The army before me slowly began to nod, to grip their weapons and stand tall.
“But I’m not asking you to die. I’m asking you to share your gifts, to transport that power into our vessel.” My eyes flickered to Sebastian, who smiled his cheeky grin back at me. “And then I’m asking you to go home, to live your lives. I’m asking that you let this blood war between mortals and immortals die on this day. I’m asking for a future without death and betrayal. I’m asking that you stop questioning your strength and start believing in your power. Because our combined power will end this war.”
They smiled at me, their faces no longer strained, distraught.
“My grandmother is a smart woman. She has invaluable knowledge on the craft of war. But that knowledge will be her downfall. She’s made this easy. She’s taken the vast majority of Rogue vampires and put them in the same house. And all we have to do is kick the door down.”
I was sure their cheers could be heard for miles on end. I wasn’t worried, but I would bet my life that she was.
We were coming for her, and we were no longer afraid.
“So let’s get back to business, shall we?” I asked. I was met with grins as everyone huddled around me. “The building is here,” I said, pointing the tip of my blade toward the box figure I had drawn. The countless hours I’d spent re-reading the map on the plane paid off. “We’ll make our way up the hill, and here,” I said, dragging my blade to the next point on the map, “is where the first group will fall back. This is our power play, people. They must be protected at all costs.”
I pause, glancing at the others to emphasize my point.
“Who are my shielders?” I asked, counting the hands that rose. I nodded, pointing to five. “You will be here, here, here, here, and here. We’re making a pentagram, people. Keep that in mind. Where are my covens?”
Thirty-nine hands decorated the sky. “You’ll be here. Center of the pentagram. Eventually, I’ll be here. At the center of the circle of witches. I need to make one quick pit-stop first.
“The rest will be paired in teams, and we’ll attack in one swoop. This is crucial. Vampires and Hunters must be paired with at least one hybrid. We fight together. We live together. Do not forget that.”
They nodded.
“Hybrids, once the spell is cast, you will have just seconds to get your shields up. This is dark magic. We’re going against nature, here. It will take all of your power to not succumb to this magic. Stay strong, and remember, I only needs a few seconds. You can do this. Trust your power. Trust this plan.”
Again, they nodded.
“Questions?” I asked, fearing the worst. But no one spoke. I smiled. “Good.”
Today, this war would end.
WE SPRINTED UP the hill, not worrying about staying low, remaining silent. She knew we were coming. And I knew we were ready for her. But when we reached the top of the hill and started sprinting down, the stone walls I’d built around this plan started to waver. A hundred yards of flatland spread out before us, leading to the entrance of the witch council’s largest hostile containment building. The building was massive, looming high above us, nearly blocking the moon and her light.
I controlled my speeding heart. I kept my face blank. I released my emotions as Jasik’s hand grasped mine.
As we approached, the front door swung open, and my grandmother, Eloise Taylor, stepped out. She stalked closer, her Rogue army on her heels. Before she reached me, she came to an abrupt stop, standing at the forefront of her Rogue army, their beady, red irises staring back at us, challenging me to make my move.
I had to give her props. I hadn’t expected her to be waiting for me like this. Her stance was vulnerable. We could have attacked on three sides.
I didn’t need an aerial view to know that my army was pitiful in comparison. She had a dozen Rogues to just one of my warriors.
She smiled as I slowed my pace, approaching with caution. Her red irises trailed the length of my body, coming to a standstill where Jasik’s hand gripped mine.
Briefly, I remembered that I hadn’t kissed him before we moved forward, and now, as I searched my memory, I couldn’t remember the last time I felt his lips grace mine. A shudder ran the length of my spine, even though I fought hard to stop it.
“Stay strong, my love,” Jasik whispered, and I squeezed his hand in response.
My grandmother’s cackle echoed through the forest, assaulting my ears, but I refused to succumb to her taunting games.
“Is this the army you’ve assembled to defeat me?” she asked. “This feeble display wasn’t even worth the time you put into finding these imbeciles.”
