The Blood Rite

Chapter Forty Two

Ruby didn't stop running until she hit the crowd still gathered outside. She stopped short, staring at the party and realizing that she'd been gone only a few minutes. It felt like she'd been standing here with her friends hours ago.

Shaking herself off, she beelined for Halle. Grabbing the girl's wrist she said, "We need to go, now."

"What?" Halle slurred, "Go where? Ruby?"

Ruby pulled her along as she veered through the crowd. She didn't bother with politeness as she shoved her way through.Vampires were shooting them odd looks.

Halle yanked on her arm. "Ruby, what's going on-"

Ruby whirled. Shaking the girl by the shoulders she said, "Halle, I need you to sober up. We need to run. Now."

"What-"

"Trust me. We don't have much time!"

The girl blinked. Seeing the panic written on Ruby's face, she nodded, "Okay."

They raced past the other vampires, ignoring the dirty looks and whispers they recieved. As they ran over the field towards the dark trees, all Ruby could hear was the sound of Orpheus's footsteps. Everytime she looked behind them though, no one was following. They dove through the treeline and didn't stop until they reached a large space in the trees.

The clearing was full of moonlight. The grass swayed in the breeze, a contrast to the hammering of her heart inside her chest. She tried to catch her breath, placing her hands upon her head and pacing.

"Ruby," Halle breathed, "what is going on? Why are we running?"

Ruby shook her head. She couldn't talk just yet. She barely understood what happened herself. Orpheus having a civil conversation with the Shadows. Their enemy. The people who had murdered her friends. Her fists clenched tight and the darkness inside her beat violently at her control. She wanted to give in to it, to unleash her rage on Orpheus and the Shadows.

She'd kissed him. She scoffed and shook her head again.

"Ruby?"

Unable to to put it off any longer, Ruby faced her, "Orpheus can't be trusted," she huffed. She could barely speak past the anger. It choked her. She'd never felt so much fury before.

Halle blinked, reeling slightly back, "What happened?"

"He's working with the Shadows, Halle."

Halle froze. She hadn't been moving before, but the total stone stillness she fell into was deathly. Her expression fell and true, raw fear crept in. Her bottom lip quivered, "No."

"Yes. They are working together."

"Are you sure?"

"I just saw them and they made some kind of deal."

"Deal for what?"

Ruby's mouth fell open but no sound escaped. Me, she wanted to say, for me. The fear she'd been trying to surpress overcame her, choking her throat and sending her head spinning. Orpheus had told her she was the most powerful vampire. Was he planning to give her blood to the Shadows all along? If so, why go to so much length to get close to her?

Halle grabbed her arm, "Ruby-"

A whistle pierced the air and Halle's body bucked. A long, wooden stake stuck out from her gut.

Halle's eyes lifted to Ruby's, her lips parted in shock. A sound between a gasp and a cry tumbled from her. Then, her eyes rolled back and she collasped.

Ruby screamed. Whirling to face whoever had shot Halle, she saw brown leather figures stepping out from the ring of trees around them. Surrounding them. They all held some weapon or another. All of them wood.

Vampire Hunters.

Her control snapped and the darkness spun up to consume her. Her power rocketting towards her. She raised her arms, ready to slice them all to pieces as two whistles rang. She snatched one just before it hit her arm. But she was too late to stop the second as it sank, deep into the side of her ribs.

She gasped. Ruby clawed at the stake protruding from her side, a silent scream on her lips. Her knees gave out and she crashed to the ground. Her vision whirred. She tried to push to her feet, her shaking arms giving out beneath her.

Ruby was out before she hit the grass.

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Quick guys, we need to give them ALL of the VOTES to save them!