Page 75 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

“Radmila, go with Katarina. Protect the girls,” he commanded.

Temperance squared her shoulders and swallowed hard. “We’re not leaving you to face all that alone. Not happening. Come with us or we’re staying.”

“Young lady, do not speak back to me. Go! Now!” he said.

She crossed her arms over her chest giving him a look much like he suspected he’d given her in the house when he’d ordered her off the chair. “No.”

In the blink of an eye, a huge black panther came leaping out of the bushes near them, going straight at Hannah.

Vlad swept her up and out of the way as he slashed out at the shifter. Its jaw caught his upper arm. He made sure Hannah was safe before releasing her and punching the shifter in the eye. It released him. He shook off the injury and it healed over rapidly. It hurt, but he didn’t care. He was only worried about the girls. He glanced back to find their eyes were wide and they were locked arm in arm.

Temperance leaned against Hannah. “Did he just face punch a giant friggin’ panther and then heal like that?” she asked, clicking her fingers.

Hannah nodded. “He did. I didn’t think anyone healed as fast as my dad.”

There was more growling from the tree line. Vlad couldn’t worry about that. He had the swarm of Order soldiers and demons to contend with first.

Radmila caught a tiger as it came leaping out of the tree line. She ripped its throat out with one hand, her signature battle cry following the act.

Katarina began corralling Hannah and Temperance, putting herself between them on the oncoming threat.

Vlad extended his arms and chanced a fast glance at the girls. “Close your eyes. Now.”

Hannah tugged on Temperance’s arm. “Do it!”

Temperance did it along with Hannah.

Vlad called upon his dark magik—powers his enemies claimed he’d been born with—from being Satan’s spawn. He heard the rats before he saw them. They answered his call, coming in waves, going at the enemy, thinning the herd.

He reached out again, pushing his dark magik to the edge of its limits, calling all the wolves in the area—shifter or regular. He cared not. Any would do to help in the battle.

He felt it then, a connection to someone that shocked him by answering.

Lucian.

Vlad narrowed his gaze on the enemy. They picked the wrong vampire to fuck with.

“Ohmygod, are those rats eating the demons?” Temperance asked, sounding like she might vomit.

Vlad cringed.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Mina

I ran through the campus,heart in my throat, boots hitting the pavement so hard I felt it in my spine. Bram and Jonathan were right behind me, with Henry and Dave somewhere in the mix.

There was a butt ton more Van Helsings rushing through the campus with us, with more seeming to arrive along the way. Students scattered in every direction, their screams carrying on the night air.

I came to a fast stop as my slayer alarm bells went off. I’d spent eighteen years baking cookies for bake sales and volunteering at the girls’ school, not hunting demons, but in that moment, it felt as if I’d never left the calling. I knew I could kill a demon with ease, out of practice or not. I could do anything to protect my daughter and my niece.

"Temperance!" I shouted, scanning the crowd. I tried her cell again. The call went straight to her voicemail for the tenth time. She hadn’t answered any of my texts on the way over either.

Bram came to a stop beside me. “My men have found something! Come!”

I didn’t waste any time asking for more information. I ran alongside him.

Jonathan leaped over a stone bench in the quad and landed crouched, his eyes bright, his expression wild. He looked like the predator I knew he could be.

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