I remained silent, keeping my face blank. I wanted her to question her tactics, her games. I wanted her to fear what I thought.
Instead, I scanned her army, swallowing down the bile when my eyes landed on several elder Rogue vampires. These were the monsters witches had feared. They lived centuries without humanity, without a soul, and that devastation wreaked havoc on their appearance. Instead of seeing a being who could pass for human, I saw a monster. Their features were animal-esque, their fangs thick, long, darting past their lips. The skin of their faces were scarred and ridged. With ease, they could morph their features into that of a disfigured cinematic creature, one with long, thick nails; black eyes; and pale, veiny skin. They were formidable opponents, but I reminded myself that even a novice hybrid could kill one.
“Had you been raised by a proper witch, you wouldn’t have joined this fight as an ill-prepared twit.”
The jab at my mother washed over me, but I let it go. Soon, I would avenge every atrocity my grandmother committed against my mother.
She smiled. “Your mother begged for her life. She fell to her knees and had the audacity to ask for leniency.” Her eyes flickered to Jasik. “I suppose the apple truly doesn’t fall far from the tree in this family, now does it? Your mother begged to be spared just as you did.” Her eyes trailed the length of Jasik’s body. “I can see the allure.” She smiled, her eyes meeting mine. “I’m going to kill him. Drain his blood and use his bones to pick his flesh from my teeth.”
My heart raced, but I kept my teeth clenched. Jasik’s thumb rubbed infinity circles against my skin. The constant contact kept me grounded, kept my mood swings in control.
“You know, I planned for this. Well, something like this. You see, Avah, it was our family who decided we should use magic to control vampires. Your bloodline is tainted with the betrayal you fight so hard to escape.” She smiled as my breath caught. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted two things: power and control. And now I have them both. When you changed me, and I turned,” she said as a sly grin formed, “I thought, ‘Well, this could be interesting.’ So I killed your family. Slowly, I drained them dry, one by one. And when I was done,” she shrugged, “I made my way home, to England. And I killed them all. No more witch council.” She shook her head. “And soon, no more witches.”
I bit down, splitting my tongue open. The sweet, rustic substance burst into my mouth, and then it was gone. My tongue healed, and I swallowed the blood, leaving no trace of her bothersome remarks.
“Well, I must say, this is the first time you’ve kept that vexatious mouth of yours shut. You couldn’t have chosen a more annoying time.”
Again, I said nothing. Instead, I focused on her foot.
Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap.
I licked my lips and smiled. Her aggravations were showing, and yielding to them would only get her killed.
There was a loud rumble from the Rogues behind her. They were itching to fight, begging for their leader to give the command. She held her hand up, and I squeezed the blade of my weapon harder. She moved her pointer from side to side.
Tsk. Tsk. “First, I want them to see their fearless leader crumble,” she said, and the Rogues released their visible tension.
This was my chance. My moment to take her life, to protect my people, to avenge my family.
She was w
alking right into my plan.
“Give me five minutes with her,” she said.
“Give me two,” I replied, finally speaking. I silently thanked the gods and goddesses that my voice came out strong, bold. I expressed no fear, no doubt. And I knew she acknowledged that strength—appreciated it, even.
“Cocky, aren’t we?” she asked with a smile.
“Confident. Never cocky. Cockiness gets you dead. Confidence keeps you breathing,” I said, releasing Jasik’s hand and stepping forward.
She mirrored my move but let her eyes flicker to my blade.
“Now, that doesn’t seem very fair, does it?” she asked. “I’m weaponless. Shouldn’t you come into the battle similarly?”
I twirled the blade in my hand and tossed it in the air, catching it in my other hand. I twirled it again. “Do you really think I need this to kill you?”
She shrugged. “Prove me wrong.”
I twirled the handle in my palm and flicked my wrist, sending the blade flying. It landed several yards before me, the blade cutting deep into the frozen ground.
“Very good,” she said, smiling.
