She ducked under the first attack.
BAM!
The ball of explosive power blew up a tree behind Sloan. The massive oak groaned under the attack, coming down to rest on the forest floor with a massive crash that made the ground shake.
Sloan felt tremors from the impact race up her legs.
Another mass of energy came hurling through the air at her. Instinct made Sloan bring up her sword to block the blow. Bad idea.
BAM!
Sloan was lifted into the air. The next thing she remembered was fiery pain across her chest as she crashed into the ground a dozen yards from her previous position. Pain exploded across her body as light danced at the edges of her vision.
Her hearing was gone for the moment, replaced by a loud buzzing. Her mage sword was gone, lost somewhere during her impromptu flight. Sloan winced as she propped herself up onto her elbows. She could guess at what her stomach looked like, but she didn’t want to look.
A glance down told her what she’d expected: from the top of her chest to her stomach was a mess of bloody skin and tissue. Already her vampire DNA was mending her wound, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less.
Her hearing gone for the time being, Sloan relied on her vision to tell her what was happening to the rest of her squad. She looked up just in time to see Pia hurling through the air and become lost in the forest.
The rest of her squad was dancing around Dominic, dodging his attacks, all the while getting closer and closer to his position.
Sloan struggled to her feet. All thoughts of finding her mage sword were gone. But she needed to get back into the fight. Already the pain surging around her torso was lessening, so she found the pain that remained and buried it down deep.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Dominic was a madman hurling the explosions in every direction. Sloan had to duck under a few. All around the battle scene, trees fell as explosions shattered them into a mess of bark and splinters.
Speed was the only thing saving the other three members of her squad as they ducked and weaved their way closer and closer toward Dominic.
With a bone-breaking thud, Leah entered the fight. She moved forward and, with a flick of her wand, sent a beam of purple magic slamming into Doyle. The force lifted him from the ground and sent him head over heels, crashing into a thick tree. Doyle crumpled to the ground and didn’t move.
Steel glinted from the sun’s rays as Sloan made her push to reenter the fight. Her hearing was back, but what she heard was the last thing she wanted. Babs and Harrison had made it within striking distance of Dominic; however, it seemed the power to conjure up explosive energy wasn’t the only trick he had up his sleeve.
Already Harrison and Babs were trading blows with Dominic. It was clear he was the better fighter. The vampires were able to keep their edge based on the fact that it was a two-on-one fight and they were faster than their enemy.
Sloan grabbed the hilt of her sword. She flipped on the mage blade once more, headed right for Leah.
“Nice blindside,” Sloan shouted at the witch, more to take her attention off Harrison and Babs than to actually start a conversation. “I was wondering when you were going to throw in a cheap shot or two.”
Sloan’s ploy worked. Leah had zeroed in on Babs and was about to send another spell toward her, but Sloan’s words caught her off guard. Instead of striking Babs down, she turned her attention to Sloan.
“I was inspired.” Leah grinned as she began moving toward Sloan. “I didn’t want Dominic to have all the fun. Plus, five on one isn’t fair at all.”
“Since when have you been about fairness?” Sloan was within ten yards of Leah now. She would have to choose her plan of attack carefully. The grunts from Babs and Harrison as they fought, the explosions still let loose by Dominic Drencher, would all have to be ignored for the moment. Leah demanded her full attention. “You killed your own sister.”
“Yes, I know. You two shared something of a connection.” Leah scratched the underside of her jaw with her wand. “She still liked you for some reason. Up until she died, her order was always to take you alive.”
“Yeah, well, I can see why, given her current company.” Sloan looked Leah up and down. She readied herself. What she was about to say was going to begin her battle with the witch. “With a sister like you, the bar was set pretty darned low.”
Leah’s lip curled in indignation, which was ironic, because she was the one who had killed her sister in the first place. With a scream befitting of a banshee, Leah reached high over her head, and as her wand came down, a purple blast of magic followed with it.
