Page 57 of Wicked Fate

“Some vampires will be here soon to attack us, and you might not be able to see them.” She seemed odd. I didn’t want to scare her further, but I couldn’t shield her from what was happening.

“Oh.” The little girl pouted. “And you don’t like that?”

“It’s hard to fight an enemy you can’t see.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but they were now upon us. I linked,They’re here. Xander, get out of the way.

Before he could respond, a cloaked vampire darted forward and had its claws in a witch’s back, lifting her from the ground like she weighed nothing.

I aimed and fired, but I was too late.

She slumped in its grip, lifeless.

My stomach twisted, bile rising as rage roared through me. I tried to fire again, but I was out of ammo. I needed to reload, but I couldn’t with the girl in my arms.

“Here, I can help,” the little girl said and lifted her hands. White tendrils exploded from her body and soared toward the vampires.

“What are you—” I started, but my words died as the white tendrils hit the guards. All of a sudden, the vampires came into view.

A collective gasp broke out from the witches behind us as the shadows peeled away like smoke from fire. Vampires staggered, no doubt unsure what was going on.

Then everything exploded into chaos.

Gunfire. Screaming. Growls.

Vampires lunged, claws slashing, fangs bared. Ryker shot one point-blank in the face, and its head snapped back with a violentcrackbefore it collapsed.

Sun fired from behind a tree, killing one vampire as another barreled toward her behind her back. Bruce grabbed Sun’s attacker and slammed him into the ground hard enough to leave a crater.

Three witches joined hands near the edge of the woods and began muttering under their breath. Wind swirled, ripping through the clearing with a roar.

A vampire launched toward them then froze in midair, suspended by a shimmering wall of magic before bursting into flames.

The others hesitated.

The vampires hadn’t expected this. They’d thought we were weak. That these women were broken.

They were wrong.

I ducked behind a boulder with the girl still in my arms, shielding her as I reloaded my gun. “You okay?”

She nodded quickly, eyes wide, the glow in her fingertips still sparking.

Ember, what the hell is going on?Briar linked.Are you okay?

Another witch screamed.

Ember, watch out!Ryker linked with fear surging to me.

I looked up in time to see a vampire blur toward us. His eyes homed in on me, making his intent clear. I raised the now loaded gun, still not liking how the metal felt in my hand, and fired at him.

The vampires are on us, but we’re fighting.I didn’t have time for a conversation with Briar now.

Two more vampires approached from opposite sides. I shot one, and Ryker took down the other.

Dammit, I’m out.He grabbed the nearest vampire by the throat, drove him to the ground, and twisted until bone snapped. Blood sprayed, soaking his shirt.

A familiar male scream pierced through the noise.

Bruce was down on one knee, blood pouring from a gash in his thigh, a vampire dragging claws across his side. Sun shot it, but not before it ripped into Bruce again.

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