Page 69 of The Star's Sword

“You’re trying to kill me!” I yelled, side-stepping another vamp that leapt forward with fangs. “You don’t even know anything about me.” I had no choice but to punch the vamp, hard, sending him flying backward to knock other vampires out of the way with him.

“Good one, Cleo,” Mark said, giving me an approving nod as he slammed his boot into another raging vamp who was running at us with an elaborate dagger with jewels in the hilt. “Even vampires have rules, and right now these fools aren’t following them so I don’t care if we do either.”

The attacker’s dagger flew out of his hand as he was kicked back, and Mark caught it by the handle with lightning-fast reflexes. “Nice,” he said, looking it over.

Just then another vamp attacked, and Zadis cut him straight through the middle, leaving him spasming on the floor as he died, screaming, both sides of him jerking.

I put my hands over my ears. Even drunk, the room was spinning, and I knew everything was going wrong.

Even more vampires were flooding in, and as I looked to the door, I saw Vasara talking to a group, pointing at them to come over. I locked eyes with her, fury rising, and instantly tried to reach her, but vamps blocked my way, and with a smirk, she disappeared behind the doorway.

Probably to find more people to come in and attack for her.

Where was Simon?

“Fuck,” Mark said, as vampires continued to press in, shoving the four of us together. We were all slightly drunk, and it was hot, and it truly seemed we were outnumbered enough that we’d have to seriously dent the vampire population if we wanted to fight our way out of here.

“I’m sorry,” I said to the others, tears biting at my eyes. “It’s all my fault. I’m just so hated.”

“No, it’s Vasara’s fault,” Sam muttered. “I’ve never seen so many brainwashed idiots.”

“I’m getting us out of here,” Mark said, words slurring like the rest of us. “I think diplomacy is out of the question. I assumed they hated you, but this feral, killing instinct when a vampire feels that it won’t back down? They are serving who they feel is their queen, now. Fucking Vasara,” he muttered. “She wouldn’t care if they all died. She’d find it funny.”

I stared at him in shock, hoping that couldn’t possibly be correct.

As mean as she was to me, I’d hoped I was the exception.

Although, as my friends continued to fight back the encroaching vampires, who called me names I’d never heard, regaling me with tales of my lies and how everything I said or did was stolen from Vasara, I was beginning to think I didn’t want to work with the vampires at all.

Sorry, Simon,I thought.

Mark put his arms around me, then Zadis, and then grabbed Samael in with us too, and then his huge, leathery black wings shot out. Samael struggled slightly, probably wanting to use his own wings, but I could tell he was less used to this wine than Mark was.

Not that I blamed Mark. If I had to hang out with vampires, I would have a high tolerance to alcohol also.

Mark dragged the three of us to the other end of the room, where he kicked open a door that led to the hallway.

“They’re escaping!” the vampires yelled, so loud with all of their insults their voices were just one loud roar. “Get them! For Vasara! For the Morningstar!”

“Fuck,” Mark said. “I’m taking us to Simon’s. They aren’t allowed there.” He kicked the door shut, then used his foot to push a desk back, blocking the door.

Sam pushed free of him and grabbed my hand, jerking me along with him as he ran down the hallway, where there was a window at the end.

“You two fly out,” Mark said. “Get to Simon’s. I’ll hold them back, then join you there.”

Samael nodded at Mark, and then picked me up and handed me to Zadis. “Get her to Simon’s. I’ll join you after defending with Mark.” He drew his katana. “It’ll be safer for you two if we both hold them back.”

Zadis took me in his arms, but looked at Samael worriedly. “But—”

“Go!” Samael said, shoving him toward the window. He put a hand on Zadis’s shoulder. “I’m trusting you, Zadis. As I’ve never trusted anyone. With my mate. Get her to Simon’s safe. Okay?” Then he turned back to the door. “We’ve got vamps to deal with.”

Zadis didn’t question it again, and though I could tell that he, like me, wanted to stay and fight with my friends, we had to go so they could focus on their fight.

“Try not to kill them,” Mark muttered. “Knockouts only, until they give up and realize she isn’t here.”

“I don’t knock out those coming for my mate,” Sam grated out, as the door began to give.

“Make an exception for diplomacy,” Mark said.

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