A Vampire's Battle

by Raven Steele

  His eyes shot wide, and I stepped back and whispered the secret word to break Adelade’s glamour enchantment, “Reveal.”

  My body began to tingle as I returned to my natural state.

  He gasped, his mouth open in shock. “It can’t be! I killed you.”

  “You weren’t very good at it.”

  He growled as I roared at him and swung my sword. This was my moment. The Kiss wanted his death as badly as I did, and we weren’t going to stop until one of us was dead.

  Chapter 36

  Korin lifted his fisted hand, bringing up a wall of fire as if pulling it straight from the earth. I darted out of the way, smelling the tips of my singed hair. Circling around it, I aimed to come up behind him, but he spun and dragged the fire toward me with a flick of his wrist. It might’ve consumed me, but rain out of nowhere doused the flames.

  I glanced at Lynx. She was still chanting under her breath and watching over me.

  Korin snarled and cast her a deadly look. I quickly jabbed the sword in my right hand toward him to get his attention back on me. Faster than I could track, he pulled out the blade on his hip to block me. I swung my other one near his face. He hissed at how close it had come.

  He kicked forward and caught me in the stomach. I stumbled back, but quickly gathered my feet beneath me. He swiped his blade through the air and said a word in the ancient language. His whole sword except for the hilt lit up in flames.

  “It’s time we finished this, Samira,” Korin hissed. “You’ve been a thorn in my heel for far too long.”

  I slammed my sword into his. Over and over, our weapons clashed, our footsteps matching the frenzied movements. He was incredibly fast, but with the Kiss in me, I was faster. The Kiss funneled all of my rage and energy into this moment. I was faster, stronger, better. He was a rabbit before a dragon.

  “You’re toying with me,” he rasped out when I managed to slice into his cheek. Another nick to allow the right amount of blood to run down his flesh. I wanted him to feel every second of his impending death.

  “Perhaps.” I flashed him a smile that made his expression darken.

  Korin snapped his fingers and glanced over his shoulder to where the fae soldiers and dozens of Hydes fought. Three of them broke away from the battle as if they had been waiting all night for Korin to issue that silent command. Then six more from the other side, and then nine, or more, it was difficult to count them all. They rushed at me at once.

  “Kill her,” Korin screamed at them.

  I was severely outnumbered but fought several at once, slashing my blade through any who came near me. They battled with great power, probably his best Hydes. Korin laughed as they continued to surround me. I sliced through them desperately, beginning to feel overwhelmed.

  Suddenly, they stopped, frozen in air. Lynx stared at them with all dark eyes and hands stretched out. She had stopped time, one of her rare gifts she hadn’t used in a while because of the toll it took on her.

  Taking advantage, I jumped into the air like a bolt of lightning and severed many of the Hydes’ heads. Blood rained down to the ground, and parts of their bodies liquified. Others turned to ash. I worked quickly and just as the last one began to move as the spell waned, I removed his head, too.

  I shot Lynx a grateful look. She was panting, weak from the effort. But she looked otherwise unharmed.

  I quickly surveyed the Hydes’ remains. They were all vampires. Where did they come from and how were they being made? I didn’t have time to ponder the question.

  Korin drove a line of fire right for me, yelling in frustration. I easily dodged it and moved toward him, but a wall of fire appeared between us, flames reaching twenty feet high and stretching at least fifty feet across. I reached my hand toward the heat, half considering jumping through them to get at Korin, but my skin began to blister.

  Korin laughed through the flames, oranges and yellows reflecting in his maniac eyes. “Even the great Samira and her companion from Hell, the Kiss of Eternal Night, can’t withstand fire.”

  I glared at him, knowing it was just a matter of seconds before I killed him. I could taste his foul death on my tongue.

  Just before I took my chances by leaping over the flames, Korin motioned his head behind me. “Your friend is struggling.”

  I immediately glanced back at Lynx, assuming he meant her, but she was anything but struggling. She had turned her attention to the Hydes, helping Eddie and the fae soldiers. Heads had begun to explode.

