Tempting Darkness

Aleera

"Tobias!" I shrieked, dropping my neck when I felt his teeth slice over my flesh. He growled, and his grip on my arms was so strong I thought he would break my bones.

I lifted my knee between his legs when I felt his teeth prick into my skin. He groaned and clutched his m*****d. The feral snarling growl that left him made my eyes widen, and I shoved him away from me, glancing around and looking for something to use to defend myself. I grabbed the poker for the fireplace and brandished it as a weapon. "Kalen!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Tobias lunged at me, and I jumped on top of my bed before jumping to the other side.

"Aleera?" Kalen yelled and banged on the door. It was locked when I felt the shudder of a portal opening up. Gosh, how I wish I could do that; it would be handy in a situation like this. Kalen appeared behind him, stepping into the room. His eyes were wide as he took in the scene. Tobias turned and growled at him before his eyes flicked back to me.

"Tobias, you need to focus on me," Kalen murmured with his hands out like he was trying to cage a wounded animal. Yet Tobias's eyes didn't waver from mine. Almost like he was locked on my scent and in a trance. I had heard of it at school but had never seen someone blood-crazed before. He was tracking my every movement.

Kalen tackled him, but Tobias moved too quickly, and Kalen hit the ground before I was tossed through the air. I didn't even see him grab me, only felt his nails slice into my soft flesh as he yanked on my arm. I smacked into the bathroom door when I felt his teeth slice into my upper arm like a savage as he pounced on me.

My scream echoed off the walls, and I noticed Kalen get up off the floor and shake himself. His head turned in my direction, and I reckoned the horror on his face mirrored mine. Kalen rushed over when another portal opened up in my tiny room, and Darius stepped in. He quickly assessed what was going on just as Lycus walked in behind him seconds later. I grunted when Tobias jerked me forward, his teeth sinking into my shoulder. Lycus growled and shoved Kalen through the portal while Darius gripped Tobias's shoulder and threw him backward. His teeth were torn painfully from my skin, ripping off a chunk of my flesh.

Tobias snarled and tried to attack him. Lycus intercepted just as Darius grabbed me, shoving me through the open portal. I gasped at the sudden movement. The air wheezed from my lungs as I fell through it into a new room. I landed on top of Kalen, knocking the wind out of him.

The room tilted a little, and I rolled off him and looked at the ceiling, trying to catch my breath as I sucked in deep breaths. He attacked me, and the only thing I could think of was, what if Darius and Lycus hadn't arrived? Or what if Kalen had no magic to portal in? Banging and growls could be heard from the room next door, and I sat up and looked around at my surroundings.

The room was dim; the only light provided came from the lamps that sat on either side of the enormous bed, which had to be the size of two kings.

"Are you alright?" Kalen asked me, and my head whipped in the direction of his voice. Kalen looked me over, and I glanced down to see blood gushing down my arm and spilling onto the black stained floorboards. I nodded, not knowing what to say. I felt cold, freezing, and Kalen moved toward me and gripped my arms. My head felt foggy, and my stomach woozy.

"You're shaking," Kalen murmured.

You would be, too, if someone tried to eat you and drain you of your blood. The banging in the other room slowly stopped when Lycus walked in through the bathroom door.

His hands gripped my arms, and the shock must have worn off because I threw up. Lycus looked down at his knees and shirt covered in bile since I had nothing in my stomach. Kalen gripped my hair as I retched when Lycus moved, picking me up. At first, I thought he was about to lose it because I threw up all over him, but instead, he scooped me up in one swift movement and walked me into the bathroom. My head was spinning, and I was still bleeding profusely. I could feel the blood draining out of me as I fought to remain conscious.

"Take her for a second," Lycus said; his tone was surprisingly gentle. Kalen took me from him, and I leaned my head heavily against his shoulder when I heard the sound of skin tearing before getting a whiff of Lycus's scent beneath my nose.

"Open your mouth," Lycus said, pressing down on my chin with his thumb. I obeyed, too weak to do anything else besides trying and hold myself back from retching again. Lycus had pressed his wrist to my lips; the taste of his blood breached the barrier of my lips, and my mouth opened, allowing his blood to flood in. I could feel the bite marks healing, although it did nothing for the blood already lost.

The sound of running water told me Lycus had turned the shower on. Seconds passed before I was pressed against his naked chest. Feeling water drench my face made me gasp as I breathed it in. My eyes flew open, and I jerked in his arms.

"Sorry," he said before sitting down. His back hit the tiles with a thud since he couldn't place his hands down because I was currently wrapped in his arms. I leaned heavily against him, and my eyes fluttered. "Stay awake. Darius will be in soon."

All I wanted to do was sleep, and gosh, I felt cold. Icy cold but also numb; it was an odd sensation to feel. Kalen gripped my face before tapping my cheek, but I couldn't keep my eyes open.