---- 258. THE GHOSTS OF THE PAST NARRATOR He stormed out like a demon, gathering the few who could still fight, men as desperate as he was, searching for their mothers, their partners, their children. About twenty Elementals descended the mountain... and by the time Zarek found out and reached the country estate of those noble vampires... only one was left.

    He saw his friend, the one who had weed him into his home without hesitation, kneeling in the middle of the garden, still holding the mutted body of his woman. The ce was stained with the lives of those poor Elementals who were no match for the many adult vampires partying, drunk on lust and bloodlust. ''They had taken their rage out on Rousse''s body, stabbing him with swords and knives in the back as he protected the murdered woman in his arms.

    Zarek''s eyes turned crimson red as he listened to theughter and mockery, the kicks to his friend''s body, prolonging his suffering. ---- Surrounded by the vermin who dared call themselves nobles. By the time they noticed Zarek''s presence... it was toote for them. That day, he wiped out every single soul in that mansion, but nothing would bring Rousse back. Hisst breath was taken in Zarek''s arms, bitter tears falling from his lifeless eyes.

    He was still clutching his wife''s cold hand, unable to let go, deeply regretting ever inviting cmity into his vige. ?I won''t let you die, Rousse. It''s not fair. I''ll tear you from the hands of death.? Zarek''s words echoed in his mind now. 1 He made him one of his first undead, his most perfect, lethal, and "human" creation. Rousse remembered the pain those memories brought him, how he had found his woman being raped as part of the vampires'' party amusements. The blind rage.

    The helplessness. The guilt. He now understood why Zarek had buried those memories under so many restrictions. ---- He feared Rousse would hate him, me him. Rousse even wondered why Zarek hadn''t brought his wife back too. But deep down, he knew that their tragedies weren''t the vampire prince''s fault, and over the centuries, Rousse had seen his justice, his lonely fight, and survived until now. Until this moment, when once again, the love of his life could die right before his eyes.

    Rousse leapt without thinking after Meridiana, who was fighting to escape Celia''s body-or it would be her coffin. The general''s hand stretched through the air, barely brushing her fingers, catching her panicked expression. Clinging to Meridiana, just as he once did with his wife and unborn child. This time, he wouldn''t let fate steal his soulmate from him. This time, Zarek had given him the power to protect her.

    He opened his mouth, and his voice roared like thunder, invoking the powers of the dead. The ground shook, and ck, ashen roots-rotten from hiding beneath the graves-spread out from the cracks in the earth.

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