Page 111 of Blood So Brutal

His dagger was nothing compared to this massive, magical blade.Hewas nothing without this sword.

Four of us hesitated in the standoff. We were not all leaving this forest alive.

“Wolf,” Huntyr whispered before Asmodeus tried to silence her again. There was such an urgency in her voice, I finally ripped my eyes from Asmodeus and looked at her.

Her features held no fear. No anger, either.

Just a determination that lit my soul aflame.

Asmodeus tightened his grip on her neck until she was forced to claw at his wrist. She tensed against him, but her finger pointed to her head, grazing a strand of her hair that fell loose.

My mind flashed backward to Moira, to the daggers I was forced to throw inches from her head.

I had good aim.

I could do it again.

If Huntyr released her power upon him at the same time, we stood a chance.

My entire body shook with adrenaline, anger, fucking determination to end this fight already.

But Luseyar stood so damn close to me. The second I released that sword, his dagger would pierce me.

Still. It was between my life or Huntyr’s, and I would choose Huntyr’s every damn time. No question.

“It never had to come to this,” I pushed. “There could have been a peaceful ending to all of this madness.”

“You’re a damn fool if you believe true peace really exists, son. I know I raised you better than that.”

I huffed. “You raised me to be a liar. A cheat. A fucking weapon. But I won’t help you build your army of vampyres, Father. Not when the true blood queen is standing before us.” He opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off again. “You’re the one who made me one of them. You’re the one who turned me into a vampyre.”

“I did that forus!”

“You did it for yourself! Who turns their own son into this?” I held my arms wide. Luseyar flinched as I motioned to my wingless back, to the sharp fangs that emerged from my teeth.

“I’m going to give you one more chance,” Asmodeus said anyway. “Come with me. Come to Scarlata and take your place as the king of vampyres, or die at Luseyar’s hand.”

Now, it was my turn to laugh. “I hold the weapon that kills angels, and you threatenme? You threatenmylife?”

My eyes locked on my wife.

And I threw the damn sword.

Chapter 43

Huntyr

Iprayed to the goddess that Wolf’s aim hadn’t gotten worse since our time in Moira. He possessed the one item that would kill his father—the only thing that could save us.

We had to try.

I squeezed my eyes shut and threw as much of my magic as I could into Asmodeus. According to the rebels, we needed my powersandthe blade to kill an archangel. So I pushed and pushed and pushed, forcing every ounce of power out.

I felt the impact ricochet through my entire body. The blade landed right above my shoulder, directly in the middle of Asmodeus’s chest.

A roar of pain followed.

Asmodeus’s.

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