The blast came so quickly, Sloan barely had time to dodge the attack. Hot energy caressed the right side of her face as she sidestepped the spell just in time. Leah used her wand much like a sword of her own, but instead of striking with steel, she was striking with magic.
Blast after blast collided with Sloan’s mage sword as Sloan blocked the attacks just like she would another physical weapon. Her mage sword was unable to absorb Dominic’s explosives; however, it was able to turn blasts from magic attacks.
Each time Sloan deflected an attack, a loud crack accompanied an explosion of purple sparks. Sloan battled her way forward, inching closer and closer to the witch.
Sloan gained ground, coming so close now she could almost reach out with the sword to strike Leah. It did occur to her that something was very wrong, though. The struggle with the queen of New Hope had been far too easy.
A moment later, she found out why.
Chapter 18
Sloan
Sloan brought her blade to the right side of Leah’s smiling lips, stopping just short of taking the queen’s head off. Still, Leah smiled.
A feeling in the pit of her stomach told Sloan something was terribly wrong.
“I’m sorry.”
The voice came from Harrison. Sloan had to turn slightly to get him into view. Babs was a bloody mess on the ground, struggling to regain her feet. Harrison was on his knees, with a smiling Dominic Drencher behind him.
Dominic leaned down behind Harrison, both of his own hands pressed against either side of Harrison’s head. The explosive white energy that heralded the deadly power Dominic could conjure glowed in his palms.
Harrison was only looking at Sloan. The bridge of his nose had been cut open, and the left side of his face was swelling at the same time his vampire DNA worked to heal him.
Leah began to chuckle. It was the single most annoying sound Sloan had ever heard. The witch took a few steps back, folding her arms over her chest.
“Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte … I hear you hate being called by your first name.” Leah shrugged as if she couldn’t care less one way or the other. “We all hate things about ourselves. Learn to live with it and move on, child.”
“Let him go,” Sloan said, nodding toward Harrison. “You want me anyway. Take me.”
“Oh, you are so wrong.” Leah clucked her tongue like a teacher would at a small child who just couldn’t grasp the day’s lesson. “I want you all dead. You will all die, but not yet. You, Charlotte, still serve a purpose.”
“Yeah, and what’s that?”
“You need to fall in front of everyone on a very large battlefield. Your death will take the fight out of the Azra army. You’re no good to me unless you die in a very open and public place. What fun is it if no one here witnesses you fall?”
Sweat from the fight and now her panic began to pour down the back of her neck. She needed to act quickly if she was going to save Harrison’s life. She was fast, but not fast enough to travel a few dozen yards and pull Dominic off Harrison before he detonated his attack.
“Tell your vampire minions to stand down or else his brain is going to splatter all over the ground.” Dominic motioned over his shoulder as he continued in a singsong voice, “Good vampires, easy vampires.”
Sloan turned to see Pia and Babs back on their feet. Doyle was still crumpled on the ground where he had been knocked out by L
eah’s blindside attack.
“Wait!” Sloan looked at Babs and Pia. There was only one chance at getting Harrison out of this alive, and it would be through words, not action.
Babs and Pia remained still, their red eyes darting back and forth from Sloan to Dominic. Both were pictures of fear and anger.
Leah swirled her purple-tipped wand in a large circle in front of her and a doorway opened. Sloan could see thousands of black clad figures running across the landscape toward Azra.
“Oh, I know what you’re thinking.” Leah stepped through the portal and looked back at Sloan. “Why not just create a portal into Azra and have my troops attack the city from within? Well, seems my younger sister is cleverer than I thought. She’s created wards to keep me from doing so. Plus, holding a portal open for more than a few seconds at a time is draining. Dominic, shall we?”
Sloan had seen that look in Leah’s eyes before. When a predator was just about to send a killing strike at its victim, a glare of pure malevolence would widen its eyes. Leah had that look now.
