Page 24 of His Winter Wonderland

The pain at the back of her head was worsening. She felt the warmth of her blood as it dripped from the wound, down her head and down her neck. Rhen inhaled deeply. The look of calm on his features was reversed before she could move out of reach. The black lines were reappearing, zigzagging across his face.

His fangs lengthened, scraping his lips, causing blood to drip from them. He looked feral, rabid. His mouth opened. Winter called for her dagger. It didn’t appear. Her body was feeling sluggish. Soon she would pass out. She swayed as he switched their positions and tossed her onto the ground. His fangs pierced her neck.

Vicky had said he would be their beginning or their end.

It seemed, this was their end.

Chapter Nine

Winter

No fairy tale ending for her.

She didn’t deserve one. That much she knew. Still, she didn’t deserve this either. Even if this was the end, she wouldn’t go out without a fight. She would fight until her body completely shut down on her.

Each time she fought back, his fangs sank deeper into her. He sat up with her and pulled her into his lap like she was a rag doll. Cradling her against him, he continued feeding on her. Beneath her bottom, she could feel his cock pressing against her ass. Blood lust! This bastard was experiencing blood lust.

If she didn't get away soon, he'd try to fuck her while he fed from her. Only in her nightmares had she felt this weak, this useless. She was the fucking Goddess of War. Yet, she felt no stronger than a mortal from the mortal realm. Come on, War, she called on the animal that lived within her. Come to me. I summon you to my side.

The tattoo at her neck vibrated, but War did not appear. She had to break free of him before she passed out. She wriggled her hand. She couldn’t lift her arm, because he had his arms wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her sides. She felt like the world around her was spinning while she moved in slow motion.

Come on, Winter, you got this, she told herself. She leaned into him, leaning into his bite. The bastard had the nerve to groan.

“That’s right,” he growled against her neck. “If you don’t run, I can mark you properly and the darkness inside of me won’t go crazy.”

Fuck whatever the hell he was talking about. Before his fangs could sink into her neck again, she lifted her hips, just enough so she could slide her hand underneath her bottom and sank her claws into his cock. The roar that ripped from the vampire's throat caused the bats hanging out in nearby trees to take flight. The roar didn't last for long.

With his fangs no longer piercing her neck, she tried to scoot away from him. Then she noticed the vamps waiting in the shadows. Their eyes were glowing as they watched her and her vampire. They were practically drooling. They wanted in on the action. The vampire holding her was preventing them from joining in.

If she ran now, they would attack her. In this state, she wouldn't be able to defeat the hungry vamps lingering nearby. Rhen stared down at down at her, fangs dripping with her blood. Her vision blurred as she swayed slightly. His arms tightened around her. If he was both Rhen and her monster, that meant a part of him had to care for her.

He’d called her his mate. Somewhere in there, deep down, had to be the male she’d made love to, made love with. Somewhere in there was the male who’d said he wanted to be with her for eternity. Even if he wasn’t truly the love of her life. Even if he was just a creature her sisters created to torment her. It was obvious they made a part of him care about her.

“He was not created by them,” Vicky whispered. “He is really ours. But… but… there’s something wrong. Bloodlust. Or blood awakens….” Vicky fell silent, unable to continue talking.

Winter understand what her demon was trying to tell her. He was real. But the bloodlust created the monster before her. That was even better. If this was truly her Rhen, that meant there was indeed a part of him that cared for her, loved her. She just had to find that part of him. Her throat ached, yet, she still tried to speak.

"Yours..." That was the only word she could get out. And she was pretty sure it sounded garbled due to the blood spilling out of the side of her mouth. "I'm... yours...." She tried again.

She was pretty sure her words were drowned out by the hisses rising up around them. The creature's eyes glowed brighter as he howled then snarled at his clan members who were moving closer. They reluctantly stepped back. Once they were far enough away for his comfort, he returned his gaze to her.

She opened her mouth again. She just needed to reach Rhen. He was in there somewhere. She didn’t know what inner struggle he had going on. All she knew was that struggle had played out in her nightmares. In the end, her protector was able to be victorious over her hunter.

She was sure her nightmare was also Rhen’s nightmare. In her nightmares, she been fighting against his monster. But, she’d also been dealing with her own issues. Her fear of being weak and alone, abandoned by her leopard and even her demon. Her fear that she couldn’t protect herself without them.

In his nightmares, he’d been trying his best not to give in to his darker instincts. They both had demons to battle, weaknesses to overcome. In their dreams they’d been able to work through it. The same could happen in reality. She was sure of it. She was sure they could fight through this if they both tried hard enough.

At this point, that was the last bit of hope she had to hold on to. Her lips parted as she prepared to tell him that she was really Winter. The same Winter from his dreams. His mate. The female he wanted to spend eternity with. The female he went fishing with. The female he went hunting with.

The woman he kissed gently but fucked like a savage almost every night, in their dreams. The woman who loved him so much, she’d been trying to find a way to sleep permanently, so she’d never leave his side. She was that Winter. His Winter. And he was her Rhen. Yet, no words emerged as he lashed onto her throat once more.

Energy depleted, her head lolled to the side and her eyes drifted shut. This was the end. She had no more strength to fight. She didn’t even know if she wanted to. Her hands dropped to the side as he drank from her. Though her eyes were closed, her mind was still racing. A lone tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

Warriors don’t cry, she chastised herself half-heartedly. On the inside, she chuckled. Warrior? What warrior? She was just a helpless girl who’d been hurt by everyone around her, even her mate. Fate? Yes, she now believed in fate. Her past had caught up with her. Karma was finally coming for her for all the heinous crimes she’d committed.

Fate, Karma, those bitches didn’t care that she’d been ordered to do those things. They didn’t care that it had been her job, her duty, her sworn obligation to eradicate certain creatures from certain plans. They didn’t care that if she didn’t complete her mission, she would be punished severely.

Karma had come and demanded her due. Now, Winter was no longer a Goddess of anything. War had left her. Vicky had left her. Now she was just Winter. Alone, cold, dying at the hands of the monster who’d haunted her dreams. Dying at the hands of the male who’d blessed her dreams.