Her footsteps echoed around me as she dashed forward. She moved, blurring before my eyes. I felt her hands on me before I even saw her approach. She gripped my shoulders and tossed me forward, as if I was nothing more than a crumpled piece of paper. I slammed into the ground, skidding to a stop only feet away from her Rogue army. I swallowed down my fear and forced myself to my feet. I was close enough to smell the spit that seeped from the Rogues’ open mouths. They were hungry wolves ready to pounce.
My head was yanked back when she seized my hair in her fist, and I cried out. The familiar scent of my blood wafted around me, and I was sure, she could scalp me with just the flick of her wrist. She spun and was before me. Her fist made contact with my chin, and bones cracked. I fell to my knees.
“You’re making this too easy, Avah,” she said.
She brought her fist down again, and I caught it in my own, mid-air. I gripped her hand in my own, putting every ounce of strength I had into it. Bones cracked, but she only smiled. I jerked my arm back, and she fell forward. My palm made contact with her torso in a quick jab, and she flew through the air, slamming into Rogues. I jumped to my feet, gripped the sides of my face, and pushed my jaw bone back into place. The bones cracked, and my healing powers went to work. Within seconds, I could open and close my jaw again. I licked my lips and swallowed down the spit that had pooled in my mouth.
I risked a nod at Sebastian, signaling that he and the witches should begin the spell.
“Avah!” Jasik yelled as my grandmother’s fist made contact with my chest. Her fingers slid past my ribcage and cradled my heart. I cried out, falling to my knees. Gasping, I grabbed her arm with both hands.
She smiled at me. “You should’ve kept the weapon.”
“I did,” I whispered. “I am the weapon.”
I called upon fire, and it blasted from my pores, igniting the Rogue vampire before. She screamed and clenched her fist. Before she could yank her arm back, taking my heart with it, another hand slammed into my chest, snapping her fingers back and freeing my heart. My grandmother was tossed to the side, the fire turning to embers. I leaned against my savior, letting my healing powers work its magic.
My head lolled back, and I stared into the most beautiful icy blue eyes. They were glowing neon blue and staring back at me with both love and pain. He tore his eyes from me, watching something in the distance, and offered me his dripping wrist. I sank my fangs into his skin and refueled.
“Careful, love,” Jasik said as he pressed a quick kiss to my lips and walked backwards toward the others.
“Now,” my grandmother said, rising to her feet and brushing off her thighs, “that was just rude.” Her eyes met mine. “I will enjoy killing him.”
Anger boiled in my gut and spilled into my mouth. I ran toward her, pounding my feet against the cold, hard ground. She dove forward, anticipating my attack, but flipped, spinning in the air so that I stood behind her. I kicked the back of her leg, bringing her to her knees. With a flat palm, I reached my hand toward its opposite shoulder and swung it back around. I screamed as I pulled at every ounce of power I had within me. The witch, the vampire, the woman… everything I was came forward in that moment and latched onto my attack. My hand hit her neck in one powerful strike, sending her head spinning into the air. It rolled to a stop at the Rogues’ feet, and her torso fell to the ground.
Everything I’d been holding onto—the pain, the betrayal, the anger—released in that moment. Everything the witches had done to me, everything my mother had allowed to be done to me, none of it mattered—not anymore. In that second, as I watched my grandmother’s head roll to a stop, I let go of it all. I no longer hated them. I no longer blamed them. I was finally free.
I stepped back, slowly turning my head toward the Rogues.
This was it. The end was now.
I threw my head back, fangs already lengthened, and bellowed.
And my army surged forward.
The ground rumbled as the Rogues dashed forward. I flipped my weapon in the air and caught it, twirling it in my palm. I sliced it forward, beheading an attacker. I flung my blade forward again and again, making contact each time. I swung with confidence, with ease, with accuracy. The Rogues who threatened me fell to the ground in heaps, lifeless.
I was cornered. Ten to one. But I was fearless.
We couldn’t lose.
I lashed out, slicing through my enemies one at a time.