“No!” Sloan whipped her sword through the air, sending a prayer with her actions.
The mage sword flew like a javelin in a perfect line toward Dominic, but it was too late. Dominic detonated both of the explosives he held in each of his hands against either side of Harrison’s head.
White hot light seared Sloan’s eyes as the explosion went off, and instinct brought an arm up over her face. Her heart moved her feet forward, despite the cost. She had to get to Harrison as fast as she could.
Sloan sprinted toward him, her vision dancing with white spots. When she was finally able to get a view of what had happened, her heart tore.
Dominic was screaming in pain even as he limped his way to Leah on the other side of the portal. Sloan’s mage sword stuck out of his right shoulder like a flower springing up from rich soil. Thick red lines dampened his blue suit.
In one motion, he ripped out the blade and threw it to the ground. Dominic peppered the air with groans of pain and promises of retribution.
“You’ll pay for this!” He stepped through the portal. “I’ll see you dead!
SNAP!
The portal closed behind Leah and Dominic, leaving Sloan and her squad in the wake of the destruction. Sloan slid to a stop beside Harrison’s body. Both sides of his head were a mess of blood and skin, and his white skull was visible. Underneath cracked bone showed brain matter.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he kept mumbling, seeing without really seeing as he stared at Sloan. “I’m better than that, I’m sorry.”
Babs and Pia joined Sloan who cradled Harrison’s frame like a child. On her knees, she looked down at the man who had been her enemy before being her friend. In a strange way, this made his passing harder.
“Shhh…” Sloan bottled her feelings by telling herself Harrison needed her to be strong. She could be strong for him. “You did great. You have nothing to be sorry for.”
Pia and Babs cried softly, both laying their hands on Harrison to comfort him in his last moments of life.
For a second, Sloan held out hope that their vampire DNA would save Harrison, but it seemed even that paranormal ability had its limits.
“Go easy,” Pia whispered to her friend. “We’ll see you one day soon.”
“Rest now.” Babs lowered her head as if saying a prayer. “Your fight is over now.”
“You win this.” Harrison finally closed his eyes, his last words so faint, they were barely audible despite the quiet. “You win this for me, for each other.”
His final breath escaped his lips. Already anger was building in Sloan’s heart. How many friends would she have to lose before this was all over?
She understood then what she needed to do.
“I’ll carry Harrison back to Azra.” Sloan stood, lifting Harrison’s body with her. “You two see to Doyle. If you can’t wake him up, then carry him back, as well. It’s time we took this fight to Leah. She thinks she’s safe behind her army and her magic? Let’s show her she will never be safe again.”
Chapter 19
Jack
Witnessing the werewolves clash was like watching two mage-powered engines going full steam at one another. Every time the beasts struck out, the ground trembled with the impact. Trees cracked and fell as the behemoths crashed into each other with abandon.
Blood matted Marcus’ back leg and neck. The brown female werewolf was limping as the two warriors circled one another again. Her eyes were still full of hate, but she was tiring. For all the impressive speed she could summon at a moment’s notice, it didn’t seem that endurance to sustain such acts were in her wheelhouse of abilities.
Then, it happened. Just as soon as the fight had begun, it was over.
Marcus pretended to lunge directly at his opponent. As he anticipated, she dodged to her right where he had already moved and landed right into his jaws. Marcus would never be as quick as the female werewolf he fought, but years of combat experience had taught him that it wasn’t always the fastest unicorn in the race that won.
With strong jaws, Marcus clamped down around the female’s throat. They both understood it was over as Marcus took a dominating stance above her. She struggled for a moment, then decided better of it and lay still. The only thing that moved now were the chests of the two giant werewolves.
Blood trickled down the area where Marcus’ jaws began to penetrate the female werewolf’s throat. She whimpered in pain.
Jack had seen enough. “Don’t do it!” The insanity his father battled against, the monster within he was just beginning to understand, was winning. “She was wrong to challenge you, but you’ve won. It’s over now! Stop! Dad, you need to stop!”
