Page 255 of Halfblood Deceived

Aella wished Kamilla had been in her office. But she had left Diana in charge to mediate a fight between a fey clan and a witch coven. Kamilla would know what to do.

Panicked, Aella jumped over the bar. She knocked a couple of beers to the floor, but that hardly mattered. People were staring, so many faces, so many eyes, and Diana was about to shift, and the rage in her eyes said she was going to hurt Jessa.

Aella forcibly turned Diana away from Jessa and pushed her toward the end of the bar.

Diana went along, almost ripping the slab of wood in her haste to get out of the bar area.

Whispers reached Aella’s ears.

“What the fuck?”

“You can’t trust gargoyles, they’re all the same.”

“Look at her, she’s a fucking monster.”

“I knew it.”

Stop, stop! Aella wanted to scream.

She pushed Diana toward the hall that led to the staff room.

“Don’t you dare turn your back on me!” Jessa cried. She shoved Aella hard enough to slam her against a wall, sending her to the floor. Then the werewolf slashed Diana’s face with black claws.

Diana growled. The sound was completely inhuman, metallic, jarring, and terrifying. Four bleeding slashes crossed her face, one dangerously close to her left eye.

Diana shifted two heartbeats later.

Her shoes turned to ribbons and her clothes stretched so much that some seams broke. The unfurling of her wings knocked down a few onlookers. Then she grabbed Jessa by the neck and tossed her away several yards as if she were a rag doll. The werewolf landed hard on the floor.

Shrieks echoed all around Aella. Most people ran for the exit in a hurry.

Diana all but zoomed after Jessa grabbing her by the hair and bringing her fist against her face.

The crack of bone cut even through the music.

Jessa dropped to the floor, blood pouring out of her mouth. Diana kicked her in the stomach, making her slide across the floor.

Jessa didn’t move anymore. She was lying face down, blood pouring out of her mouth.

Aella stood and went after Diana. So did Vaz, Jordan, and Reese…

But none of them were fast enough to stop Diana from bringing her foot down Jessa’s back.

The wet crunch of Jessa’s bones breaking made Aella’s stomach turn. “NOOO!” she cried.

Heart pumping so hard she shook, Aella moved at full speed, ramming her body into Diana’s with her full strength just as she was about to bring her foot down on Jessa’s already broken spine again.

She managed to knock Diana to the floor and fell herself. Pain exploded in her shoulder and ribs.

Jordan covered Jessa with his body and hissed at Diana.

Reese stood in front of Diana. “Enough!”

Diana sprang to her feet, and hit Reese square on the face, knocking them out with a single blow.

Jordan hurried to lift Jessa from the floor and zoomed away from Diana’s path.

Diana shrieked with rage, her red eyes falling on Reese again.

---