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“We have a lot of vampires, though. They’ll come to join us in the fight. I know this. I’ve seen it.”
My head whipped back over to her. “You saw this happening?”
She nodded. “Moments before I came to your door. But…I didn’t see Bufar dying. In my dream, it was Anastasia.”
“How bad is it going to be?”
Marie frowned. “We will win. But at a cost.”
“What cost?”
Yelling erupted in the distance and I could feel the humans growing closer. They were coming at alarming speed which told me they were rushing past the doors that held our kind.
“Tessa will be okay, won’t she?”
Marie shifted, but kept her focus ahead. “I would die before I let anything happen to our leader. If I feared she would be killed, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’d be out there with her.”
“Then what is the cost?”
“I’m not sure,” she whispered. “It was a feeling. The vision didn’t provide the answer.”
I frowned, moving my attention to the dark layer hovering just below the ceiling. Footsteps echoed loudly from all directions and I watched as men in tactical gear burst into the heart of the city from three different tunnels. Others, who I knew were rogue fighters, quickly joined them. As seconds passed, they moved in toward the center, training their weapons to the different entrances. They were cautious, inching in and taking their time. I licked my lips, feeling energy move in from the tunnel closest to us. But they were headed toward the center, too, only glancing in our directions as they scanned the large area.
“Shit. What is this place?” One of the civilians mumbled the question, but it was loud enough for me to hear the fear deep within his words. Closer, they gathered, weaving around the tables as they stayed close together. I glanced at Marie, bringing myself back to take in the swirl of Tessa’s energy. Faster, it was rotating, growing darker and thicker as her anger increased. The intensity made it almost impossible to sit still. I wanted to be out there with her. I wanted to do what came natural to my vampire.
“The leader has to be here somewhere. We made it in. Now I think we should pick a tunnel and start our search. If we can kill the one in charge, the rest will be easy.”
Deep tones were beginning to push against my throat. I held steady, flattening my hands against the cold floor to ground my need to attack. But I didn’t have to focus on controlling myself for long. The men began to notice the air fluctuate. What started as a gust grew faster, whipping around them with such brutality some held to the tables and each other, crouching low against the force. I rose, higher, in awe of Tessa’s strength. She’d never gone this far before and I wasn’t sure what to expect with the fury she held over her dead followers.
Shots began to go off, echoing loudly throughout the room as some of the men began to yell. The dark smoke drew in, funneling down in the middle of the group, revealing first Tessa’s feet, working its way up until her crown was visible and she was once again whole. The curls that hung down her back and shoulders were just as wild as the expression in her light green eyes. Green…she was still in control of her vampire which surprised me.
Tessa began to turn in a slow circle, staring down each one. “You wished to find the leader of this city?” her voice boomed. “Well, here I am. What are you waiting for?” Her arms slowly rose up from here sides and her lids closed while her head drew back. I couldn’t help but jump to my feet. The explosion of round after round penetrated the air. Marie clasped to my wrist, trying to keep me still. Harder she tugged as I uncontrollably kept stepping toward the door.
Bullets and stakes hung in the air, hovering just outside of the invisible shield. Vampires were emerging from the tunnels, watching, waiting, just as I was. Seconds went by, and then minutes as the shots eventually ceased. Silence was broken by the clinks of metal and wood falling to the cement floor. Tessa’s deep laughing echoed against the walls and her eyes opened. Dark smoke began to seep past her lips as her laughter grew. When I caught the blacks of her eyes, I took a deep breath. The men shot to their feet and turned to run, but hit a barrier they couldn’t see. They were trapped and so was anyone else who wanted in.
Wind began to increase in the bubble until the haze lifted to the top, hovering above their heads. Like a flash, the darkness gathered and Tessa shot through one of the men’s lips. His arms went crazy, dropping the gun as a red hue began to tint his face. Darker, it became, while he tore into his throat. One second he was fighting against her invisible threat, the next his body exploded out in all directions, replaced with her own. Blood covered her dress and face, matting in her hair. Tessa reared back, slicing through one of the men’s cheeks before diving for his neck. Screams increased and suddenly the humans were falling over each other as the wall gave way. Tessa tossed the officer over, looking right at me, using our bond to pull me closer. My body hummed, going crazy for her. Her powers or what she was doing didn’t scare me, they turned me on more than I could believe.
“These men spilled the blood of our kind. They owe me theirs. Make your ruler happy. Kill them!”
Vampires poured through the tunnels, snarling and baring their fangs as they headed toward the humans. They were searching for a way out, juking to the side as they looked desperately for somewhere to go. But there was nowhere. The vampires were gaining ground, becoming more animalist the closer they got to the mens’ fearful scent.
I stalked forward, breaking my stare from Tessa’s as I zeroed in on an officer holding a jagged knife. His breaths were coming out in heavy pants and he was swinging it at a group of vampires that were circling around him. At my energy burst, they paused, glancing over at me. My strides never slowed as I broke through them and deflected his blow. My grip tightened around his neck and I lifted his feet off the floor. I tapped into Tessa’s powers, letting it mix with my own. Heat blazed in my stomach and her hand shoot up to aim toward me. I let the dark smoke mix with my fire until the bright fog was leaving my mouth, into his. Overkill—definitely. But to strengthen our gift, we needed to use them, and I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity. Especially with Aetas watching. He needed to see. He had to know that together, Tessa and I were worthy. I’d show him there was no better choice than my concubine. She’d get what she deserved. I’d make sure of it.
Chapter 8
Tessa
“Go! Search the tunnels. The humans still in our city cannot escape. I want them dead!”
My order sent vampires scattering from our main room, thirsty to quench the burn embedded in their throats. Blood hung thickly in the air and it was worse for me being soaked in the substance.
As I turned to see crimson pouring from the officer’s mouth Marko held, I couldn’t take it anymore. The rest my people could finish this on their own. We were safe from the majority of the threat. Men were dying with every breath I took and I needed my mate. He seemed to sense that as he dropped the body, walking toward me at a brisk pace. I didn’t think as I threw myself in his arms and jumped up to straddle his waist.
“Take me to our room.” I barely got the words out as I crushed my lips into his. I craved the roughness I knew his touch could bring. I needed it after the victory and death of my enemies.
Marko’s tongue slid hungrily against mine and his fingers dug into my lower back making me break our connection to gasp.
“First, Aetas. He’s here. He’s been watching the entire time.”
