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It felt like an abandoned ghost town, but I knew it was far from it. There were thousands and thousands of vampires below us, most of them already sensing our presence. Beyond that, the Matriarch had four flying chimeras that patrolled over her district, big alligator-like beasts that had feathered wings the length of two school buses from tip to tip.
A loud explosion from the opposite side of the district boomed through the air. The distractions had begun. Ear-piercing shrieks sounded as the chimeras dropped from their roosts and flew toward the noise. Two of them whipped past us in the mist, only discernible from the way the thick cloud shifted and wavered, neither of them noticing the flight of dragons dipping down toward a quiet street.
Another shriek, this one louder, closer—fuck! I had to hope Robby was holding on because one of the chimeras locked directly onto me, its wicked green jaws appearing out of the mist, ready to latch onto my neck. I dove, the sudden drop making my stomach feel like it flipped. I could also feel Robby’s death grip on my spikes as I leveled us out.
Xavier and War, both riderless, gave chase to the chimera, going on the offensive. Xavier managed to get a body blow into the chimera, getting hacked by one of its big paws, thick claws clipping into my brother’s golden scales. He opened his mouth and fought back with a stream of thick sand directly into the creature’s eyes. It yelped and swung around, flying awkwardly as it tried clearing the sand from its eyes.
Warrick, the fastest one of all, appeared like a green comet flying through the mist, his teeth clamping down on the chimera’s lion tail and whipping it down, throwing them both to the ground. But before they hit solid concrete, Warrick let go and used his powers to make a thick bed of roses appear. His fall broke in a cloud of velvet red rose petals.
The chimera wasn’t as resourceful, or as alive, its head cracking against the shining black obsidian that paved the ground, its body falling limp and lifeless.
The streets were no longer quiet or as empty. Vamps began to filter out of their homes, looking around in confusion before realizing they were under attack. Some rushed back into their homes to grab weapons; others started to run barefoot down the street toward another huge explosion. This time, it had come from the other side of the district. That would be the shifter pack of wolves that were working with us, the leader owing Xavier a massive favor.
We didn’t have to fly too much further into the Obsidian District until we reached the building that housed the Matriarch, rising up through the dense fog like a shining pearl. It looked almost like a temple, with golden columns and grand arches, shining against the black backdrop of the rest of the district.
I dipped down toward the building next to it and landed, Robby hopping off of me so I could shift. The non-descript building was guardhouse that had already been taken care of by an icy-fisted Maddox and an electrified Dawn. The three vampires were on the floor with irreparable wounds to their hearts and heads.
Benjamin ran past them and straight to the back of the small, circular room. “It should be…” He grabbed a loose looking stone and tugged it out. “Here.”
The stone collapsed downward, as if a slit had opened in the floor and started to swallow them one by one. A dark tunnel opened up where solid wall once stood.
“Everyone ready?” I asked, Robby’s hand held tight in mine. I was answered with a chorus of affirmative nods and yes’s. I turned to the tunnel, the shadows seeming to stretch on into infinity.
This was it.
The attack on the Matriarch had officially begun.
Chapter 31
Sharp Objects
Robby
I stuck by Damien’s side as we entered into the dark tunnel. My heart raced at about a hundred and fifty miles per minute. This was it. There would be no turning back now. Our fate was sealed the second we closed the door behind us and plunged ourselves into darkness.
Moments later, a flame in Damien’s palm gave us enough light to continue. Outside, we could hear the sounds of a distant fight as the other groups continued with their distractions. We had to pull as many vamps away from the Matriarch as possible.
“This way,” Damien said, taking a curve in the hall. There was an incline now as we began to head up to the main areas. I stepped in something wet but didn’t even bother checking what it was. With my head down and my shoulders slightly trembling, I continued on with the group.
“Wait,” Claire said, holding out a hand and stopping all of us in our tracks. “Hear that?”
