Page 84 of Blood of a Huntsman

All the Monsters

"Isuppose you always have been fond of the girl. Understandable, since you're bound by blood. Worthless and disloyal as Catharina may prove to be."

Catherine shivered, crawling backward. She couldn't help it. She always trembled when Drusilla was near.

"No matter. I can make her heel well enough."

Cat looked back to the borders. Levi stood up front with Bash, Luke, and Ruby. Bash was fighting to get to her, despite the hundreds of warriors separating them. Shit, the guy was sweet. And loyal. And hers. She’d done nothing to deserve him, but he was hers all the same.

Behind them, on the other side of the wall, everyone else stood so very close to the border, edging in. Both Mikar and Alexius were holding Chloe's hands, as if expecting her to rush forward at any second.

And, knowing her, she might.

They'd been smart to hide. Cat suspected it would have been a lot harder to draw Drusilla out if she didn't believe they were dreadfully outnumbered.

Still, too many guards were gathered around her for Seth to execute his plan. If he killed her, they'd be on him right away. Cat could see her brother had come to the same conclusion; his expression was cold.

Before them stood Credence Beaufort and Marina Slate, his long-term companion; Sylph Denningway, married into the Stormhale line; Fiona Hue, another ancient attached to Drusilla; and, more concerning, Julia Stormhale, Drusilla’s only surviving child, a match for her mother in both power and cruelty. The others, Cat couldn't identify, but she knew that against all twelve of them, even her brother had little chance.

Seth had done nothing to her, holding a benign energy sphere that had only served to replenish her. But Drusilla was going to make it hurt. And if Seth attacked her now, he'd be doomed.

Unexpectedly, Cat felt a wet substance touch her feet, and she looked down to find water surrounding her, and also gathering at Drusilla’s feet.

Levi. Levi was making sure that her aunt couldn’t use her storm without hurting herself.

At least she wouldn’t have to endure the oldest Stormhale’s devastating magic. But Drusilla knew many ways to torture people.

Drusilla took a step toward Cat, grinning. She stilled. She should have gotten up, run, tried to flee. Maybe even fight. But that all seemed pointless.

She winced, expecting a blow she would have to endure. No matter what, the Oldcrest borders had to hold. They had to.

She closed her eyes as the long, sinuous fingers approached her, feeling a dark shadow drawing near, ready to tear her apart.

A sudden scream tore through the silence, ending as fast as it had come. And it hadn't come from her.

Something heavy fell on her. Heavy and wet.

Her eyelids flew open, her pupils dilated. Seth stood in front of her, holding her sword, Lightning, now thick with blue blood.

Drusilla's body was limp over Cat while her head rolled down the gentle slope.

She blinked, confused for half a second, then leaped to her feet and rushed to guard Seth's back.

"That wasn't very well thought-out, now was it," she commented as the slayers and ancients rushed toward them.

"Yeah, well, I panicked," Seth replied, handing her the sword. "You're gonna need this."

And she did.

Cat slashed the air just as the first Beaufort slayer reached her, catching his hand, then blocking an attack from the left flank. Sensing another oncoming threat, she pivoted on her heels and parried flashing claws. It was all protective mode; she didn’t have time to lunge or feint or attack the constant onslaught of enemies. Fuck, they were strong. And fast.

A storm gathered overhead and fell down before circling her and Seth, separating them from the masses. She caught her breath, and had a moment to see that Ruby and Luke had let go of Bash.

Cat blinked, and a laugh escaped her lips.

He'd been right all along. He was a monster.

When he watchedthe terrifying ancient approach Catherine, something unlocked in Bash. It had been there all along, beneath the surface, and for a time, he'd been afraid of it. Afraid of what he glimpsed when he saw his desires, his needs, his new instincts. But he embraced it. He welcomed the freak. To get to Cat right then, he voluntarily called the monster to him.

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