Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2
The Ballad of Never After
by Stephanie Garber
Contents
Part III. A Murder of Monsters — Chapter 46
Overview
Chaos sinks his fangs into Evangeline, violently draining her as Honora pleads. Jacks rips Chaos—Castor—away and gathers Evangeline, begging her to return. Unable to speak or move, Evangeline slips toward nothingness. The assault escalates the danger after opening the Valory and leaves Evangeline on the brink of death.
Summary
Chaos’s bite becomes a brutal feeding, his hand holding Evangeline’s neck as he drinks until her heart cannot keep pace. The pain is overwhelming; she cannot cry out, fight back, or open her eyes. Honora’s pleading underscores how quickly the situation spirals beyond control.
As Evangeline weakens, Jacks arrives and shouts, “Castor, no!” He wrenches Chaos away and catches Evangeline before she falls. Jacks holds her fiercely, his desperation clear as he presses his forehead to hers and begs her to come back.
Evangeline tries to answer but cannot form words; her throat fails and her body feels heavy while her head turns light. Tears wet her cheeks—hers or Jacks’s—and then her awareness slips away into nothing, leaving her survival and the consequences of Chaos’s attack uncertain.
Who Appears
- Evangeline FoxVictim of Chaos’s feeding; too weak to move or speak; fades into unconsciousness.
- JacksArrives in time to pull Chaos away; cradles Evangeline, pleading for her to return.
- Chaos (Castor)Vampire prince loses control and drains Evangeline’s blood until forcibly stopped.
- HonoraWitness to the attack; pleads for Chaos to stop as Evangeline weakens.