Page 103 of Bewitched By a Vampire

“Beatrice. The potion. Drink it. You’ll not only see that Night is innocent, but that these two bitches set him up. They set us all up.” Lilian quickly cast a protection spell as a long shard of ice came flying at her.

It hit the barrier and breached it, just the razor-sharp tip breaking through the invisible wall.

Pointed right at her head.

She was growing weaker.

Soon, she wouldn’t even be able to cast a barrier. This wasn’t good. If she couldn’t convince Beatrice that Night was innocent and these two witches were responsible for everything, then she would have to fight and she wouldn’t stand a chance against so many powerful witches.

“Drink it,” Night growled and Beatrice cast him a withering look.

“You do not tell me what to do, vampire.” Beatrice pulled the bottle from her pocket and looked as if she might do it though.

Karlotta stared at it, her dark eyes widening as she looked from it to Lilian. “You dark little minx. You can read memories.”

“Do not listen to her. It is probably poisoned,” Jana said and approached Beatrice. “She is a liar and a traitor. She sides with the vampire over her own coven. She will say anything to buy herself the time to help him escape. The vampire murdered our sisters. He must pay.”

When Beatrice looked as if she might drink the potion, Jana’s eyes brightened and narrowed on her profile, and her fingers subtly flexed. Lilian looked at her hand and her gut clenched. Ice glittered on her fingers, gathering in her palm. She was going to hurt Beatrice.

Lilian reacted on instinct, driven to protect her. She lunged forwards, grabbed the spear of ice that still protruded from the barrier, letting that spell shatter at the same time, and hurled it at Jana.

It clipped the blonde’s shoulder and a thin line of blood bloomed on her bare skin.

Jana turned murderous eyes on Lilian and threw the spear that formed in her hand at her instead, and Night struck it with one of his blades, shattering it as he moved in front of Lilian. Before she could try to convince Beatrice to listen to her and believe her, the witches attacked.

Lilian cast another protection spell, stopping the fiery whip that cut through the air towards Night, and hurling a spell after him as he kicked off. It would boost his speed and strength, but it came at a price. Her head turned, vision wavering for a moment before it sharpened again. She was expending too much energy. Her tank was almost empty.

Night cut through the witches, dodging most of their spells as he tried to get to Jana and Karlotta. Maryon raised her hand towards the sky and swiftly brought it down, and a dozen bolts of lightning struck the ground, shaking it beneath Lilian’s boots and charging the air. Night bellowed as one caught him and a witch screamed as another hit her and she was thrown clear of the battle, landing close to the trees.

Lilian ran into the fray, muttering an incantation as she closed the distance between her and Night. She waved her hand in Maryon’s direction as the dark-haired witch raised her arm to strike Night with another bolt of lightning and hit her with one instead, giving her a taste of her own medicine. Maryon cried out, juddering violently, and Lilian almost tripped over her own feet as her legs weakened beneath her.

Night shook off the blow and growled as he ran at Karlotta.

Lilian breathed harder, struggling to keep going, and chanted another incantation in her mind. She grimaced and gritted her teeth as she cast both hands forwards, towards Karlotta, and blue fire burst from her palms, becoming a spiralling funnel that snaked through the air to strike her. Karlotta screamed as she was knocked sideways, the skin of her left side blistering as the flames burned her, and the black material of her corseted dress glowing with blue embers as she landed.

The fire would not only burn her, but it would drain her strength too.

Night took the opening Lilian had given him, closing the distance between him and Karlotta down to nothing, and bared his fangs as he attacked. His eyes blazed crimson, the hunger in them unmistakable as he clashed with the witch, driving her backwards as she struggled to use magic to defend herself. Any offensive spell would be dangerous at such close quarters, liable to hurt her as well as Night.

Lilian’s head turned and she dropped to one knee. Her heart thundered against her ribs so fast she felt dizzy, and she blinked to clear her vision. Night had been right. She should have rested rather than coming to the meeting tonight. She had been so desperate to clear his name and show her coven that she wasn’t a traitor though, had only been able to think about making that happen.

And now she regretted it with all her heart.

Night roared as he thrust his twin blades towards the witch.

Karlotta bellowed as they sliced through her chest and Night lifted her with them.

“Karlotta!” Jana turned on Night, her hazel eyes enormous as she stared at Karlotta as Night lifted her above his head on the swords.

He roared again, the sound echoing around them, and pivoted with Karlotta, hurling her at Jana. Jana desperately tried to catch her, but Karlotta hit the grass and rolled across it, landing close to the fountain. Jana dropped to her knees beside the fallen witch, pulled her over onto her back and stared at her.

Karlotta stared back at her.

Unblinking.

Petra shot past Jana, heading for Night, and Maryon flanked her.

Lilian had to do something.

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