Page 170 of Halfblood Deceived

Aella turned on her stance and stepped back with such speed that her back bumped against the opposite wall. The witch’s blade sunk into the solid bricks she’d been leaning against mere seconds before.

If that blade could cut through walls…

He plucked it out with a snarl and turned toward her again, spittle flying as he huffed like a bull.

Aella got ready to block and strike as Aylana had taught her. It was self-defense, after all. She could get away with it—

A blur entered the alley.

It solidified into a familiar tall figure that had the witch pinned—face against the wall and arm twisted behind his back—in less than a second. The dagger fell to the concrete with a clang.

“Aella, are you hurt?” Zeydan asked, turning to look at her over his shoulder.

“No, I’m fine,” she answered, approaching his side.

Zeydan frowned. “No, you aren’t. Your neck has burn marks.”

Aella blinked, touching her neck and hissing in pain as her fingers grazed a raw spot.

A low growl rumbled in Zeydan’s chest. He turned the witch around and gripped him by the neck, lifting him off his feet, just like the man had done with Aella.

“Explain yourself,” Zeydan demanded.

The witch clawed at Zeydan’s arm and tried to kick him.

The vampire royal shook the witch as if he were a rag doll for daring to try, and then smashed him harder against the wall. “I said, explain yourself,” Zeydan demanded, lip curling to reveal lengthened, double fangs.

“I think that might be a bit difficult since you are squeezing his trachea,” Aella pointed out. Her voice was firm and seemingly calm even as her heart raced so hard she almost shook with the force of the beats.

Kamilla all but materialized next to Zeydan. “Aella has a point, cousin,” she said. “And while assault is punishable, death is not the penalty, so please don’t kill the fucker yet.”

Zeydan’s nose twitched as he growled low, but he released the so-called fucker.

The witch slumped, and would have fallen to the ground if Kamilla hadn’t grabbed a fistful of his clothes and held him against the wall. “Explain yourself.”

The man cough-laughed. “You are the one who owes us all an explanation, you dyke slut. You and that pussy brother of yours.”

Kamilla slapped him.

Aella knew the vampire princess hadn’t used even a tenth of her strength. She could easily rip off the head of the man if she wanted.

“My patience is about to end,” Kamilla warned.

The witch flashed bloodied teeth at Kamilla. Aella was frankly surprised he still had teeth.

“And our patience has ended!” he snarled. “We are done waiting for you and your deviant brother to see reason and get those demons and gargoyle beasts out of our city!” He laughed, leering at Kam’s surprised expression. “But don’t worry, we’ll make everyone see what you’ve done. We’ll make sure everyone hates those beasts again and we’ll purify this city from them. And we’ll start with your gargoyle whore and your brother’s demon pet.”

Aella felt her breath freeze in her lungs.

Zeydan let out an enraged, disgusted snarl. “Can I have him for dinner now?”

Kamilla’s eyes glowed, turning azure, pupils slitting. “Maybe.” She flashed her fangs at the witch. “Who the fuck is ‘we?’” Her voice was icy and deepened with hypnosis.

The witch gave Kamilla a maniacal smile and gritted his teeth, moving his jaw from side to side. A sound of cracking reached Aella’s ears, and then there was foam coming out of the man’s mouth. A drop of it landed on Kamilla’s hand.

She hissed and released him, stepping back.

The witch slumped to the ground on his butt, still smiling even as he convulsed and acidic saliva foamed in his mouth, peeling off the skin of his chin. His eyes rolled to the back of his head, a choking sound leaving his destroyed mouth as he fell to the floor on his side, and then the convulsions ceased. He was dead.

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