Blood on The Road

Aziel’s POV

I stepped out of the carriage and the cold night air hit my face.

The world outside was chaos.

Torches blazed against the darkness. Horses screamed. Men shouted over the clash of steel. The smell of blood and smoke filled the air.

Bandits.

Or assassins.

I did not care which. Bodies already littered the road.

The Iron Fang soldiers fought in tight formation, blades flashing beneath the moonlight. Whoever attacked us had planned this well.

There were too many.

Soren stood beside me, one hand on the hilt of a short blade.

His gray eyes scanned the battlefield quickly.

“Stay inside.”

I laughed.

He looked at me sharply.

“My Prince…”

I stepped forward.

“I was born on battlefields.”

His jaw tightened.

“This body was not.”

Fair.

I ignored him.

A man charged toward us through the smoke. A curved blade raised high.

Soren moved first.

Steel flashed.

The man’s throat opened and blood sprayed across the dirt. He dropped.

I raised a brow.

Soren wiped his blade calmly.

“Stay behind me.”

I almost smiled.

Cute.

Another attacker rushed us.

This one bigger. 

Faster.

He swung for Soren’s head.

I moved before I thought.

Pain shot through my side as I snatched a fallen sword from the ground.

I twisted.

Steel met steel.

The impact rattled up my weak arms.

Damn.

I gritted my teeth and drove the blade upward. The sword pierced his throat.

He dropped instantly.

Warm blood splashed across my face.

I froze.

For one second…

I was home.

The battlefield. The blood. The iron.

My pulse quickened.

My lips curled.

Soren stared at me.

“My Prince…”

I stepped over the body.

Another came.

Then another.

My body was weak.

My limbs shook.

My breathing turned ragged.

But my mind…

My mind remembered.

Duck.

Step.

Twist.

Kill.

A blade sliced toward my neck.

I bent low then drove my sword into his ribs.

Turned.

Pulled it free.

Blood sprayed hot across my hands.

Someone screamed behind me.

I spun.

An attacker had Soren pinned against a tree. Sword raised.

I moved.

Fast.

Too fast.

Pain ripped through my chest. I ignored it then grabbed a dagger from a corpse and threw it.

The blade sank into the attacker’s eye.

He dropped.

Soren shoved the body off and stared at me.

His chest heaved.

“You…”

I smirked.

“Try not to die.”

A horn sounded through the forest.

Sharp.

Urgent.

The attackers froze then retreated into the trees.

Cowards.

The soldiers shouted after them but did not chase.

Smart.

The forest was too dark.

Too easy to ambush.

I exhaled slowly.

My sword slipped from numb fingers.

And then…

My knees buckled. The world tilted.

Strong arms caught me.

Soren.

I glared weakly.

“Put me down.”

He ignored me.

“I told you to stay inside.”

I laughed.

Then coughed.

Blood touched my lips.

Soren’s face changed instantly. His eyes widened.

“Shit.”

I looked down.

A blade had cut across my side.

Not deep. But enough.

Annoying.

Soren lifted me easily.

Humiliating.

I grabbed his collar weakly.

“I can walk.”

“No.”

His voice was firm.

Interesting.

He carried me back toward the carriage.

The soldiers stared. I stared back until they looked away.

Cowards.

Soren climbed inside and laid me down.

The pain hit harder now.

Sharp.

Burning.

My body was too weak to ignore it anymore.

Soren tore open the side of my robes.

I grabbed his wrist instantly.

His eyes snapped to mine.

“What are you doing?”

He blinked.

“Saving your life.”

I narrowed my eyes.

He sighed.

“It’s a wound, not a seduction.”

I almost laughed.

Almost.

I released him.

He worked quickly.

Warm water.

Cloth.

Medicine.

The sting nearly made me curse. I clenched my jaw.

Soren glanced up.

“You can scream.”

“I’d rather die.”

His lips twitched.

He wrapped the wound tightly then sat back.

His fingers were stained red.

My blood.

He stared at it for a moment. Then quietly said,

“You saved me.”

I closed my eyes.

“You’re useful.”

A pause.

Then I heard him laugh softly.

I opened one eye. He was smiling again.

That stupid smile.

Dangerous.

Warm.

Annoying.

I looked away.

Soren’s voice lowered.

“You’re bleeding through the bandage.”

I looked down.

Damn.

He moved closer.

One hand pressed against my side. The other touched my shoulder.

“Stay still.”

I inhaled sharply.

His scent hit me.

Clean.

Cool.

Like rain and pine.

My body reacted.

Heat curled low in my stomach.

I froze.

No.

No.

Not now.

Omega instincts.

I shoved him hard.

Soren nearly fell.

He stared.

“What…”

“Get out.”

His brows furrowed.

“My Prince…”

“Get. Out.”

He hesitated.

Then stood. Slowly.

He left the carriage.

The second the door shut, I exhaled sharply.

My body burned. Sweat slid down my neck.

Damn it.

Damn this body.

I pressed my head back against the wall.

My breathing turned uneven. The heat under my skin worsened. Not a full heat.

Just instinct.

Triggered.

Disgusting.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to breathe.

In.

Out.

Again.

Again.

Suppress it. Control it.

I was not prey.

I was not weak.

I was not Omega.

Hours passed.

Eventually the heat faded and my body went limp with exhaustion.

I stared at the dark ceiling.

Three days.

That was what they said.

Three days to reach Ragnar.

I smiled weakly.

Good.

I wanted to meet him sooner.

The Blood Tyrant.

The Emperor.

The monster.

I closed my eyes.

And for the first time in years…

I dreamed of blood.