Page 83 of Of Flames and Crows

Tarang’s hackles rose. He was staring at a shadowy corridor filled with debris on their right.

A familiar corruption danced across Vlad’s skin.

“It’s not just her,” he spat. “There’s a portal close by!”

The rubble exploded. Julius grunted when chunks of wreckage slammed into his shield.

It held.

Vlad erected a protective layer of incubus magic around Cortes as Oscar appeared through the hole with his lynx.

“Don’t move from here!” he warned the Colombian. “I can’t say what will happen if you do!”

Cortes bobbed his head grimly.

Vlad worked out the knots in his neck and reached for the demonic energy in his core. Crimson exploded in Tarang’s eyes as he fell into step beside him.

More Dark Council members were materializing inside the pale barrier. The Vissarions’ Fire Magic users engaged them.

Vlad focused on Oscar’s scowling face. “Tarang?” The tiger looked at him. He touched his familiar’s head and flashed him a savage smile. “Don’t hold back!”

Tarang’s pupils dilated. The familiar snarled, a red haze exploding around him as they both let go of the tight rein they’d maintained over their abilities since the night they’d lost control and killed Budimir’s son.

Vlad shuddered as the demonic blood he had inherited from his father ignited his veins fully and spilled out onto his diamond-edged swords in a powerful, crimson blast.

Oscar faltered, his expression growing wary. He stopped and cast a barrage of dark orbs at them.

Vlad smashed through them with his blades, the corrupt spheres fizzling into dissipating wisps of darkness under the influence of his incubus power.

Oscar cursed.

Vlad moved, Tarang a white blur beside him.

Oscar cried out when a diamond-edged blade scored his flank. Drabek screeched as Tarang’s claws found her face.

The sorcerer’s eyes widened in incomprehension. “How—?!”

He deflected Vlad’s second sword an inch from his throat, his own blade quivering as he grunted with effort. Drabek spat at Tarang, pupils oozing black magic and blood dripping from her wounds.

Vlad sneered. “Not bad, asshole.”

He pressed down. His blade nicked Oscar’s neck.

“I’m stronger than you!” the sorcerer snarled, his knuckles whitening as he pushed back. “How can a mongrel with mixed blood—?!”

He choked when Vlad kneed him viciously in the gut.

The sorcerer skidded backward, his fingers raking the floor to stop himself from falling over. His face filled with murderous intent. He swore and straightened, barely catching Drabek as the lynx sailed toward him with a pained whimper.

Tarang had batted the familiar away with a giant paw, leaving more slashes in her flank.

“You bastards!” Oscar hissed.

Vlad grinned. “It takes one to know one.”

“Vlad!” Cortes barked out in warning.

Vlad moved a fraction too late to avoid the attack coming at him. Heat flared on his left flank as the spell bomb glanced off his body, drawing a grunt from his throat and a roar of outrage from Tarang.

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