  Frowning, I shifted my gaze to Sersi. Half of her head looked like it had been dyed a deep crimson and the dark color bled into her red gown. But that wasn’t what worried me. It was the look in her eyes, as if someone had shut out the lights. She had her hands outstretched, blocking an invisible attack from Zane. It didn’t look like she could withstand much more.

  “Sersi!” I sprinted toward Zane, but the moment he noticed, he shot his free hand toward me. Tight pressure wrapped me in a vice-like grip and lifted me into the air. He jerked his hand to the side. My body followed the motion, tossing me through the air until I slammed into the side of a parked car. The force was so powerful, both me and the car skidded across the ground several feet, leaving deep grooves in the earth. Pain lanced my whole body, and I attempted to suck in air but nothing came. All my ribs had been broken.

  Zane marched toward me, smiling, his hands held open toward me in greeting.

  Sersi screamed a terrible war cry and lifted her arms high into the air. Zane’s body lifted just like mine had moments ago. When his body reached as high as the roofline, Sersi jerked her arms to the left. Zane’s body slammed into the roof and bounced along its top like a smooth, flat pebble tossed along the flat waters of a lake. He came to a stop just on the edge, unmoving.

  Sersi’s arms fell limp at her side, and she inhaled several hitched breaths. She looked up at me and smiled.

  A loud boom shook the ground beneath me so forcefully, Sersi and everyone else, including Korin, fell to the ground. Lightning cracked through the air, and darkness gathered not far from Sersi.

  I pulled myself to a sitting position, grimacing through the pain. My body was healing quickly, thanks to the Kiss, but my injuries must’ve been significant. I probably still had several seconds before I was entirely healed.

  A great, dark storm cloud formed, lightning and thunder sounding within it. Its presence was so sudden and powerful that all had stopped to watch it, slowly dragging themselves back to their feet.

  I glanced at Korin. He was the only one who didn’t appear frightened. He stood, the wall of flames dying in front of him.

  A figure emerged from the storm. The Phoenix. Tall and thin, the face dark and pained, an expression I’d never seen before.

  Fear washed over me, and I dragged myself onto all fours and began to crawl toward Sersi.

  The Phoenix looked up to the roof, cool gaze settling on Zane’s dangling, lifeless arm. The Phoenix stretched out his hand toward Zane and slowly closed each finger. Zane’s body disappeared.

  I sucked in a breath and looked all around, thinking I’d see Zane reappear, but he never came.

  “You did a terrible thing,” the Phoenix breathed to Sersi with a voice deep and cold.

  I crawled faster, my bones finally beginning to heal.

  “Leave this place, witch!” Sersi roared. A blast of energy exploded from her, but the Phoenix simply waved a hand, dispelling it.

  “Enough games.” He clapped his hands together and stared at Sersi.

  Her eyes widened, and she ground her teeth together as if something was pressing against her. Her nose began to bleed.

  “No!” Despite the pain, I pulled myself to my feet, running in horror toward her. I screamed her name, terror gripping me.

  Lynx was also trying to get at Sersi, but some invisible force held her in place.

  Sersi’s body began to shake uncontrollably, and she screamed a painful cry. Blood appeared from her eyes like tears and ran down her cheeks.

&
nbsp; “Stop this!” I cried. I moved to attack the Phoenix, but a line of fire appeared between us.

  “You’re going to watch this,” Korin snarled.

  Through the flickering flames in front of me, Sersi dropped to her knees. Blood poured freely from her eyes, ears, and mouth.

  I jumped up and over the flames in a flipping motion and sprinted toward the Phoenix. He shot me a single look that sent me flying near where Lynx was frozen in place. She glanced down at me, a single tear tracking down her cheek. I snapped my head up. If I couldn’t get to the Phoenix, maybe I could reach Sersi.

  Sprinting forward, my heart stopped beating when Sersi began shaking so fast she almost turned invisible. I was almost to her when her body succumbed to the pressure she was experiencing. Her body exploded, spraying everything within a ten foot radius with blood and bone.

  I sucked in a shaky breath, shocked and frozen as my mind tried to comprehend what had just happened. I held my hands out in front of me, literally feeling her slip through my fingers.