A scream distracted me, and my gaze flickered to the vampire on her knees. I flipped over the Rogues who ran toward me and slid to her side. My foot made contact with a Rogue’s ankle, and he fell. I sunk my blade into his chest and reached for the vampire, pulling her to my side.
Her eyes were wide with fear, but she had more courage than she could ever comprehend.
She was a vampire. She wasn’t a Hunter. She wasn’t a hybrid. She had no special powers and no strength beyond that of the typical vampire. Yet she fought against her only enemy.
“Stay by my side,” I ordered, and we swiped our blades forward in unison.
One by one, we made our way through the wall of Rogues that threatened to box us in.
One by one, we sunk our blades into the enemy’s only line of defense.
One by one, we would win this fight.
In the distance, I could hear the witches chanting. I could hear the Rogues fighting to break through the wall of shields protecting the witches. When one shield fell, two more hybrids joined them, until only a few remained in battle. A hand slammed against my chest, and I flew backward, smashing against the wall of shields. I crumbled to the ground. The vampire dove to my aid, lifting me from the ground.
I cried out as she pulled me to stand.
“I’m fine. I’m fine,” I said to reassure her, but in reality, my chest burned as my broken ribs punctured my lungs.
One by one, the shielders succumbed to the strength of hundreds of Rogues beating down the shields. Soon, there would be nothing left to protect the witches, to ensure the plan.
“Move,” I said, pushing the vampire to the side.
I clenched my fist and slammed it against the ground, calling up the element earth in the process. My magic bubbled within me and shot from my hand. A distant rumble erupted, and the ground split. The Rogues surrounding the shield were sucked into the gaping earth, falling into the blackness. Slowly, I released the earth, and it reformed, closing the hole I had just made. I wobbled to my feet, weakened by my hold on nature.
The air around us thickened. It sizzled against my skin, burning at the touch. The vampire beside me gasped and then screamed, combusting before my eyes. I stumbled back as she turned to ash. My eyes darted to the witches. Steady streams of sweat gushed down their foreheads and onto their soaking shirt. Their chests heaved as they took in and expelled frantic breaths. Their skin glowed, the energy of three covens and dozens of
hybrids permeating every crevice of the protective Wiccan circle.
The spell was only seconds from taking effect, and I wasn’t in position.
“It’s happening!” I screamed, looking around. “It’s happening! Shields now!”
My fist made contact with a Rogue, sending him flying into the group who charged me. They fumbled to the ground.
I ran toward the circle of witches, while searching the crowd, diving and somersaulting away from Rogues.
I didn’t have time to fight them. Each precious second that ticked by was one second closer to the ball of energy exploding, killing every vampire in sight.
I spotted Jasik across the field, fighting a pack of Rogues with his fellow Hunters by his side. In that moment, Sebastian threw his arms out to my sides and his head back as his shield expanded, encompassing Jasik and my fellow Hunters. The nearby Rogues pounded their fists against his shield, and with each hit, I watched as he fought for control of his only line of defense against this army
I reached the shield barrier and looked over my shoulder, watching as, one by one, shields rose.
I passed the shield barrier and entered the center of the circle, positioning myself in an all-too-familiar situation. But this time, I didn’t stand in the crossfire of thirteen witches. This time, there were nearly forty.
And they threatened me with a power that would put the original spell to shame.
I waited, keeping my focus on the witches. With glossy eyes and chalk-white skin, they cursed me with a power no mortal or immortal had ever experienced (and survived), and in a bright yellow fury, it shot from their palms and slammed into me.
I screamed as it entered me, seeping into every pore, covering every crevice. Like an evil plague, it coated my essence until only it remained. As if I were a bystander, I watched it lift me from the ground; my frail frame hovered mid-air, with the witches encircling me. With clenched fists and white knuckles, I held on, fighting to maintain control of my body.
No longer just a visitor, I opened my eyes, craning my neck. I was floating above the witches. My muscles tensed as each spasm coursed through my body. I whimpered, knowing this pain was only the beginning. My skin was glowing, and as each second passed, it grew brighter, until it burned my eyes. I closed them quickly, still seeing the light behind my lids.
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