Page 85 of Alpha Exile

Two of the Brothers Ivanov are already running directly towards us, roaring with hunger, their mouths open and their fangs exposed. The other two brothers are grabbing weapons from one of the weapons racks, each of them sporting long black braids down the middle of their back. They look prepared for slaughter.

It's the ones heading straight for us that I find the most concerning, though. One has long, white hair; the other a bald head. Both seem to be over six-foot-five inches tall, and neither are wearing more than a loincloth, something I find disturbing.

Bastian races to meet with one, Finn at his side, while Lance and Kieran race at the other. I meet Delphine's eyes, gathering more flames in my fingertips, Roarke tense at my heels.

Looking down, I spare a moment to meet his gaze. "You can do this. I've got you, remember?"

As an answer, he snarls, then launches himself past the first two brothers, towards one of the ones with an axe in his hand. He leaps from the sand and snaps his jaw over the brother's wrist, tearing flesh as the vampire howls in rage and swings him around through the air.

"I didn't think you were acompletefool." Delphine's smug voice catches my attention and draws my eyes towards her spot in front of the strange pedestal, which now glows with light in four different colors: yellow, blue, green, and purple. "Here I was, thinking I'd have to fight to get what I want, or make do with the lesser option. Instead I'll be able to get it right from the source—because you've broughtmyfuture mates back to me, all ripe for the picking."

Instead of falling for her I'm-a-villain, hear-me-pontificate bullshit, I stalk towards her and gather power in my palms. After last night's strengthening of the mating threads and the show of power from the elder statues, my chest is full of fire, and it roars as it pours out of me.

I throw one fireball at her head; she ducks. The second, I throw at the pedestal, and she laughs with glee as it flames out without effect. So I throw the third directly overhead—grinning when I hear a howl of pain as the black magic she cast is burned away, causing the sun to shine down and burn one of her precious vampires.

Scowling, she flips her wrist up to draw the black clouds back together. I glance over to see that the bald Brother Ivanov is on his knees, his left side scorched from the sun, but otherwise unharmed.

"Sorry," I quip at Delphine, "I marred your toy."

She snarls, and I run towards her, gathering all the fire I can. I throw fireball after fireball at her, forcing her to bring her hands up and weave together shields of black magic to fend my attacks off.

But I'm stronger, and faster.

And angrier.

Tearing through one of her shields, I get a hit on her side. Fire scorches her chest and face. Stumbling back from the pedestal, she falls to the ground on one knee.

Raising her chin, she calls out, "To me! Kneel down and expose your throats."

"What? We won't be doing anything like tha—"

A moment later, I realize she was talking to the vamps. They've rushed to her side, blurs of movement, and are kneeling in the sand. Delphine's arms are raised overhead, and she chants three short syllables as she draws the black magic towards her and swirls it around in a thick shield.

It surrounds her and the vampires, gathering in close and tight. I can see them through the black ooze, and the pedestal too, but not clearly. Throwing a few fireballs at it, I try to break through, but the shield quickly grows to cover the holes.

Drawing a knife from within her dress, Delphine grabs the back of the bald Brother Ivanov's head, reaches across, and severs his neck from ear to ear.

He gurgles, slumps over, and turns into ash. Ash that swirls and dances around her. Parting her lips, she sucks it in—then flicks her eyes to me, their irises glowing with renewed power and energy as she drinks him down.

The other three brothers remain on their knees, tightly leashed despite the fate surely waiting for them.

And, when I throw a fireball at the pedestal to get a peek into its contents, the hair on my arms stands on end. The other four sets of Spirit Eyes are in there, glowing with strength and power.

"We have to stop her from gathering the rest of their energy," I tell my mates, who have gathered in close at my heel. Lance snaps at the black, oozing magic shield, but it's impenetrable, even to his strength. "I don't know how to get through there, though. Maybe with a sword of fire..."

I can see a way in with my abilities.Finn's voice surprises me; he sounds excited.The shield has an opening. Watch.

As he paces around behind Delphine, the hybrid snaps her knife to the next brother, sucking the second of them down. I put my right hand out and force my flames into a shining sword. Swinging it at the black ooze, I watch as an opening appears—then just as quickly disappears before I can get through.

Delphine reaches for the vampires.

Finn leaps through the magic shield and lands on Delphine's back, his claws digging into her flesh.

She screams in rage. The black shield drops; I race forward, swinging my sword out. It connects with the black-haired Brother Ivanov, turning him to dust. Shifting my weight, I focus on the fourth brother, and on the return swing of the blade's arc I dust him as well.

Reaching for Gregor's dagger, I prepare to slip it from its sheath and race towards my target.

Before I can, I hear a heart-breaking scream of pure, unfiltered pain.

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