the blood pack

blood pack chapter 7

THE BLOOD PACK

Chapter Seven: The Last Blood

They ran until the burning mansion disappeared behind the trees. Darius led the pack deep into the forest, away from the roads and away from the hunters. Victor was badly wounded, and Marcus had to support him between the trees. Adrian kept looking behind them, terrified that the hunters would appear again. Lucian said nothing. He simply walked beside Seraphina, watching her with a look Darius didn't trust.

Eventually, they reached an abandoned stone church hidden among the mountains. The building had been empty for more than a century, its roof partially collapsed and its walls covered in vines. Darius pushed open the ancient doors.

"We stay here until sunrise."

Victor dropped onto a broken wooden bench.

"Sunrise isn't exactly going to help us."

Darius ignored him.

Seraphina walked toward the altar.

Something about the church seemed familiar to her.

Marcus noticed.

"You've been here before."

Seraphina nodded.

"Many years ago."

Darius looked at her.

"How many?"

She hesitated.

"Three hundred."

The others stared at her.

Adrian shook his head.

"You don't look anywhere near that old."

Seraphina smiled sadly.

"That's the problem with vampires. You stop knowing what age really means."

Darius stepped closer.

"Tell us everything."

Seraphina looked around the ruined church.

"The first vampire was called Malachi. He wasn't created by another vampire. He was the first. According to the oldest stories, his blood carried a power that allowed him to create vampires stronger than anything the world had ever seen."

"What happened to him?" Marcus asked.

"They tried to destroy him."

Seraphina looked toward the floor.

"They failed."

Victor laughed.

"So we've been fighting hunters while the first vampire sleeps beneath our house?"

"Not sleeps," Seraphina said.

She looked at Darius.

"He was waiting."

"For what?"

"For me."

Silence filled the church.

Darius stared at her.

"Why?"

Seraphina's voice became quiet.

"Because my blood is the only blood capable of killing him."

Lucian stepped forward.

"Then why doesn't he just kill you?"

"Because he needs me alive."

Darius's expression hardened.

"What happens if he gets you?"

Seraphina looked at him.

"He becomes impossible to kill."

Nobody spoke.

Suddenly, Victor stood.

"We can't stay here."

Darius nodded.

"We move tonight."

But before they could leave, a silver arrow shot through the church window.

It struck Marcus in the chest.

He fell.

"Marcus!"

The pack rushed toward him.

Another arrow came through the wall.

Then another.

The hunters had found them.

Darius pulled Marcus behind the altar while Victor charged toward the entrance.

Seraphina grabbed Darius's arm.

"Don't fight them here."

"Why?"

"Because they aren't alone."

The church doors exploded inward.

A massive figure stepped through the smoke.

He was taller than any human, dressed in black armor, with silver scars covering his face.

The hunters moved aside for him.

Darius stared.

"Who are you?"

The man smiled.

"My name is Gabriel."

He raised his sword.

"And I've spent two hundred years hunting your kind."

His eyes moved to Seraphina.

"Tonight, I finally found the last blood."

Seraphina stepped forward.

Darius grabbed her arm.

"No."

Gabriel smiled.

"Protect her all you want, Alpha."

His eyes narrowed.

"Because when she falls, your entire pack falls with her."

Then the battle began.

And this time, the hunters weren't trying to capture Seraphina.

They were trying to kill everyone.