Chapter 729: Tainted Blood

Sunny went right to her rival, lifting the fallen queen into her arms with a tenderness I didn't expect. The Sthol Family Blood Clan moaned around the room, seemingly worse affected by the draining than the Wilhelm's had been. Piles of fallen vampires lay everywhere, tangled among themselves as though they'd clung to each other for support prior to collapsing.

They've been under the influence of the taint far longer, Sunny sent. And, from the feeling of them, being the main focus since you freed my family hasn't served them well.

I crouched next to Pannera as Charlotte and Piers paced around the room, assisting the vampires. The queen's eyes fluttered open, her face a sunken mummy mask, though not completely drained. But her clear gray eyes, almost colorless in shock, locked on mine, as full of life as they had ever been. She grasped my hand with a withered hand, nails digging into my skin.

"What..." she trailed off. "What's happened?"

Sunny soothed her, feeding her energy even as