As Dumphries materialized in the clearing, his ancient eyes quickly assessed the situation. The shock on his face was evident as he saw Rose suspended in midair, black tendrils of energy pulsing around her.
"By the old blood," he muttered, his voice heavy with disbelief. "The ritual we had performed really didn't work."
Blake rushed forward, desperation clear in his voice. "Dumphries, please. We need your help. The Nemisis is too strong."
Dumphries nodded grimly, his face set with determination. "We'll need to perform the Bloodbinding," he announced. "It's an ancient vampire technique, one that hasn't been used in millennia."
Reggie's eyes widened. "The Bloodbinding? But that's incredibly dangerous."
"It's our only choice," Dumphries replied, already moving to position himself beneath Rose's suspended form. "Blake, Reggie, Randal, form a triangle around us. We'll need your strength for this."
