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In the darkness before us, a rumbling shadow was moving. What followed was a rancid smell of rotting flesh, the foul scent of decay that had my last drink rushing back up my throat.
The wraith, a haunting being on the precipice between life and death, emerged from the shadows, blocking our path. Its eyes glowed with a feral hunger, bared fangs dripping with putrid saliva.
I drew my talons out, ready to rip and tear at the gruesome creature, although I wasn’t sure how much good that would do. Wraiths were demonic creatures, rotting flesh spurred on by vengeful spirits. Wounding their physical body alone would not be enough to kill them.
Before I could launch an attack, however, Sky stepped in front of me. The wraith screeched a war cry, a whistling scream that had the twins covering their ears and cowering in fear. But my human mate was undeterred. She reached into her purse, a dinky little silver clutch that I had teased her for clinging to throughout the evening. Sky retrieved a vial of silver powder, a concoction I had never seen before, and uncorked it.
The wraith stretched out a bony hand, gnarled fingers reaching for my lover. With a steady hand, Sky flung the powder toward the creature, the silver concoction burning its flesh upon contact. The creature howled in agony, temporarily stunned by the unexpected assault. Seizing the opportunity, River and I unleashed a flurry of strikes, exploiting the beast’s momentary vulnerability.
Our combined strength proved formidable, and together we overpowered the creature, driving it back into the darkness as the silver powder worked its magic. Whatever Sky had chucked at the monster packed a punch, melting the rotting body and turning blackened flesh into sludge.
“How did you do that?” I turned to Sky, the creature a puddle of goop at our feet. “Wraiths are nearly impossible to kill!”
Sky shrugged nonchalantly, but a smile played on her lips as she tucked the bottle back into her purse. “I’ve been doing my research. And the powder was a gift from Ursula.”
“I suppose the little witch proved helpful after all.”
Finally, we had a taste of victory, but I knew our respite would be brief. We had to keep moving.
River led the way, maneuvering our party through the labyrinth of passages. Our footsteps echoed through the silent corridors, the distant sounds of battle serving as a reminder of the peril we were leaving behind.
As we neared the exit, a deafening roar reverberated through the stone walls, followed by a bloodcurdling scream. Behind us, the attackers pushed down another hidden doorway, pouring into the tunnel with snapping teeth and slathering maws.
“Take the twins.” I loaded both Hazel and Hilda into Sky’s arms, urging her down the passages while River and I stood ready to face the wave of shifters. Sky’s stricken face was pale, but she did as I asked, turning tail and bolting into the dark with the twins gripped tightly in her arms.
Without hesitation, River and I launched ourselves at the monsters, my blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. The creatures, caught off guard by the sudden assault, fell beneath my blade and talons, going down one by one.
Together, River and I fought back-to-back, our movements seamless, determination unyielding. The cramped passages made it difficult for the hulking bodies of the shifters to move, lining them up perfectly to meet their deaths.
“I almost feel bad!” River called as another shifter met its end on the points of her talons. “You’d think they would realize by now that this attack isn’t going to plan.”
I threw my blade, the silver tip lodging in the head of another shifter before it could close its jaws over my friend’s throat. “Focus on fighting, please. I’d like us all to get out of this in one piece.”
River cackled, the brush with death barely registering as she hacked and slashed at the monsters before us.
As the last of the werewolves crumbled to the ground we stood amidst the carnage, breath ragged, bodies battered but unbroken.
By the time River and I emerged into the moonlit courtyard, Hazel and Hilda had been safely stowed in the back of Dylan’s car. Sigrid sat beside them, mildly consoling the crying children with a stiff, vacant expression.
“Finally!” Sky leapt into my arms, ignoring the blood that stained my skin and turned my dress into a shimmering mess of gold and crimson. “Let’s go. Dylan will drive us to a safehouse. We can regroup and figure out a plan from there. Surely there are other vampires willing to help us out?”
I held her tightly, my words failing me as I met her eyes. “No one is coming to help, Sky. You need to get out of here while you still can.”
“What are you saying?” Sky’s expression morphed from confused to defiant as she came to understand what I intended to do. “No. No, I am not leaving here without you!”
“My people need me, I can’t abandon them.” My gaze softened, tears glistening in my eyes and blurring my vision. I cupped my lover’s face in my hands. “I love you more than words can express, and I would give anything to keep you safe. You don’t need to die here, this isn’t your fight.”
“No!” Sky broke the embrace, gripping my shoulders and shaking me. “I am not leaving you!”
Before I could argue further, a cacophony of growls and snarls echoed through the courtyard. More werewolves emerged from the shadows, glowing yellow eyes floating like lanterns in the dark.
My expression tightened, my heart torn between my desire to protect my mate and my duty to protect my people. With a heavy sigh, I made a reluctant decision. “You stay close. You keep your head down and you run when I tell you to. Okay?”
Sky nodded, her eyes shining with unwavering determination. “I promise. We face this together, no matter what Jeremy throws at us.”
The tender moment was abruptly interrupted by the snarling creatures that quickly surrounded us. I handed Sky my dagger, turning to call to Dylan and River, “Get those three somewhere safe. We’ll meet up with you as soon as we can.”
Dylan’s expression was somber, her slow nod hesitant as she started up the car. River saluted from the passenger seat, her lopsided grin contrasting with the grief that shone plainly in her eyes. “Don’t take too long, My Lady. We’ll be waiting for you.”
