Page 71 of Blood Sacrifice

“Sounds like there were places that you weren’t allowed to nose around,” Dominic said, coming to stand beside us. “Those should definitely be top of our list.”

“Please tell me you aren’t on my team,” I groaned, already knowing that the annoying vampire would be coming along to aggravate me.

“Owen and his coven leader are on your team,” Dominic replied without even batting an eyelid at my insult. “I believe they are among the best vampire warriors to fight in the war.”

I turned to face him, giving him my full attention. “I thought you were the coven leader.”

“I am.” His fang-filled grin made me roll my eyes.

“Lovely.” I would never admit it, but I was wary of vampires and their sharp fangs, but at least I knew Dominic would be the least likely to bite me. I’d also fought him, even if it was a fake fight, and the guy had talent.

“I knew you’d be delighted,” Dominic quipped. “I have a specially designed light-proof vehicle for Owen and I to drive. It means that we can leave now with the rest of the team.”

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Can vamps walk on consecrated ground? What about holy water since there will be a font inside?”

Dominic laughed, and it was such an unusual sound, everyone in the room stopped to stare at the vampire. “Howquaint, you have your knowledge of the vampire race from Hollywood. I have spent a lot of time in the Vatican in my long life, and was extremely good friends with several popes over the years. Neither holy water, the Bible, or a cross scare me, and I have no issues with any other religions either. I am a vampire, the only thing that can kill me is decapitation, removal of my heart, or possibly being fed to sharks. I haven’t tested the last one, but I’ve seen what they do to their victims and it looks catastrophic.”

“Sharks,” I replied. “Well, I don’t think they have any in the chapel.”

“Then, I believe I will survive this day,” Dominic said, moving his attention to the communication devices on the counter.

“The decapitation isn’t on your problem list today?” Jethro queried. “Maybe getting your head blown off with a grenade?”

Dominic waved off his concerns. “We are facing wolves and magic users, neither of them are fast enough to achieve that goal.”

I pulled my gun from the back of my combat trousers and pointed it to where his head should have been. Instead, I found myself pointing the gun at air while Dominic tapped my shoulder behind me. The fucker would be impossible to kill, and right now we needed that skill to finally get rid of the threat who had terrorised this area for centuries.

“Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?” I grumped, putting my gun away again.

“Constantly,” he replied, placing the earpiece into his ear. “I only annoy those I become friends with. The others I kill and dispose of because life is too short to deal with assholes.”

I stared at him in vexation as he wandered off.

Owen caught my eye, his mouth twitching in a barely-there smile. “He grows on you,” he said.

“So does fungus,” I retorted.

“I have yet to see a fungus single-handedly seal a breach to the Hell domain,” Owen replied quietly. “Or slaughter an entire village of dark magic users. Dominic is the greatest fighter we have, and he never rests until he has achieved his aim. Today, he plans to save his friend Luna, and nothing will stand in his way.”

“Then we both have the same goal,” I said, and headed to the stairwell that led to the garage in the basement.

For too long, my wolf had been leashed.

Now, he was ready to tear the throat out of anyone who stood between us and retribution.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Luna

Void magic.

I stared at mother priestess as if she had spontaneously started speaking an ancient language I didn’t understand. Everyone knew the void had been locked so far back in time that the location of the entrance into that realm had been lost. Some void magic was still in Purgatory but it tended to be associated with objects left behind when the realm was locked. The magical realm had been locked, but was still accessible to those who needed it.

“Aisha mentioned void magic and the fact Balor needed the magic of the priestesses to access it,” I replied, trying to suppress my emotions.

“I’ve read the ancient text which gives that impression,” Cybele said. “However, there are other texts that mention void magic, and more importantly there is a prophecy from one of our most trusted ancestors. It speaks of one witch who can control the void through the strength of her connection to her mate.”

“A mate who is a dark prince to the kingdom of animals,” mother priestess continued. “One who has two forms, that of a man and that of a beast.”

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