Page 146 of A Debt of Darkness

We jump in unison, leaping from the walls as our creators intended. I’ve drilled this into my coven, beaten them into a highly trained, efficient fighting machine and they’re fucking smart too. More intelligent than the brute force most covens rely on. It’s why we’re so effective and our descent to the courtyard is choreographed to perfection, designed to strike fear into anyone stupid enough to watch it.

My coven finds their feet and they race for the castle, moving without hesitation. They’re fast and I hang back, letting lesser vampires reach the doorway before me. We all have our part to play, and if mine is to lead, then theirs may be to die for me. For Ivy. In the open doorway or just beyond it, depending on where Rowan has laid his trap.

A minor explosion sounds inside the castle and I burst through the door, smelling smoke and ash, sulfur and fury. Vampires descend the walls and clamber over the staircasewhile more race toward them, plunging into the fray as chaos and carnage erupt around me.

Dust clouds plume into the air as snarls and cries sound out, echoing around the barren walls of Rowan’s home. There’s little worth saving here anyway, and I move quickly, decisively, and ruthlessly. My arms grab vampires from his coven, driving my claws into their hearts or decapitating them with an efficiency bred from centuries of ruthless, bloody conflict.

I was a vicious general before I was turned. Now, I’m the embodiment of hell. Ryan was as cunning, just as violent, and my former adversary shows no mercy, slashing down vampires as if they were reeds of grass in a meadow.

We cull the members of Rowan’s coven sent to deplete my forces and the priests weave magic, summoning their power from the darkness they worship. Their force ripples through the world, pushing back some enchantments rigged to catch us unaware and slow our progress.

But this isn’t enough to take us out, and Ryan’s probably right. Marcus is looking for a big showdown, and he’s trying to weaken us before it arrives. This is designed to inflict maximal damage to me at minimal cost to himself, and Rowan’s an idiot for allowing this. He’ll be in no position to stop Marcus from taking over if he survives this, and there’s no fucking way Marcus will stand by any agreement they’ve made.

Ryan wipes blood from his face as the battle dims and his eyes blaze scarlet, furious with whatever knowledge he’s stolen from the vampire he drained.

“She’s in the dungeons, Henry. In a fucking cage. Marcus killed Rowan and he seems to have the priests dancing to his tune. He’s pulling all the fucking strings and he knows you’re coming.”

My hands curl into fists, and blood seeps from my palms as my claws pierce my skin.

“He wants to rule the covens, Henry,” Ryan says, his voice a mixture of horror and determination to prevent such an atrocity. “Once you’re gone, there’s no one left to challenge him.”

That’s Marcus for you.

A power-hungry cunt obsessed with conquering everything that stands in his way. He won’t rest until he has control over our dominion and then he’ll move on to subjugating humans. It’s been tried before and it always ended badly. The fall of the Roman Empire. The Mayans. The Khmer.

“I’ll clear the castle.”

Matt’s gone before I can stop him, taking priests and vampires with him as he charges up the stairs. Ryan watches his partner race away, praying he’ll make it through the night and they’ll spend the rest of their days together. It’s the agony of battle and his feelings aren’t different from mine.

“Let’s go get your girl,” he says, moving toward the corridor leading away from the entrance. “I’m sure you’ll want a few words with Marcus.”

Ryan’s understatement is perfection and I can’t help but smirk as I follow his lead, heading away from our first victory and praying we won’t meet defeat. The tension is thick and the atmosphere heavy, and it’s far too fucking quiet, even if the castle was abandoned. Sound is afraid to make its presence known and my senses heighten, trying to detect any clue as to what the fuck happens next.

Occasional vampires leap out, and one of us dispatches them with minimal effort. The coven unit with us has sustained minimal damage and the priests begin chanting as they weave between us, casting their magic around us and dispersing more enchantments ahead.

My gut knows this is wrong and when we reach the large hall that marks the entrance to the dungeons, a thousandsilent alarm bells ring with fury.

“This isn’t right,” Ryan snarls.

Light explodes and debris ricochets around us, bringing devastation and the noises of violence. The air thickens as the smell of copper and iron wafts through the thick white smoke left by the explosion, and I move decisively, grabbing a vampire that launches at me and ripping its head from its body. Battle descends and the vicious sounds echo around the cold stone walls as limbs are severed, flesh torn apart and blood spilled onto the lifeless flagstones.

It’s vicious, fraught and bloody.

Arms grab at limbs, cries sound out, and my claws tear through muscles, spilling blood as I slice across someone’s neck. More vampires pile into the fray, attacking with a fury some of my coven can’t withstand and we’re beginning to lose numbers.

It’s enough to stop us moving forward, and we’re being pinned down, sustaining damage now we’re being forced to fight. Green light bursts like lightning in a storm and pale orange clouds fire back, as the priests turn their magic against their own. Sulfur and death taint the air as the fog of battle thickens, and I fight furiously, viciously, and mercilessly.

Ryan grabs my arm and hauls me out of the way, sending me hurtling toward the weaker vampires. I strike a chest, instantly destroying one, then pivot and decapitate another, then duck and slice up the torso before I pierce my claws into the neck of a third vampire. Blood sprays as I turn his body around and catch sight of Ryan battling against a vampire that looks suspiciously like Rowan’s new second.

My second’s giving not one inch of ground and he’s in full flight. Ryan’s glorious like this and I remember why I used to fear him on the battlefield. He’s brutal and his technique is even more vicious now he’s spent years honing it. Now he hassomeone to fight for and he’s pummeling the shit out of the vampire who dared to challenge him.

“Go, get her,” Ryan yells, his voice laced with determination. “I’ll hold these fuckers back.”

I hesitate, uncertain if facing Marcus with fewer numbers would be a mistake. Ivy’s still enduring hell and a pang of pain tightens in my chest, collapsing it on itself as the heat burns through my soul.

Marcus knows.

He’s torturing her to make me feel it. Because he wants me in the dungeon where he can pick me off and he’s trying to lure me down. My head knows it’s the stupid thing to do, but my heart can’t keep going without taking the risk and I stare at Ryan, praying he understands the choice I’m making.

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