Maverick groaned as he pushed himself upright, lungs burning. He took a sharp breath and frantically scanned the debris-strewn floor around him. His heart skipped when he spotted the wooden stake lying a few feet away, just beyond his reach.
There.
He crawled toward it, fingers scrambling against broken stone. His hand finally closed around the stake's rough grip.
Without wasting another second, he staggered to his feet and broke into a run—straight toward Julius.
Across the hall, Willie caught sight of him. His eyes widened, and he cursed under his breath.
"For God's sake!" he spat, before bolting after him.
The Vampire King watched them both approach. His lips curled into a smirk.
He didn't even spare Maverick a glance.
Instead, with a flick of his free hand, a crimson thread of blood snapped from his fingers and whipped toward Willie.
"Bloody hell!" Willie cursed.
The thread coiled around him like a serpent, lifting him off the ground and hurling him across the room.
