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“They are, now.”
The man in the centre looked older than the others. A lot older. He stepped forward, and Cara tensed, bracing herself to fire the stake.
“Cara, I presume,” the vampire said. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“All good things, I hope,” she said, trying to stall. She could deal with vampires, but the older ones were more dangerous, and this one looked ancient.
“Oh, of course. My name is Barden.”
“I think I’ve heard the name,” she said.
“Have you? What a pleasant surprise.”
“You’re Samuel’s right hand man, right?”
“Our relationship is far deeper and more complex, but I suppose you could call it that.”
“Why are you here?” she asked. “Shouldn’t you be with Samuel?”
“I had a feeling you might find a way around the concealment spell,” he said. “He can handle himself. Samuel has defeated enemies far more powerful than your boyfriend.”
“So you decided to lurk in the shadows down here in case I showed up,” Cara said.
“Real brave,” Quinn said, and Julia shushed her.
Barden glared at Quinn, and Cara took her chance.
She sent stakes shooting towards them, but the vampires were too fast. One of them took a stake in the stomach, not a fatal wound, but she twisted her hand, setting the wood on fire. He screamed as unnatural flames consumed his body.
Barden rushed her and she fumbled for a stake, but she was too slow, and he grabbed her.
“Enough,” he said, and he slammed her against the stone wall.
She cried out and fell. She tried to stand, and the younger vampire grabbed her arms and pulled them over her head, pinning her wrists against the wall.
The vampire grinned at her. “Witch blood is always a lovely treat. So sweet, bursting with the fruits of your power.”
“Don’t play with your food,” Barden said.
Quinn shouted something, and she threw herself onto Barden, clinging to his back and hitting her fist against his head. Cara didn’t even notice the wooden stake in her other hand until she stabbed it into Barden’s shoulder.
Barden roared and threw her off, and she hit the wall with a painful thud.
“I’m going to enjoy killing you, girl,” Barden growled. “Or maybe I’ll keep you alive and make you regret resisting.”
Cara’s head was pounding and her body ached, but she saw Julia standing behind them, and she tried to tell her to run, but she couldn’t find the breath to speak.
Julia moved, but she was going the wrong way. She was coming towards the vampires.
Cara’s vision focused, and she saw what Julia was doing.
“No,” she rasped.
Julia lifted one of Cara’s stakes, and she dragged the sharp end across her forearm. She gasped at the pain, but she did it again, and more blood dripped from her arm.
Barden turned sharply, inhaling a deep breath through his nose.
The younger vampire dropped Cara, and she fell to the ground. He turned to Julia, and her eyes widened as he stalked towards her.
