The vampire screams and deflects Lucifer’s attack, but it’s the opening we need. Storm takes a leg. Wyatt takes the other. The two enormous Alpha wolves pull the vampire out of the air. Jaxton goes for the other side of his throat. Hayden sinks his fangs into the belly as the vile creature tries to pry Jaxton and me off his neck. Remy hits the beast’s back, just below the ribs, biting as hard as he can.
“Help! Children! To me!” the vampire screeches.
I glance to my side, seeing that the Scions have killed most of the Crimson Templar vampires. Several Scions are already pushing toward us, ready to join in the attack against the Crimson Pope.
“Your children are all dead,” I taunt, yanking my sword free and swinging again. “Butourswill inherit the worldyoutried to destroy!”
I concentrate and call every soul inside me. Begging for their strength, just once, so I can finish this Crimson Pope. I feel the warmth in my chest. Feel their strength. My mates have the vampire pinned. Lucifer has him distracted. I aim my flaming sword and swing, not just for myself, but for every Scion that has ever died at the hands of the Crimson Templars.
My blade cuts deep and doesn’t stop until it reaches the cervical spine. The vampire screeches, the smell of cooked rancid meat fills the air, and my mates just keep tearing into him. Black blood spurts everywhere. He’s no longer able to focus on Lucifer and Lucifer batters the vampire’s hideous face with the pommel of his sword as Jaxton and Hayden rip chunks of flesh out of the neck.
“Finish him!” Lucifer roars.
I leap into the air, spin my sword and drive it into the exposed neck. I’m weaker now, but so is the vampire, and the rotten flesh yields until I hit something hard. I can’t pierce the stone heart, no matter how much I try, so I yank my sword downward, opening up his chest.
“I need help,” I shout.
“I got it,” Lucifer responds, dropping his sword.
The vampire is still fighting for life. Twisting, thrashing, trying to get away. His open mouth gnashes helplessly, skull barely held on by his spine. Lucifer drives both his fists into the gash I left and with a deafening roar, rips open the vampire’s chest. Hayden yanks the heart free and throws it on the floor in front of the other Scions.
“Smash it!” he growls.
There’s a cheer from the Scions and they stomp the heart until the only thing left is onyx powder. The vampire slumps to the ground, twitching as it finally dies. Among countless dead vampires, noble dead Scions adorn the necropolis behind us. They gave their lives to put a stop to this once and for all. And we did.
It’s over.
We won.
CHAPTER 43
Ansley
A week ago, we left a smoldering crater where the Vatican once stood.
Since then, we’ve returned to Lucifer’s castle, where most of our focus has been on nursing Gabriel back to health. He’s still weak, after centuries of torture at the hands of the Crimson Pope. His wounds are too great for even Lucifer to heal him, but time will bring him back. There are even some feathers visible on his wings after Morgan paid him a visit.
As Daisy walks out of Gabriel’s room, I ask her how the patient is doing.
“Getting hotter every day,” she says, a grin teasing the edge of her lips. “And I mean that in a good way.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I laugh.
“Lucifer won’t give me the time of day,” she sniffs, glancing back at the door. “But maybe Gabriel will. He’s been alone longer thanyour father.” She waggles her eyebrows up and down to make sure I get her point.
“You just want to date an angel? Any angel?” I ask, shaking my head.
“No.” The smile fades and she looks down. “I have to tell you something. I finally know what the blood transfusion did.”
“What? How?” My eyes widen in confusion.
“I had a vision, while you were gone. It scared the shit out of me at first, but then I remembered the ones you had,” she says apprehensively.
“A vision? Really?” I ask.
Daisy is immune to vampire bites, just like I am. Now she is having visions. My blood must have given her powers similar to mine. At least she doesn’t seem to have any ill-effects from drinking ancient vampire blood. I hope.
“Yeah. I saw myself with Joanna, but she wasn’t a baby anymore. She was… an Alpha she-wolf. The leader of a huge pack,” Daisy’s voice is subdued as she shares her vision. “And I was there, but… but none of you were. You were all gone, and I hadn’t aged a day.”
