Diana nodded and crept toward Cacus’s flank while Selvans walked around the front. His eyes fell on the creature’s chest as it rose and fell. Raising Nocis, he looked over at his mate to make sure she was in position. She stood right at Cacus’s side, her own blade’s hilt gripped between both hands, lifted above her head with the sharp end of the blade pointed down toward the side of his monstrous belly.
Selvans’ eyes returned to Cacus, drifting over him before fastening upon the thickly muscled neck. Most of the male’s body was covered in dense muscle, but the throat seemed to be his best bet. It had weakened bands pressure cut into the skin, making the entire area vulnerable. Without shifting his eyes away from the Tainted One, he dropped his chin in an inclination of his head, signaling Diana.
Baring his fangs, he drove down with his blade. Nocis flashed with a dark, ultraviolet light. As if that light summoned him from the depths of his slumber, Cacus’s murderous eyes sprung open as he wrenched his giant body away at the last minute. The blade succeeded only in nicking the flesh of his neck, a thin slash spraying out dark blood. The creature roared in pain and a white light filled the room at the exact moment that Anola sank deep into his side.
Cacus bellowed, its massive body rolling on its side. Its tail whipped, knocking Diana against a wall as another billow of fire blew from its mouth and it turned its head. Selvans streaked to the side, ducking out of the way, but his heart stalled as he heard his uxorem’s frightened shriek and felt her fear snap through their bond.
Squinting against the smoke filling the crypt, Selvans could just barely make her out as she struggled to her feet. The breath he had been holding left his body in relief as he noted that she was unwounded. Her tail coiling around her, she leaped gracefully out of the way to avoid the Tainted One’s thrashing.
Surging to his feet, Cacus leaped forward, his hooves clopping heavily against the floor for just a moment before his haunches bunched and he flung himself through the gap in the broken wall, Anola’s hilt sticking out from where it was buried in his side. More stones broke away and fell from the entrance with a loud crash.
“Shit, shit, shit!” Diana cursed as she stumbled to his side. Her eyes were wild as she looked up at him. “What the fuck happened there?”
Selvans shook his head as he hurried out of the crypt, he sheathed his sword with one fluid movement as the fingers of his opposite hand curled around Diana’s wrist, pulling her after him. “He reacted to the movement of the sword when Nocis moved in front of his face, and it woke up.”
“Fuck. We’re going to have to chase him down before someone else runs into him first.”
Selvans nodded and summoned his wings as he gathered Diana close to his chest. With several strong beats, he was air-born, following the path of destruction carved out by the creature. They were gaining on him; Selvans could see the creature in the distance, barreling down Canal Street.
The street was filled with abandoned vehicles, so Cacus raced along a strip of road that Selvans could see the clear line of a track running down. A boxy red vehicle was knocked from its track as Cacus bellowed in rage. From the air, Selvans could see the sparks jumping up from the skidding where the metal siding of the box slid against the metal track.
All the obstacles were useful for one thing: allowing Selvans to catch up to the Tainted One. Soon they were soaring directly over the rampaging male as he kicked offending objects in his path and blew out fire in bouts of rage at a few of the buildings. It wasn’t until Cacus set upon a large building that Selvans felt a chill fill him as human screams erupted into the night.
Everywhere people ran in a panic as they flooded out of the building. With a roar, Cacus set upon them, leering as he scooped up a human in each hand. A cruel laugh echoed up from the male’s chest as the humans struggled in his grip.
Diana pinched his forearm to get his attention and she shouted in his ear. “Drop me on his back. I need to get Anola!”
He wasn’t going to just toss his mate onto the back of a Tainted One! Diana pinched his arm again, harder, and glared at him.
“Are we in this together or not? I need my sword, and we need to distract him before he eats them. Drop me… now.”
Gritting his teeth against the commanding tone in her voice—obviously, they would have to settle the issue of dominance between them later—he reluctantly did as she bid. Swooping low, he released Diana. With a beat of his wings, he circled again as he watched Diana land on Cacus’s huge back.
