The cursed river boiled. The moment Claire's body touched its surface, the water hissed and spat like a cauldron. The stench of burning shadows rolled upward, choking the air.
The Vampire Lord raised his arms, cloak whipping around him, his power swelling until the battlefield itself bent under his will. The ground cracked, shadows writhed like serpents, and his voice echoed like a hundred bells tolling at once.
"By darkness sworn, by blood bound, by salt consecrated—I call the chains of night to bind this shadow!"
A column of blackness erupted from him, slamming into Claire's chest. She screamed, thrashing against it, her body unraveling into smoke and faces, hundreds of faces—all the people she had ever possessed. The air filled with their cries: children, lovers, soldiers, strangers. They shrieked in agony, begging to be freed, begging to be saved.
Alex staggered, nearly collapsing under the sound. His light sputtered, flickering like a candle in the wind.
