampire. Turn her back on everything she'd been taught as a witch.

And get to have a life with Silas.

It was no choice at all.