The male jerked and kicked out his hind legs in surprise. To Selvan’s relief, Diana managed to hold on. The creature’s hands loosened in surprise, and the humans dropped the short distance to the ground. Assuring himself that Diana was fine as she scrambled for her sword, Selvans dipped his wings, preparing to haul them to safety until the blurring speed of the first wave of vampires arriving darted beneath him. Two split off from the group to carry the scampering humans to safety while the others converged on Cacus. Jacques stopped, peeling away from the group, and grinned up at him.
“Impressive wingspan there,” the male shouted just before he dodged a vehicle similar to the one abandoned in his forest as it was lobbed through the air. It crashed against a wall, buckling the structure of the building as one side tipped beneath the crumbling wall. Jacques whistled at the sight and broke into a full run to join those attacking Cacus.
No longer needing to worry about the humans, Selvans circled in the air and winged his way back toward Cacus. Tainted One bellowed as he shook the vampires off, Diana slipping nearly off his back in the process. He needed to get his mate off that creature!
Dropping to the ground, Selvans dismissed his wings and strode forward, the energy bursting off him in waves. He was not in the forest, but the plants were thick and lush where they had already begun to gather in tangles throughout the city. Calling upon them, he felt the threads of life weave through him.
Roots of trees burst up, spearing through the legs of the Tainted One, making the male writhe and scream with pain. Diana let out a shout and tugged at the same moment he dropped to the ground, her blade pulling free. She immediately braced her foot against his belly and sprang away, the dark drops of ichor falling from the blade that lit up once more like white fire.
As Diana fell free of the large body, vines snapped up, tangling around Cacus. The creature roared and vines snapped, but it was futile. The plants obeyed Selvans’ holy power. Around his body a ripple pulsed, dark and consuming, a light shining around its edges. He snapped another tangle of vines, remembering the brittle remains of Alseida when he’d found her in the corridor of the palace, lifelessly wrapped in vines. Cacus’s fate wasn’t going to be any kinder than it had been for his blooded mate.
Cacus bellowed and wrenched his body. The roots broke off in his legs, blood gushing, and the vines pulled free of the ground. The vampires leaped off him as a burst of fire ripped from his throat. Cacus slapped his tail, the lethal end flaying a vampire as he attempted to get clear while the monster’s massive jaws opened wide, his long tongue snaking out to wrap around another vampire before the male could get away. With a single jerk of the tongue, Cacus’s prey was pulled into his mouth with a loud snap and wet crunch of masticated flesh.
Selvans clenched his jaw, his fury coiling through him.
The vampires stumbled, their eyes staring in horror as Cacus devoured those who fell nearest to him. Jacques, his arm held against his body at an odd angle, turned a weak smile on Selvans.
“There is another wave coming, and they are bringing an ally with them. We weren’t prepared for this battle, but we didn’t want to be defenseless, either.”
“An ally?” Diana asked, breathless as she hauled up to Selvans’ side. Her blood-streaked sword was held away from her body, clenched tightly in her fist. Her tail drooped in a clear sign of exhaustion already setting in after wresting her sword free from the brute.
Jacques nodded and then grinned, his head turning in the direction of a side street from which Selvans noticed th
e clop of numerous boots hitting the road. “It looks like they have arrived.”
Selvans craned his head and his eyes widened as he saw the number of armed vampires storming down the street. Their fangs were bared, their weapons drawn, but that was not what drew his attention. There was one distinctive male who topped them all in height, his green skin rolling with muscles, a long tail lashing behind him as a dark braid swayed along his back. A large, rough-hewn ax that appeared to have forged from scrap metal sat over his shoulder as he puffed a thick smoking tube clenched between his teeth.
Raskyuil’s eyes fell upon them and his expression tightened, but he smiled around his smoking tube when his gaze fell on Diana. His head dropped in a respectful nod to her as he hefted his ax. Turning in place, he bellowed out to the vampires surrounding him. The small horde suddenly surged forward as Cacus snapped his teeth, crushed foes in his large hands, shredding them with his massive claws. His tail whipped around him, but the vampires had caught on to that and avoided it as much as they did his mouth. Raskyuil let out a roar as he leaped forward, swinging his ax in a mighty blow.
