AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Destiny clenched her hands in frustration, as if puzzled by Peri’s stubbornness. Then her head swiveled toward Valen, who was glaring at her with grim fury.
“Ah. The wrong leverage,” she purred. “Let’s try again.”
The mist surrounding the vampire thickened, nearly obscuring him from view, but with a bleak determination, herefused to reveal the pain that was obviously slamming through him.
“No,” Peri breathed, unable to bear the sight of his body being ruthlessly stretched, as if he was on an old-fashioned rack being pulled in two.
As if sensing she was at her breaking point, Valen twisted his head to send her a fierce glare.
“Peri, don’t.”
Peri shook her head, glancing toward Destiny, who was smiling as she savored the torment she was inflicting on her two captives.
“Leave him alone,” she commanded.
“Only if you give me what I want.”
“No, Peri,” Valen ground out.
Peri ignored him. She had to do something. And not just because she couldn’t endure watching Valen being tortured. Eventually her magic was going to run out. When that happened, she would have no defense to fight against the miasma. If she was going to try to escape, she’d have to go on offense. At least long enough to release Valen and get the hell out of there.
Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the shimmering threads of magic that had hardened into a tangible barrier around her. Then, with meticulous care, she began unweaving the spell, folding the magic back into itself, as if she was wrapping a rope into a neat pile. It was a unique talent that she rarely used. At least not when she was face to face with an enemy. The effort replenished her pool of magic, but it left her vulnerable to attack.
Thankfully, the miasma appeared unaware of her precarious position, and instead of taking advantage, she watched her with a wary expression, clearly uncertain what Peri was doing. It wasn’t until Peri’s jade bracelet was glowing with renewed power that the miasma realized the shield had been unraveled.
Destiny raised her hand, sending a blast of magic in Peri’s direction. Ducking low, Peri felt the heat sizzle past her as she spoke the words of a spell and sent her magic lashing toward her enemy. The shimmering strands wrapped around Destiny’s feet, yanking tight to hold her captive. At the same time, she rushed forward, ramming her shoulder into Destiny with every ounce of strength she possessed.
Destiny grunted, caught off guard by the physical attack. Windmilling her arms, she tumbled backward, landing on her ass with a thud. Any other time, Peri would have taken a moment to relish the sight of the woman sprawled on the floor, her puff of blond hair tangled around her startled face. But she was too busy scrambling to her feet.
Realizing her danger, Destiny rolled to the side as Peri swung her foot toward her head, and sent out a blast of magic. The raw power hit Peri square in the face, busting her lip and sending her reeling back. She thought she heard Valen call out over Tia’s continued screams of pain, but it was hard to tell. Her ears were ringing.
Shaking her head, Peri wiped away the blood and backed away as she prepared another spell. Destiny didn’t have to wait. Her magic was pure energy. There was no need to bind it with an incantation or use a talisman to send it in a specific direction. It simply exploded out of her.
Peri grunted as the mist smashed into her, knocking the air from her lungs and stopping her heart. Panic jolted through her before the organ sluggishly restarted, and she released her spell to briefly blind the woman.
Destiny hissed in frustration as the crimson flames dimmed, and Peri whirled to dash toward Valen. She didn’t know how to release him from the magic, but…
She was still working on a plan when she felt two tentacles wrap around her waist. They tightened and jerked her backward,pressing her against Destiny. Glancing down, she could see the reddish mist spreading over her stomach, holding her captive even as she could feel it seeping into her skin.
A shudder of horror raced through Peri. She could feel the evil crawling over her as the miasma pierced deep inside her, tapping into her magic. It was like the creature had created a direct connection to siphon her power.
“At last,” Destiny moaned in ecstasy. “You taste divine.”
Pain jolted through Peri, but her sheer desperation allowed her to focus on the link the miasma had created between them. She had to break it before she was drained.
But how?
The miasma was simply absorbing her spells, far too fast for Peri to cast a new one. Her only hope seemed to be physically injuring Destiny’s body. She couldn’t be sure if it would hurt the miasma, but it might slow it down.
“Go to hell,” she ground out. Reaching over her shoulder, she grabbed Destiny’s hair, yanking it as she turned and used her free hand to punch the bitch square on the jaw.
Destiny was stunned by the unexpected blow and Peri reached out to grab the dagger the witch had stolen from Brenda Sanguis. At the same time, she released the magic from her bracelet, allowing it to flow through her. The extra power gave her the magic necessary to slice through the tether joining her to the miasma.
The sense of being drained abruptly stopped, like a hose being shut off. Thank God. Drawing in a deep breath, Peri resisted the urge to turn and run. The miasma had proved that was a wasted effort. Instead, she lifted her hands as if she was preparing to cast another spell.
Destiny spread her arms, a mocking smile curving her lips. She was goading Peri into offering her more magic.
Peri smiled grimly, as if she was ready to meet the challenge, and instead lunged forward with the dagger clutched in her hand. She was fully prepared to plunge the blade into Destiny’s heart. It would be a fitting justice considering the dagger had drawn the attention of the miasma in the first place.