  “No!” I screamed, sobbing her name. She was the epitome of goodness, my North Star. She was supposed to be impermeable to evil’s hand.

  I began to shake. Lynx appeared next to me and held my shoulders, tears sliding down her face.

  “Now that she’s out of the way,” the Phoenix drawled and glanced back at Korin. “Get me what I want.”

  My chin quivered, then stilled as anger, dark and raw, surged inside me. It rushed through my whole body, and the power billowed outward. I clasped onto it, everything the Kiss offered me, and wielded it like a weapon.

  I turned toward the Phoenix, chest heaving, eyes blazing, intent on killing Ivona’s male form along with Korin. A line of fire had reappeared between us.

  “Before you go,” Korin said to the Phoenix from behind the flames, “take care of this pest for me. She’s getting in the way.”

  The Phoenix glanced at me with a blank expression. “I leave her to you.”

  Korin’s jaw flexed. “But there’s something wrong with her. She’s too powerful!”

  I paced the wall of fire, waiting for my opening. I had a feeling it would come soon.

  The Phoenix’s cool glaze slid to Korin. “You are no longer my concern.”

  “But I have served you faithfully!”

  “Do you not think I know of all your dealings? You contacted Dunolak in an attempt to outmaneuver me. Live or die, I don’t need you anymore.”

  Korin tried again. “If you don’t help me, I won’t get the Abydos for you.”

  “I already planned on you failing.” The Phoenix turned, and with a weighted gaze found mine through the flames. “I’m giving you this one gift. Don’t let me down.”

  The wall of flames disappeared and so did the Phoenix.

  Lynx tightened her grip as if to hold me back, but I easily shook her off and darted to Korin, screaming. It was time. And if I couldn’t kill the Phoenix, I’d make sure Korin paid double for Sersi’s death.

  Korin yelled at me just as I reached him, his sword igniting in a long single flame again. He slammed it against mine, but with one blow I disarmed him. Spinning around, I slashed my blade’s edge across his stomach, the wound deep. Blood poured from his gut.

  He swung a fist at my head. I ducked, but as I rose, he darted behind Lynx and gripped her throat.

  “I have no problem killing her,” he hissed.

  I shifted my gaze to Lynx. Her lips were barely moving. She was trying to do a spell.

  “Let her go, Korin,” I said, slowly moving toward him.

  “Not until you walk away. I need to know I’m getting out of here alive.”

  I laughed. “You’re not.”

  His hand began to glow a deep, fiery orange around her neck. Even though her flesh began to burn, she didn’t give him the satisfaction of crying out.

  “One step closer, and your witch friend is dead.” To prove his point, he tightened his grip, making Lynx gag even as smoke swirled around her neck.

  Fear gripped me, but the Kiss ate it up, replacing it with absolute power. I was more powerful than Korin. And I was done with his manipulations. I would do whatever it took to kill him. Even if I lost myself in the process.

  With a single thought, I ghosted. The change came over my body quicker than it had before.

  Korin gasped. “Where did she go?”

  I rushed toward him, a ghost trapped in both worlds. I could feel the dead reaching out to me, their icy fingers grazing my skin as if to pull me to them. Through the fog, I could see Korin still gripping Lynx. Lynx was just as surprised as Korin at my disappearance.

  As soon as I reached him, I jerked his hand away from Lynx and shoved him hard. He fell onto his back and skidded along the gravel driveway.

  “Samira?” Lynx cried out, searching for me.

  I stalked toward Korin and as soon as he stood up, I drove my sword into his left shoulder. He grunted and swung wildly into the air with closed fists.

  “I’ll kill you!” he screamed.

  I whispered in his ear. “Not if I kill you first.”

  He spun and tried to hit me, but I only had to step out of the way. I stabbed him again, this time in his other shoulder. He would receive a wound for everyone he had ever hurt or killed. There wouldn’t be enough space on his body, but I’d try anyway. I rammed the tip of my sword through him in rapid succession. He howled in pain and frustration.

  A cold sensation, like ice water being poured onto me, began to spread across my flesh. Something on the other side had latched onto me.

