Chapter 7
Before she could finish, Zephyr’s hand closed around her throat.
Her delicate face flushed crimson as she struggled for air.
Zephyr’s eyes blazed red, his mind roaring with rage and disbelief.
He no longer cared about her hunter heritage–she’d never told him a single truth.
She’d manipulated him into destroying his beloved wife!
Zephyr’s grip tightened slowly as he snarled through clenched teeth.
“Lilith, I warned you to leave Isadora alone!”
“Isadora was so gentle, so innocent. She never did anything to you. Why destroy her? Why turn her into this abomination?”
He seemed to be questioning her, but also himself.
Lilith’s face turned blue as she clawed frantically at his hands, desperate for oxygen.
After an eternity, as she began losing consciousness, Zephyr suddenly released her.
Lilith collapsed, gasping desperately for air.
But Zephyr’s laugh sent ice through her veins–cold and merciless.
“Death would be too merciful. I’ll make you pay a thousand times over for every moment Isadora suffered!”
At his words, Lilith went white with terror, trembling against the floor.
But she still found the strength to grab his ankle, smashing her head against the ground until blood pooled beneath her.
“Zephyr, I did all of this! If you want revenge, take it on me! They’re innocent–they knew nothing!”
“Please, I’ll go to the Feeding Grounds myself! I’ll atone to Isadora and her child!”
With those words, she threw herself desperately from the window toward the nightmare realm below.
Zephyr watched with cold indifference.
After the room fell silent, he slumped to the floor in exhaustion.
His dark eyes filled with hopeless despair.
As Lilith disappeared into the depths, images of our daughter flashed through his mind.
He realized Lilith’s schemes barely mattered to him now.
Her betrayal didn’t bring the heartbreak he’d expected.
He figured if he punished Celeste for me, I’d forgive him a bit.
Or at least he’d feel less guilty.
To make his conscience hurt a little less.
But now endless emptiness crashed over him like a tide.
Zephyr realized with hollow despair that he didn’t even have anyone left to hate.
He curled up beside the bed, gently gathering the creature that could only make hiss sounds.
16:57
I’m Not Your Breeding Tool, Vampire Lord
3.1%
Chapter 7
Regret and tears mixed together as he whispered apology after apology.
Just like many years ago, when he’d held his mate close.
Kissed her deeply, buried his face in her hair, and whispered “I love you” over and over.
But now, in neither memory nor reality, would he ever hear those words returned.
Until dawn broke, Zephyr let the feral vampire tear at him, leaving him covered in wounds.
Blood flowed freely as acidic saliva burned his flesh.
He suddenly realized–if one creature could cause him such agony, what had I endured in that pit of horrors?
He imagined the despair and hatred in my eyes as I’d looked at him.
As if silently telling him I’d never forgive him.
The creature beside him growled, and Zephyr rubbed his temples wearily.
“Be quiet for a moment, Isadora. Please.”
The words stopped him cold.
In that instant, he finally accepted the truth–the woman who’d loved him unconditionally, who’d forgiven everything, was never coming back.
Taking a shuddering breath, Zephyr slowly stood and lifted the creature in his arms, walking to the window.
The cold wind hit his face, but no one would ever again embrace him from behind, asking softly if something was troubling him.
Closing his eyes in despair, he stepped over the ledge.
The expected pain never came. Death eluded him.
Zephyr opened his eyes to find himself in the medical wing where my child had been cut from my body.
He tried to speak, to demand who had saved him.
Who had prevented him from finding his wife.
But after a long moment, he realized he lacked even the strength to make a sound.
Zephyr struggled to his feet, stumbling back toward the window.
Just as he was about to fall again, the butler called out behind him.
On the verge of plummeting to his end, the butler spoke a single line.
That single line brought Zephyr’s dead eyes back to life, and he frantically pulled himself back from the edge.