For a brief moment, Jack thought his words would not be enough. The other werewolves in the pack made room for Jack as he ran forward and placed his hands on his father’s face.
A deep growl rumbled from Marcus’ throat.
“You don’t need to kill her.” Jack felt his father’s hot breath on his hands. Under his fingers, he could even feel the muscles of his father’s jaw trembling. “Aareth needs you. This is over.”
With extraordinary reluctance, Marcus finally let go of the other werewolf’s throat.
The brown werewolf scrambled up on all fours and ran to take shelter amongst the bulk of the pack.
Jack moved to stand by his father’s side as he whispered, “I’m proud of you.”
The large white werewolf turned to his son and winked one yellow eye. In a moment, his attention was back on the rest of the pack. He lifted his head to the sky and let out a commanding howl.
Each one of his pack members, including the female that had just been bested, followed his lead, and the sound melded into one as the pack showed its fealty to their leader.
Marcus took the lead a moment later, bounding into the dark forest, headed toward Term with the world’s first united werewolf pack behind him. The sound they made as they galloped through the forest was like a cavalry unit heading toward the battlefield.
“Let’s go.” Kimberly picked up the front of the stretcher. “With each passing moment, Aareth’s chance of life lessens.”
“Oh, please.” Aareth coughed hard, and blood dripped down the sides of his lips. “Don’t hold back. Tell me how it really is.”
Jack ran to obey, lifting the back of the makeshift stretcher. As one, they headed into the forest, following the pack.
“You’re dying,” Kimberly said, missing the sarcasm in Aareth’s words. “Your wounds would have killed a mortal. Still, your werewolf DNA may not be enough to see you through the end of the night.”
“I think he was being sarcastic,” Jack shouted from his spot behind Kimberly. “He was just teasing with you.”
The wizard, the werewolf, and the gargoyle were going through the dark forest at a light run now. Kimberly was doing her best to hide her own limp, but Jack could see that every step she took was only barely touching the ground.
“What is
this sarcasm you speak of?” Kimberly asked from her lead position. “I’m not familiar with it.”
“It’s like if I were to say ‘This has been a great night.’” Jack thought for a moment. He’d never had to teach anyone sarcasm before. “It really hasn’t been a great night, but I’m being sarcastic.”
“Yeah, or if I say that you’re one hell of a stretcher maker and that I’m not in pain with every step you take.” Aareth groaned. “That’s sarcasm, because you’re bouncing me around like a freaking tennis ball on a racket back here.”
“Hmm…” Kimberly didn’t look back and neither did she slow her pace. “Sarcasm, you say?”
Jack could only see the gargoyle’s back, but he could imagine the look of concentration on her face as she mulled over the word.
“I would like to try.” Kimberly ducked below a low-hanging branch. How she was finding a path in the forest through the dark was beyond Jack. “Aareth, the gift you’ve been given as a werewolf is a true blessing. You have a knack for safety, and you’re one hell of a fighter.”
Jack couldn’t help grinning. Whether Kimberly was honestly trying to be sarcastic or not was anyone’s guess, but it was making the time go by faster and hopefully taking Aareth’s mind off his pain.
Before anyone could say another word, screams filled the air somewhere in front of them as the sounds of battle drifted through the forest. Aggressive barks and growls were followed by shrieks of pain.
Jack was no friend of New Hope or the new queen’s vampire soldiers, but a twinge of regret, even remorse, touched him now. He could only imagine what it would be like to wake up in the jaws of a werewolf.
The shouts were still distant, but with every step, they got closer.
“The doctor I know lives in the center of town,” Kimberly shouted over her shoulder. “If she’s still there, she’ll help us.”
Jack’s heart was beating out of his chest and his legs screamed with fatigue. A new rush of adrenaline was now coursing through his veins.
House of Wrath: The Vampire Project Book 5 Page 8