  The image of Mateo’s bloody and torn flesh on his back pierced my mind. I spun and slashed up and down against Korin’s back, flaying it wide open.

  “That’s for hurting Mateo.”

  Korin dropped to his knees.

  I thought of Faithe, and my breathing hitched. Finally, she would have her revenge.

  My leg turned ice cold, and the dark fog grew thicker around me. Something unnatural floated at my back. I could feel it hissing, and sensed it was calling my name. Korin began to fade.

  I swung my blade fast and hard, severing his head from his body. It landed with a thud.

  The last thing I saw before darkness overcame me was his cold, dead eyes staring into mine.

  Chapter 37

  Cold darkness engulfed me, and a rushing sound filled my ears. I was fully over to the other side, a realm that was neither heaven nor hell. A place for the lost, a place for the damned. A part of me always knew I’d end up here. What other place did I belong in? Too evil for heaven, and too good for hell. Neither side would have me.

  But it was all worth it. Korin was dead.

  “No!” a voice shouted. “It is not your time!”

  “Samira!” Another voice, a feminine one.

  The sounds came at me all at once, vibrating my skin and warming it all at once. Bitter cold tried to fight it off, to maintain its grip on me in this dark place, but then it was as if the sun had slammed its way through, chasing away the ghouls and monsters.

  I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes opening wide. The cold tried to maintain its grip, a frozen claw against my arm, shoulder, and leg. The warmth around me grew stronger as hands held me tight. Arms around my waist, my face, my shoulders.

  My vision cleared.

  I was in Detrand’s lap, his smell permeating my nose. Mateo was gripping my face, his eyes burning in to me, relief shining through them. Both Lynx and Adelade were beside me, hands holding me, tears streaming down their faces. Detrand sagged against me in relief.

  “Do not ever do that again, Samira!” He squeezed me once more, then slid out from under me.

  “How… how did you find me in that place?”

  “Our bond,” Mateo replied. “Your soul called out to mine. When I thought I lost you, the pain I felt,” he touched his heart, “nearly killed me.”

  “I thought he was going to die to go in there after you.” Lynx squeezed me tight.

  Adelade kissed my cheek. “No
more of that without proper training.”

  I stared at her, eyes wide. “Is that possible?”

  She nodded. “I have contacts who can help.”

  “How did you turn invisible anyway?” Lynx asked, pulling away. “And where was the place you went to?”

  “I’ll tell you later,” I breathed, my mind, body, and heart exhausted. I turned my head toward where the remains of Sersi lay scattered. Detrand was there, grief and sorrow etched over his face. Adelade stood, squeezing my shoulder, and walked over to him. She took his hand, and he leaned into her.

  “The Phoenix,” I told Detrand.

  Detrand nodded, and Mateo tensed and looked around. “Is he still here?”

  I shook my head.

  He glanced toward a pile of fat and gristle coated in ashes. “Korin?”

  “Yes.” I moved to sit up. Mateo helped me and wiped at the blood on my face.

  As much as I wanted to fall into a deep slumber, the fight wasn’t over. Not yet. The Phoenix still lived and had a plan. But the realization that Korin would no longer inflict pain into my world brought indescribable relief. Utter happiness filled every dark crevice and shadow within me. The Kiss quickly devoured the feeling, but my happiness couldn’t be contained.

  I stared up at Mateo, and he held out his hand to help me stand. My lips trembled. “It’s done. He’s truly gone.”

  I gripped his hand, and he pulled me to him, his arms wrapping around me tightly. He caught my lips with his, his hand clasping my nape. We kissed, relief filling the bond. Korin would never control us again, never kill those we loved, never use them to manipulate us. We could be together, fully, completely.

  “He’s gone,” Mateo repeated and pulled back, his nose running along the length of my face. “And you are mine again, my anima gemella. Totally. Completamente. Utterly mine.” He nipped my lips.

  “Yes, my love.” I clasped his face, both sorrow and happiness competing for the same spot in my heart. “I will never leave your side.”

  He kissed me again, and the warmth of his love washed over me. We were no longer living in fear under Korin’s shadow. The feeling nearly overwhelmed me.