Darkness Unleashed by Belinda Boring Read Free Book Online

wouldn’t be enough.
    Unfortunately, we hadn’t been able to uncover the artifact Zane had moved and hidden. In all our time in Woodside Hollow, we’d found some trinkets that promised success, but testing them had proven the claims false. Helena had declared her confidence in doing it herself, but as I watched on in amazement, her clothes began shredding from her body, revealing long, large, bloodied welts on her skin.
    My fangs punched out through my gums at the scent. Power—she was bursting with it. My mouth watered, temptation screaming for me to take what was before me. I dug deep and began strategizing my own inner battle.
    Blood. It was everything. It owned me, but not this time. I refused to submit to my thirst. Refused to let it reduce all my hopes and dreams to rubble.
    If I moved, even the slightest bit, I would rip Helena’s throat out. Not because I needed the blood, but because the dark seductive whisperings that beckoned me.
    Helena’s scream dragged me from my own private hell as her head fell back and I caught glimpse of her agony. The vortex was slowly tearing her apart, the welts on her arms growing wider and deeper.
    “ Helena!” I yelled, panic setting in as I saw my chances to be with Mason dying.
    “ Don’t move!” She replied. “I can finish this!”
    But even I knew this was over. She just wasn’t strong enough. “If you don’t stop, you’ll die!” I didn’t add that I needed her alive. She was my only connection to the Master and my way out of this body and into one I could appreciate.
    “ If I must sacrifice so he can live, so be it!”
    In the next moment, the vortex bitch-slapped Helena in one, final demonstration of authority and sent her flying through the air before smashing her hard against the far wall. Immediately, it flashed brightly and returned to its unimpressive former state. If I hadn’t witnessed it for myself, I’d have said it was impossible.
    Rushing over to the witch, the call of her blood hit me again, like a freight train. She was a mess and our task a failure. I had no idea how she was going to explain this.
    “ Give me your wrist, now!” She ordered, her voice strangely forceful. “Quickly, before it’s too late.”
    Blood. She wanted my blood to heal before she died from her wounds. As much as I needed her for my own ambitions, seeing her vulnerable presented a whole new chance for opportunities. Taking a few steps forward, I stopped just out of her reach.
    “ Before I let you drink from me, I want to negotiate a new deal.”
    “ You dare try to bargain with me after everything I’ve done for you?” Helena asked incredulously.
    “ Everything the Master has done for me,” I corrected.
    “ Whatever. Give me what I want, Amber. Don’t make me regret including you in this.”
    “ But you did. You needed me then, and you need me even more now.”
    Her body convulsed as it began to give out. Her face was white, the light in her eyes fading. “Fine. What do you want?”
    “ I want a place by the side of the Master. I want to be important. Me. Not Mason. Me.”
    “ I’m sure the Master will agree,” Helena quickly replied, stretching her feeble hand out.
    “ I want you to swear you’ll make it happen.”
    “ I swear. Now, please.”
    I don’t know what I enjoyed more—knowing my future was suddenly brighter or the fact I had one of the most powerful people I knew begging. Dropping to my knees, my teeth tore open my wrist and let my life-giving blood flow. “Remember your promise, Helena.”
    She greedily grabbed my arm and began sucking. Slowly, but surely, her wounds began to heal and color returned to her face. She didn’t answer me, her throat swallowing what I offered in large mouthfuls. It was a risk pissing her off, but I hadn’t come this far by playing it safe.
    Nothing would stop me.
    I would take advantage of anyone and anything to climb to the top.
    I didn’t hear the footsteps until it was too late. Something grabbed the