Selvans drew on the plants once again, sending them to wind around the monster once more. They kept getting torn up, and Selvans continued to add new layers to frustrate the male and distract him while their allies attacked.
“We need to do something…!” Diana hissed.
Drawing his sword once more from its sheath, he met his mate’s eyes and nodded his head. There was no need for words. They did not know exactly how this was supposed to work, and even Dorinda hadn’t been helpful about how their joint power would be utilized, but Selvans knew that if Nocis struck deep enough, it would destroy the source of Cacus’s lifeforce.
His lips twisted cruelly as he eyed the male. Deep within, he reveled in the way that Nocis pulsed with dark power. Pulling away from Diana’s side, his power continued to rise as he connected to the power of Nocis. He was distantly aware of Diana shouting after him, but he was consumed in what needed to be done. Raskyuil roared, his ax striking home against the Tainted One’s huge legs, already damaged by the torn roots. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Diana run by him, her bright sword flashing in her hand as she slashed at Cacus.
Selvans smirked. His mate had the right idea.
He had tried to do things the clean way, to use plants to choke out the male around his vulnerable upper throat where the bands of Hercules’s arms could still be seen imprinted, damaging the muscle and tissue. Diana growled as she sank her blade in repeatedly, the dark blood splashing on her as if he were watching a primal war goddess. Her glowing eyes, now greenish, turned toward him and she nodded. Selvans breathed, drawing in the warmth of her scent.
As he got closer, he watched as vampires sank claws and fangs into Cacus, ripping out chunks of flesh, but none of them got deep enough to wound him. His thick, armored flesh protected him. Cacus reared up, his arms spreading wide, and Selvans stilled. There, just below the creature’s sternum, was a mark—a vulnerable point. It pulsed like a heart beating.
Selvans spun out of the way as a hoof came crashing toward him, his sword drawing up in an arc to slash at the joint at the back of the knee. Cacus bellowed, but didn’t go down. He hadn’t expected him to.
A clawed hand struck out, but this time Selvans didn’t move quite fast enough. Cacus lifted him off the ground and brought him up high, dangling him in front of his face.
“You won’t win against me, little god,” Cacus snarled as he gave him a shake. “I am just as eternal as you. I am a child of the mighty Earth, powerful beyond your imagining.” His gaze slid to Diana, who fell back, her white blade held in front of her defensively. “Your mate. I scented her upon you. So sweet and delicious. I think after I eat you, I shall consume her bit by bit. I shall relish hearing her scream.”
Fury vibrated through Selvans. He dragged his sword down over the hand of Cacus, severing several fingers, freeing himself. Blood sprayed, and the vampires roared in excitement.
“Don’t drink the blood!” Selvans shouted. “It is tainted. It will be your destruction if you consume it.”
The vampires wisely drew away from it, though there were a few who still cast the dark fountain longing glances. Instead, they marshaled for a renewed attack behind Raskyuil’s arm. As the attack converged again, Selvans harnessed the full power of Nocis. He felt the darkness ripple through, doubling back and growing strong. Death roared through his veins as he raced forward, darting effortlessly between swinging hooves and reaching claws. With one swing of Nocis, he severed the black tongue that snapped out and attempted to wrap around him.
His smile widened as he drew up to the breast. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Diana turn, her eyes widening with the fear pulsing through the bond. He could barely feel as the darkness rolled powerfully through him. She didn’t have to worry. He would keep her safe.
“Silvas!” her voice shrieked out, barely surfacing over the roar in his ears.
Drawing back his arm, he thrust his arm forward as he felt the power uncoil, spreading down the sword in a thick wave as the tip of the blade pierced the vulnerable flesh. The darkness surged within him, consuming him as he angled his sword, seeking the massive heart beating within the protective cage of the ribs.
Cacus shouted out in pain, his entire body collapsing forward. Selvans’ smile slipped, his mouth gaping open as he felt the destructive force swamp through him, drawing out his energy, repurposing it into death. His entire being was being consumed by Nocis, the forest lord slipping away. Greenery wilted and blackened, falling from where it was climbing nearby buildings. Even trees dropped and withered into husks. He saw it, but was powerless to stop.
