Page 249 of Volik

Spitting the chunks of flesh from my mouth, I tilt my head to the side.

The other vampires take a step back from him as we all watch his fingers dissolve.

Huh.

I lick a mixture of blood and venom off my lower lip.

The vampire drops to the ground.

The other two turn to me.

My fingers flex around the hilt of the dagger, but I keep the point down at my side.

I cannot use it here. I do not know how powerful Morell has become, so I cannot risk using too much of the magic.

But…

I roll my shoulders back.

I do not need my dagger.

The two vampires jump toward me at the same time.

I hold my ground.

Right hand gripping the dagger, I swing my fist forward. And at the same time, I reach out with my empty left hand.

My fist slams into the second vampire’s skull, knocking him back several feet. And at the same time, my left hand closes around the throat of the third vampire.

I lift him. Then I push my gravito through my arm as I slam him to the ground.

The stones shatter, and the earth indents around him. A perfectly formed shallow grave.

I release my hold on him and stand.

The other vampire stands a few yards back. His first buddy is no longer gurgling as he lies still on the ground, all his fingers dissolved, leaving only his thumbs.

My heartbeat is still racing. Telling me Nix is alive. But reminding me that she is still hurt. And I cannot calm our wild pulse. I cannot yet find any calm inside of me.

My mate is hurt.

And these men are trying to keep me from her.

I will end this now.

Fire stokes inside my chest.

The standing vampire smirks. “Morell jumped to a portal. You’ll never get to her in time.”

A portal.

She could be anywhere.

Then the air shifts. And five more vampires drop down before me.

The vampire I slammed into the ground groans as he starts to climb out of his hole.

There is not time for this.