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She wasn’t moving, wasn’t doing much of anything. The light held her immobile; now was the perfect time to attack—
Not, Amaya said. Light force of her god leaving. It still protects.
And wasn’t that typical of this whole sorry episode. I shifted my grip on Amaya and stalked closer. I might not be able to attack the bitch until the power of her god left her body, but I sure as hell could do so the second it had.
Dušan, when she moves, strike.
I stopped several feet away from her. She might be immobilized, but she was totally aware of what was happening. Her eyes were thin black strips that promised death, and her fury washed over me in heated waves. I shuddered. Even without the force of her god, Hunter was not going to go down easy.
Get ready to both shield and attack, Amaya.
Flames flickered brightly down her sides, and her need to kill became so fierce I could almost taste the bitterness of Hunter’s blood on her steel.
The brightness of the tendrils began to fade. The tension running through me ramped up another notch, until my whole body seemed to be humming with it.
Then I realized it was humming—and that it was Amaya’s energy flowing through me.
Together we strong, she said. Together we taste her blood.
The light blinked out. Hunter howled—a sound that was fury and grief and utter, utter madness combined—and launched at me, claws and teeth elongating. I dodged and swung Amaya, but Hunter was too fast and the blow skimmed past her side and did no damage.
Amaya chuckled, the sound low and savage. Hunter disappeared into shadows.
Flame, I said, and Amaya immediately did. Fire exploded from her, leaping high, tearing away the shadows and revealing the vastness of Hunter’s den.
Revealing the laser held in her hand, aimed straight at my heart.
Shield, I screamed, even as I dove away.
Can’t! Flame or shield, not both!
I hit the ground and rolled. Blue light followed me, slicing into the flagstones and across my left boot. The smell of burned leather and flesh seared the air. I bit back a scream and scrambled to my feet, forcing myself to run despite the fire in my foot. The laser nipped at my heels, threatening limb loss if I so much as stumbled.
I flung Amaya and called to the Aedh. The magic surged, and just for a moment, my legs and arms became little more than particles. Then the magic fell away and I was flesh again. Hunter hadn’t been lying—her shields were stopping me from becoming full Aedh.
Dušan, grab her!
Amaya arrowed toward Hunter. The laser shifted, hitting her. Lilac flames flared against blue light, and though Amaya slowed, she didn’t appear hurt by the laser’s hit.
Then Hunter went down, confusion briefly replacing the fury and madness in her expression.
While she might not have expected the Dušan’s presence, her surprise certainly didn’t dull her reactions.
I scrambled forward, as fast as I was able, as vampire and Dušan twisted and fought each other. Again blue light flared. The Dušan hissed and slithered away. Hunter scrambled to her feet, her movements little more than a blur as she launched herself at me. Amaya thundered back into my hand and I swung her, hard. Hunter hissed and deviated at the last moment, coming in under the blow. Her foot smashed into my kneecap and thrust me backward. Pain, white-hot, hit, but I somehow managed to remain upright. She came at me again, movements little more than a blur. That I could even see her was a miracle, and I had no doubt that it was all due to Amaya’s presence in my mind.
I waited until the last minute, until I could see the bloody glimmer of hate in her eyes, then raised Amaya. Black steel met sharp claws, and blood spurted as two fingertips plopped to the flagstones.
Lilac slithered in from behind her and wrapped around her legs. Hunter hit the floor face-first, but her hiss was more a sound of fury than one of pain. She made an odd motion with a bloodied left hand, then twisted around and grabbed the Dušan with her right, forcing the laser into its mouth. I swung Amaya before she could fire, aiming for her head. She ducked and the blow sailed over her head, but it at least forced her to release the Dušan. It slithered away again.
Flames leapt from Amaya’s steel and anchored onto Hunter’s flesh, flickering and dancing in eager anticipation as Amaya began to feed on her soul.
Hunter either didn’t know what was happening or didn’t care. She jumped upright and ran, which was so out of character I swung around instead of giving chase.
Twelve other vampires were now in the room. Hunter certainly wasn’t taking any chances. If ever there was a time for Azriel to appear . . .
Can’t, Amaya spat. Magic stop.