He now understood the danger. Cacus stumbled violently, taking Selvans back several steps with him as he twisted in pain, but unvanquished. Agony rushed through Selvans, a light flickering within him. He desperately clawed through his mind toward it. He needed it. The entire world around was nothing but darkness, and at the center of him was Nocis flaring with its dark light. He felt the hard impact of a body colliding with his. He couldn’t see who it was, but a familiar scent wafted up to him. His uxorem! She ducked beneath his arms, sandwiched herself there between him and Cacus, the hilt of the sword in his grasp imprinted on her hip.
“Together, you idiot,” she whispered in his ear. Her lips captured his, her light flaring through his darkness as their bond brightened within him. Her mouth fell away, and he almost cried in despair, but that brightness didn’t go away. In the shadows of his mind, he saw her turn in his arms, her sword glowing brightly. Anola thrust deep, running through the gaping wound beside Nocis. The two lights fused, sending a burst of energy pulsating in harmonizing waves. Cacus bellowed, fractures of light rippling over his body.
Just behind Cacus, in the glow, he swore he saw a woman step forward, her eyes narrowed at the creature in fury. She pulled her shawl tighter around herself and lifted her hand. The fingertip touched and a spark shot through, shattering Cacus from within. Selvans stilled in awareness as he stared at the human spirit. Slowly she turned and met his gaze, a smile curving her mouth as one eye closed in a wink. Her lips moved as she spoke silently, the air moaning loudly around them, as another spark shot through Cacus. Selvans’ mouth moved as he whispered his thanks. At the same moment, Raskyuil bellowed as he charged forward, swinging his axe.
Unlike other attempts, this time the axe struck true, embedding deep, ichor flooding out in huge gushes. The vampires hissed and set upon Cacus, tearing him apart with their weapons. Selvans knew he was roaring and could hear his mate’s scream from the strength of their harmonized power. It surged through the joined blades, and beneath the blows, Cacus’s flesh sluiced from him, exposing muscle and sinew that likewise fell away until all that was left were skeletal remains, still rattling with eons of condensed power. Another swing of Raskyuil’s ax, and the creature blew apart into dust.
Weakened, Selvans wrapped his arms and tail around his mate before he sank wi
th her to the ground, curling around her to protect her from their fall. Her breath fanned his skin, and love vibrated through their bond as her tail wrapped around his in turn. Selvans smiled before he slipped away with his uxorem secure in his arms.
They had triumphed; now they could rest. He was certain that he heard Raskyuil say as much before the comforting darkness swept over him.
Chapter 49
Diana brushed her pale hair behind her shoulder as she kneeled at the small headstones of her family. Carefully, she plucked away the weeds that had overgrown in front of the stones before placing a fresh bouquet of flowers at each one. The early morning light was still weak, but it assured their privacy since no one else would be out to catch sight of them. Her tail swiped against the newly exposed spring grass pushing up from the damp earth. Silvas stood behind her, his head tipped respectfully. Raskyuil, who had decided to accompany them back from New Orleans during the late hour, stood off to the side.
Swallowing, she smiled down at the headstones.
“Hi Momma, Daddy, Papa, and Nana. I haven’t been here for a long while, and I’m sorry. I swore that I would take care of you, that you wouldn’t be forgotten. I don’t know who’s going to keep the weeds from taking over your resting place, or leave flowers, but I guess things can’t always stay the same. It’s time for me move on. Nana, you always said that you expected me to leave and do bigger and better things with my life. I lost a lot of hope after you died and then the ravaging came. But you were right.” She glanced back and smiled at her mate. “I met a wonderful person who I love very much. I’m going to be going with him, so I won’t be around much anymore, but I’ll be keeping you in my heart and taking you along with me even if I can’t be right here watching over your rest. I love you all so much, and hope to make you proud someday. I have a lot of time to work on it, after all,” she said with a dry chuckle.
Standing up, she brushed off her knees and stepped back to Silvas’s side. He pressed a kiss against the side of her head.
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