The gold dust burned brighter in his eyes as he put his hand over the bandage and focused his magic into the wound. It felt like hot fireflies were flitting about inside my wound, about a million of them, and then there was this searing heat that made me cry out in shock, and then numbness. Blessed numbness.
“If I weren’t with Draven I would seriously kiss you right now,” I said, completely blissed out by the no-pain.
Virion smirked. “Not even a little one?”
What was it with these guys? I reached for his hand and kissed it, not lingering in the slightest, but trying to get across to him how grateful I was. “Thank you,” I said sincerely.
He winked at me, and then finally went to pet my pouting tiger. I had never seen my tiger behave that way before. He was acting more like a puppy who wanted cuddles than a 250 pound giant cat.
This elf was like Dr. Doolittle, and I was sort of in awe by that.
Suddenly, Zion and Virion both stood up, their ears cocked to something they heard outside. If it wasn’t so alarming, I would have thought it was adorable.
And then I heard glass shattering, like everywhere, all at once. Even the room we were in. Before I could blink, Virion had pulled out his twin swords, which were singing what sounded like a battle dirge now, and started crossing swords with the soldiers who had gotten through the wards of the villa somehow.
I half stood on my chair, ready to leap or run or fight orsomething,when Zian parked his butt in front of me, watching the surrounding fight with eyes that were as sharp as a sword.
I couldn’t just sit here!
I bolted to Draven’s desk, desperate for anything to defend myself with, and came across his letter opener. It would have to work.
A man yanked me back by my hair, and I stabbed the letter opener behind me blindly. I must have hit something because he shouted and released me. Especially once Zian took a bite out of his leg.
Draven!
I dashed from the room and skid out into the hallway.
It was a madhouse!
In the hallway alone, there were several fights happening. Our guards and staff were holding their own, and I was fervently grateful for that. I left the hallway at a run, carefully dashing around everyone so I didn’t die perforated and of unnatural causes. My most desperate wish was to die of ancient age, in my sleep, right next to Draven. Definitely not with a 3 foot sword sticking out of my chest.
I hit the foyer in my stockinged feet and slid along the tiles. My eyes widened as I took in the surrounding melee. Henri was using frying pans, one in each hand, to defend himself with. Mesmer was fighting two other gargoyles with his bare hands. The sound of them slamming into each other was as loud as a rock slide.
In every corner, staff and guards tried to hold off the attackers. Rhys and Draven were not in this room. I wasn’t even sure if Rhys was here. Virion was following me. He and Zian were both protecting me as I ran through the villa in search of Draven.I dodged around fights and came up with a frying pan like Henry, and I exchanged my letter opener for a butcher knife. I had a vague idea that I could use the pan like a shield, but also a weapon.
I paused for a moment, trying to see if I could feel Draven. I felt a slight drag toward the front lawn, so I ran for it.
I stumbled to a halt at the scene in front of me. Draven was fighting with a vampire, their movements faster than anything I could follow clearly. I knew it was Draven because just as I was watching, the other vampire scored a hit, and Draven got slammed into the side of the building, pausing the fight for a few brief seconds. I blinked when Draven snarled and jumped back into a fight that was so fast it made my head spin.
Alessandro had finally come in person again.
Rhys was in the courtyard. He had a long sword, curved like Virion’s, and was taking on those around the main vampire fight. Mesmer threw the two gargoyles through the front door and joined us on the lawn. Everywhere I looked, there were people battling for survival.
I needed...
With a gasp, I ran for the toy garage. I skidded to a stop at the blue, tricked-out dune buggy, strapped on a helmet, and turned the key to start it up. It was built for deep sand with the wide, craggy tires, and light build, but it would have to do. I shoved it in reverse to back out of the garage, and then shoved it into first and gunned it.
I wanted to head straight to Draven, but I didn’t. I needed to trust that he could handle himself right now. But Icouldhelp the rest of the staff. I sailed along at a fast clip, and jerked the wheel, gunning for a werewolf trying to come up on Rhys’ blind side. As a star elf, I didn’t think hehada blind side, but whatever.
I braced for the impact and rammed into the werewolf at 35 miles an hour. The werewolf went sailing over Rhys’ head and landed in the fountain. Ugh, it was going to take forever to get the ick out of the fountain now.
Seeing that he was down, I looked for another. I used every driving trick Mesmer and Draven had taught me, and a few I made up as I systematically took people out. Just then, the radio that had been belting out a show tune changed songs. “Eye of the Tiger” came on.
I smiled.
And I could tell from the shifter in front of me that it was not a nice smile.
I wanted to high five myself. Evil smile? Check.
