The Blood Rite

Chapter Forty Eight

The next morning, Talon slipped into town to purchase a map, food, and two containers of blood. As the three of them sat in the cave eating, they used the map to figure out just where they were, which turned out to be a two days walk from the mansion and even further to the closest Vampire Hunter hideout.

They didn't have a plan, and either had to rely on the only money Talon took on his hunt or the girls' theft skills. That day was spent trying and failing to form some semblance of a plan. But on the second day, they decided to make the trek to the hunters' hideout.

At first, when Ruby proposed the idea, Talon and Halle were both against it. However, she'd reasoned with them. If they were to come with a warning and to offer aid against Orpheus, then maybe the hunters wouldn't kill them in their sleep.

It was a risk, and they all knew it, but it was better than going to Orpheus.

Ruby tried not to think about him, and with Talon beside her, it was easy. Still, something inside of her kept clinging to him. Maybe it was the darkness they shared, or maybe it was just her scorned feelings.

He played you good, a voice hissed. She hated knowing that she'd almost fought for him to kill innocents. She'd trusted him.

After gathering what they hoped was enough supplies for their trip, they began. Talon had bought a small, cheap wooden compass to help guide them. They walked for the better part of the day, the girls' sipping their blood sparingly and Talon munching on his beef strips.

By night they made camp in a small clearing. They lit a fire, mainly for Talon's sake as the temperature drop. Then they were moving again the next morning.

"Are we really going to show up like this?" Halle asked during their trek.

"Like what?"

The girl gestured to her once beautiful but now battered and dirty dress, "This. They'll think we are crazy."

Ruby sighed, "Or it will make our story of being on the run convincing."

Or so she hoped. The closer they got, the more worried Ruby got that this was a mistake. A weak part of her begged to turn and run the opposite direction towards Orpheus. To plead for him to forgive her. But forgive her for what? For not wanting to be used and manipulated and lied to? She kept pushing on.

"Here," Talon said that night as Ruby sat by the fire. He handed her a container of blood and a straw.

She smiled, "Thanks."

He nodded, but his expression was distant, "Is that how you've been drinking it this whole time?"

"Yes."

Another nod, "I know I offered the other day, but I've realized that I can't let you drink from me. Not ever."

"Talon," she said softly, her eyes flicking to the mangaled scar at his throat,"I'm not going to." She wasn't sure she could ever drink from him. Not while know it would only hurt him more.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I understand why."

He nodded once again before getting up and walking away to lay down. With a sigh, Ruby sipped on her food and listened to the surrounding forest. A deep dark rage had settled at the pit of her stomach the moment she'd seen his scars and it had only grown more deadly as time went on.

She'd make the Shadows pay. No matter what, she would. They killed her friends and tortured Talon. She'd repay them tenfold.

Ruby was going to destroy them all.

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