All Chapters of Bloodline Eclipse: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Ella “Five against one. Begin.”Barion’s voice is ice as the circle of wolves closes in. I’m in the middle of the training pit, claws out, golden fire licking my arms, heart pounding so hard I feel it in my teeth .“Five?” I pant. “That’s not training, that’s suicide .”“Valerius won’t send one,” Barion answers. “He’ll send an army. Prove you can survive it.”The first wolf lunges.I duck, slash, golden fire explodes outward. He yelps echo.“Too slow,” Galeon laughs, already behind me, claws raking my side.I spin, drive my elbow into his jaw, feel bone crack. “Not today.”Another grabs my hair, yanks me backward. I twist, claws into his thigh, golden fire searing flesh.“Get off me!” I scream.They swarm.I fight like a wild thing, claws and fangs and fire, but there are too many . A fist to my ribs, claws across my back, silver-wolf chain whips around my ankle and I’m down .I hit dirt hard, blood in my mouth.“Yield,” Barion growls.“Never,” I spit, pushing up.He nods once. “Agai

Ella “With pleasure.”Rael’s words fade into the wind as he turns back toward the stronghold , burned cheek still smoking, new vial heavy in his pocket. He walks like a man who’s already won .Back in the stronghold, the pack is barely breathing.I’m running from cot to cot in the healing hall, hands glowing golden as I pour every drop of strength I have into the sick.“Hold on,” I whisper to a little girl whose eyes are fluttering shut. “You’re stronger than this poison, you hear me?”She squeezes my finger once, weak.Vera is beside me, voice hoarse from hours of healing. “You’re spreading yourself too thin, Ella. You’ll burn out.”“They’re dying,” I answer, moving to the next bed, an old warrior coughing black bile . “I’m the only one who can fight it .”Lucira staggers in, face grey, leaning on the doorframe. “We lost three more this morning.”My heart sinks like a stone. “How many left fighting?”“Too many still down,” she says. “But the antidote with your blood is working . Slo

Ella “Hello, little queen. Time to come home.”Valerius’s voice rolls over the battlefield like thunder wrapped in velvet . Every wolf around me stiffens. Every vampire straightens.Then Adrian steps fully into view.He’s at the front of the vampire line, armor black and shining, sword in hand, face blank except for those crimson eyes .My knees almost give out .“Adrian,” I breathe, and it’s too soft for anyone to hear but the bond carries it anyway .His head jerks like I slapped him .The fighting around us slows, then stops . Wolves and vampires both sense the air change, like the world is holding its breath .Valerius smiles wider. “Bring her to me, brother .”Adrian takes one step forward .Then another.I walk to meet him .The space between us feels like miles and inches at the same time .He stops an arm’s length away .“Adrian,” I say again, louder .His sword trembles in his grip .“Fight him,” I whisper.“I’m trying,” he rasps, and it’s his voice, real, raw, terrified .V

Ella “They’re not taking her. Not ever.”Adrian’s whisper is fierce in my ear, arms tight around me like he can shield me from the world with his body alone .I stir against his chest. “The cages. Tell me everything the scouts said.”He hesitates. “Three of them. Silver bars thick as my arm. Runes carved in old vampire tongue. One big enough for you. Two smaller. One labeled ‘queen.’ One labeled ‘pet.’”My stomach twists . “He thinks he’s funny .”“He thinks he’s winning,” Adrian says, voice dark. “He’s not.”I sit up, turn to face him. “We destroy them at dawn.”He nods. “Burn them. Melt them. Make sure they can’t hold anyone ever again.”We walk back to the pack circle hand in hand.Lucira meets us, face grim. “The runes are compulsion wards. Designed to dampen hybrid power and strengthen sire bonds.”Adrian’s grip tightens. “So if they get me in one…”“The collar will be permanent,” she finishes. “And if they get Ella…”“They won’t,” I say.Barion limps up. “We’ll need every fig

Adrian’s POV“Rise, Prince Drakov.”Valerius’s voice echoes through the throne room like a command carved in stone, and every vampire in the hall bows low, silk rustling, eyes gleaming with hunger and fear and something that looks a lot like awe .I stand slowly, collar burning against my throat, runes pulsing hot enough to make my vision blur at the edges . The weight of it all crashes down. Prince, Brother, Monster. I feel Ella’s absence like a missing limb, the bond stretched thin and aching across whatever distance they’ve put between us.Valerius leans close on the throne, voice low just for me. “Smile, brother. You’re home.”I don’t smile . I stare straight ahead, jaw locked, fists clenched at my sides .He chuckles . “Still sulking. Fine. We’ll fix that.”He rises, gestures to the court . “Tonight we feast in honor of my brother’s return . Tomorrow we prepare for the eclipse.”Cheers rise, goblets clinking, blood sloshing. I’m led to a seat at his right hand, high table overloo