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Some of the soldiers tripped and fell into the fire and, unfortunately, the creatures on them did too. Then with another whistle from Snow, the animals climbed up Asmodeus’s body.
Asmodeus meant to punch Tank, Otis, and Snow in midflight swinging their swords at him, but missed and hit the wall instead, shattering through bricks and plaster and leaving a giant fist-sized hole. The creatures practically covering his body and nipping at him had disoriented him too.
I leapt away from the royal vampires, raising my arm up and wings to shield myself from the shower of debris. Shards of brick tumbled and clattered to the ground, sending an acrid smell of dust into the air.
Asmodeus rammed his body through the wall and escaped, everyone else followed, even Gorgo, Dawn, and Levia, still at each other’s throats, except for Markane and Abacus, protecting the child.
I soared over the debris and landed at the wide opening where Asmodeus had escaped, revealing vampire sentinels tearing through the line of demon soldiers, the vampire archers shooting arrows at Asmodeus, and a horde of soldiers heading straight for us.
My heart didn’t race. Nor was I scared. Anger and vengeance surged my will and I wanted to kill them all.
Sometimes I drove my sword through the soldiers’ chests and the other times I swatted them with my wings as if I was merely playing hit ball. Peter, Mother, and Abagail flashed in my mind. The laughter, smiles, the happy memories. We would never enjoy our time together as a family again.
“For Peter.” I hit a soldier with one of my wings with all my might. He smacked into the ceiling and slammed down on a pile of debris. “For my mother.” I hit another soldier just as hard. “For my sister. Don’t you fuckers ever touch her again.”
Whack! Smack! Thud! One after the other.
“Slow down, angel with a vengeance. Or you’ll run out of steam.” Kristoff punched a soldier and yanked out his heart, black blood dripping down his hand.
Run out of steam? I’d just begun. He had no idea who my father was. Come to think of it, I didn’t either, but I was the spawn of a powerful archangel. And for the first time, I was grateful for my strength and power.
Maria leaped onto a soldier’s shoulders and yanked off his head. She dropped to the floor and gracefully landed on her feet. “Look. The soldiers are running away, but we have a bigger problem.”
Spirits, half skeletal and the other half with blistering skin, floated out of the hot lava. Too many to count. They held no weapons but they were formidable nevertheless, with their skeletal arms—makeshift swords—fighting the vampires’ army near the moat.
“Well, I’ll be damned. Asmodeus did what he always threatened he would do.” Vara’s claws raked through the demon soldier’s neck as the sun highlighted her pale skin and hairpins.
The demon was the last one daring enough to attack three vampires and me. Vara raised her fingers and exposed her tongue, but then grimaced and wiped the blood on her cloak instead.
A boom echoed by the moat and a cluster of skeletal beings burst and broke apart, the bones clacking against each other as they fell, then turned to black ashes and soared into the air as if they were nothing but dust.
“What was that?” Maria’s eyes grew wider, frightened.
“It’s Gorgo.” I flapped my wings, ready to take flight. “He created a potion.”
“Indeed he did,” Vara cooed.
“What do we do now?” Kristoff glanced at the battlefield before us with a heavy sigh. The clouds rolled, turning darker. The daylight shifted to night as thunder boomed and lightning flashed with gathering intensity.
Maria pointed west. “Well, look at that. What a strange combination. A human woman riding on a hideous, furry looking creature. A beauty and a beast. Two more creatures on either side of him, and they are heading straight for the battle.”
“When this is over,” Kristoff began. “Michael, I would like you to lead my sentinels.”
That came out of nowhere and I hardly knew him. And it sounded more like a command. I had to choose my words wisely.
“I’m honored that you asked, but I work with no one.” I gave him a curt bow.
What I wanted to say: No one controls me. I’m tired of all the political bullshit and betrayals. And mostly, I hate vampires.
Kristoff looked offended but simply said, “What can I do to change your mind?”
“After we win this war, you’ll have no enemy … unless you’re planning to put yourself on the throne?” I let out a playful chuckle.
Markane cradling the child, and Abacus by his side, hissed as they reached us in one fluid swift motion. I meant to say my words loud so they could hear. Victus was a decent being, but Kristoff gave me evil vibes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a plan in motion.
Maria and Vara didn’t seem aware of Kristoff’s scheme if he had one, their tight features and their scowls said it all. They looked confused.
“Time to end this,” I said, enjoying this short rest. “Markane and Abacus, stay here and keep the child safe.”
