Page 184 of Queen of the Crimson Throne

A figure crashed through the trees to our right. I pulled Lennox to my side as we both reached for our weapons.

“How do these fuckers always manage to find us?” I growled as I assessed the Dhampir prowling towards us. There was only one, but that didn’t mean there weren’t more on the hunt.

This one looked different though, with more human features. Its face looked mostly human, with the red eyes typical of Dhampir and its elongated fangs.

“Beats me,” Lennox gritted as she took off towards the Dhampir. It snarled at Lennox before bounding towards her. They met in a vicious clang of steel and teeth. The Dhampir let out one of its high pierced shrieks as Lennox’s sword found a home in its shoulder.

I ran up beside her, slicing my sword through its chest the moment Lennox removed her sword.

Black rancid blood splattered across my face. The liquid was hot against my face in the winter chill, but the Dhampir still stood.

I grunted as I pulled back my sword as the Dhampir swiped out a massive claw. Lennox stumbled back into the snow, a scream of pain tearing from her as she gripped her leg.

I ground my jaw and ran towards the Dhampir as it prowled towards Lennox where she lay in the snow. Her red blood streaked the snow as she stumbled away from the beast.

If that fucker thought he stood a chance against Lennox Adair…

Her daggers flew through the air—embedding in the Dhampir’s thick chest. The Dhampir paused before ignoring the daggers, removing them from his chest one by one and discarding them on the ground without even flinching.

The Dhampir set its sight back on Lennox, continuing its pursuit. Lennox might be injured, but there was still plenty of fight left in her. I could see it in her eyes.

She glanced at me, giving me a wink before turning her attention back to the Dhampir. I crept up behind the creature, waiting for the right moment to take the final blow.

The monster was getting closer to Lennox. Each step was precise as it approached her. Only when they were both breathing the same air did she swipe up with her sword, hidden in the snow beside her, thrusting up into the Dhampir’s chest. It roared—the sound shaking the forest around us as I rushed forward—embedding my own sword in the Dhampir’s back. It twisted towards me, trying to reach the sword, oblivious to the fire sparking to life behind it. Lennox’s flames engulfed the Dhampir and it shrieked louder. I reinforced Lennox’s flames with my own, our combined fire melting the snow underneath the Dhampir, but we continued until all that was left was its ashes in the patch of dead grass. I brought my flames back inside of me, staring at Lennox across from me as her chest heaved.

Magic prickled in the air around us, and we both turned to find Luciana materializing beside us.

“Once again, you’re late to the fight,” I told her.

She looked around the forest. “What was it?” She asked.

“Another Dhampir.”

“Fuck,” she swore.

“Let’s get out of here before another one finds us.” I looked around the forest for any signs of more abominations.

“Did you get the journal at least?” Luciana asked. Lennox nodded as we both headed towards our swords that now lay in the ashes of the beasts—the metal untouched despite our fire burning the monster to ashes.

“Now let’s go get my sister.”

69

LENNOX

“Did you figure out where Kara is?” I asked Luce before our forms were fully even corporal again.

“Yes.”

I gave her an expectant look. “Her location shows up in the woods about a two-hour ride north of the city. They must have some kind of camp set up there at the base of the Abode Mountains.”

“What the fuck happened out there?” Declan stood from the couch as he took in mine and Luka’s blood-splattered appearance.

“What do you think happened?” I threw him a glare. “One of the Dhampir found us again.”

“Did you get the journal at least?” Nico chimed in.

“Of course, I got the journal.” I reached into the pocket of my leathers, pulling out the duplicated journal.

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