Page 143 of Her Blood Revenge

She leans into him.

‘Goodbye, Shadow Master.’

His arms fall limp at his side. His eyes become grey. His shadows leave him as black dust drifting into the air.

And she drops him to the floor.

Dorian falls in a heap, and she looks straight at me with a cruel and twisted sneer.

‘Look what you made me do,’ she pouts, her lower lip sticking out. Then she giggles. ‘Your turn.’

Before she takes a single step, a blast of red mist slams into her, hurling her backwards. The red mist swirls and becomes solid.

Neve stands tall.

There’s a sadistic smile on her lips as that same red mist dances around her one remaining hand and up her arm. Her crown of bones sits atop her head, and her black dress trails behind her. She throws another blast at Pixie, making her scream.

‘Get the fuck out of our daughter, Athir. You worthless little parasite!’

The restraints around Archie and I weaken enough to allow us to break free, and we grab each other, lost in the choice of what the hell to do!

Dorian lies dead before us. He’s fucking dead!

And Neve is attacking Pixie, seemingly trying to get Athir out of her.

From Neve’s hand, more of that deep red mist spirals downwards, creating the form of a long-bladed spear.

Without breaking her stride, she pulls it back and brings it down on Pixie’s neck.

‘MOVE!’ I yell, knowing it’s a deathly blow.

Pixie rolls out of the way and returns to her feet.

‘So. My sister has sent her favourite disciple to destroy me?’ Pixie scoffs. ‘You will need more than a pretty little spear.’

‘Oh, this?’ Neve says, nodding to the spear. ‘This is a special spear made just for you by Hel herself. It’s a god killer, Athir. And it will end you just fine.’

‘She is mine,’ Athir says darkly.

‘No. She is mine.’

What follows is a brutal battle between a blood queen and an earth god.

That weapon Neve wields is something else. Something from another word. It spills out darkness and death, and I know Neve is true to her word when she says it is a god killer. The magic Neve possesses is back to the strength I remember. A stream of solid blood shoots from the stump where I took her hand the night she returned, forming long and lethal whips. She screams in determination as she attacks, slamming them down on Pixie with enough force to break bones and cleave flesh. Pix screams as one finds her arm, snapping it so badly her arm dangles and hangs by muscle and broken bone.

But Pixie… Athir… snaps it back and laughs. Her sickly green flesh stitches back together, and her eyes narrow on Neve.

‘I am a god!’ she roars. ‘You think you can defeat me, witch?’ Athir begins his own attack.

The ground around Neve is alive and murderous, launching up in razor-sharp points. But Neve giggles as she dodges them and turns to mist before she materialises beside a dying fire witch. With a flick of Neve’s wrist, a river of blood leaves the witch’s chest and goes to Neve. She absorbs it, shuddering with pleasure as she takes it in. She creates a stream of dark flames.

Pixie protects herself with a green barrier, grunting in effort as she’s pushed backwards.

‘Neve is going to kill her!’ Archie breathes, watching these two powerful creatures battle and glancing painfully at Dorian’s corpse.

‘No,’ I reply, looking at that long blade in Neve’s hand. ‘She’s trying to kill Athir. She still needs Pixie.’

‘Do we help her?’

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