Read Blood and Snow 12: Vampire Ever After? for Free Online

the mouth.
    I blinked several times; sure my eyes were deceiving me. But he continued to kiss Sharra, and she was kissing him back. Passionately.
    I wanted to run away. I wanted to hide. To go back to the night I’d been bitten and have everything, all of my memories wiped clean. “I don’t understand,” I finally said. Even though I was beginning too. Christopher betrayed me.
    When the Hunter first bit me, Professor Pops told me he wasn’t to be trusted. That he desired power above all else. I hadn’t believed him. I didn’t want to.
    After several minutes, they stopped kissing. But Christopher kept his arm around Sharra. T hey both looked at me, gloating.
    I still couldn’t believe it. “Are you… really Christopher?” I asked, knowing I wasn’t making sense, but too shocked to care.
    Sharra pushed him away. “Show her,” she said.
    Christopher walked over to the bound man he’d left standing next to the throne, and ripped the burlap sack from his head.
    My breath sucked in and two black spots blurred my vision. I couldn’t believe who it was.

Chapter 9
     
    “Dorian,” I whispered. My fingers covered my mouth, and they trembled. It couldn’t be.
    He was barely recognizable. One eye was bruised shut. His bottom lip was split, and dried blood stained his mouth, and chin. His shirt was shredded down the front like a five-fingered lion ripped into him.
    But. It. Was. Dorian.
    He wasn’t dead. Beaten? Battered? Yes. But alive. My heart leaped with joy.
    I said his name again , tucking my hands into fists at my sides. “Dorian.”
    He grunted, as though I’d awakened him where he stood. His good eye peered at me, and a smile spread ac ross his face. “Snow?”
    An aching sob tore at my throat. “ What are you doing with him,” I asked through gritted teeth. My gaze flipping from Christopher to Sharra. “Let me have him,” I added.
    “ With pleasure,” Christopher said, shoving Dorian toward me. I caught him.
    “Missed you,” Dorian whispered , his voice hoarse.
    I fought down the urge to cry. He needed a doctor.
    He needs you, my inner voice quipped. And a light bulb flicked on in my head. Casually I poured some of the Seal’s healing power into Dorian. Under my hands I felt his ribs heal. His internal bleeding stopped. The bones on both wrists knitted back together.
    Dorian took a deep breath. As though there had been an invisible weight pressed against his chest and it suddenly disappeared.
    Sharra leaned forward, and snapped. “Retrieve the boy!”
    Christopher punched Dorian in the face, grabbed him by the shirt collar and brought him to stand next to them.
    “Here is my final offer, dear Snow.” Sharra stood, and grabbed Dorian under the chin. His nose was bleeding. “Give me your body. In return I will free the remaining Marked and allow this human to live.”
    My heart pitched. So many emotions pummeled my mind. I felt betrayed by Christopher, relieved Dorian was alive, and terrified I wouldn’t be able to help anyone.
    “Don’t agree to anything. She’s a— ” Dorian began, but Sharra backhanded him so hard I heard his nose break.
    “And his death won’t be quick. It’ll be painful.” She tossed Dorian to the floor near my feet. “This first thing I’ll do is rip out his tongue.”
    “Fine,” I said. “You win.”
    Sharra ’s evil grin turned to glee. She clapped. “Yay. I love it when I get what I want.”
    I knelt beside Dorian. “It’s going to be okay,” I whispered, but I didn’t believe it. Perhaps I was just being cowardly. If Sharra took my body first, I wouldn’t have to witness the evil I felt sure she would bestow on Dorian and the other Marked in this room. What else could I do though? Pretend I didn’t care? Watch hundreds die?
    “Fight her,” Dorian said, his voice raspy , as though he knew the thoughts flying through my mind. “You’re stronger than her. You can win.”
    Sharra squatted down on the other side of Dorian so our noses nearly