Page 26 of A Fury Of Shadows

Fear drenched her in a cold sweat. The spell in the metal was stopping Brimstone and Hellreaver from accessing their demonic powers.

Mae swallowed convulsively, despair a living beast inside her chest.It’s not just Nikolai’s magic.I can smellVedran’s power too!

She sensed Vlad’s stare and turned her head to meet his tortured gaze.

“Don’t,” the incubus whispered.

Mae closed her eyes, her breaths rattling her ribs. She knew what he was asking of her. That he was telling her giving in was not the right answer. That she should fight and that he would fight alongside her, come what may.

But she couldn’t see a way out of their situation. Not one where he and the others would emerge from this alive. From the frustration wringing her insides, neither could Na Ri.

Nikolai’s magic throbbed against her flesh along with the Sorcerer King’s insidious power, an unpleasant reminder of her recent failure. Vedran wanted her. He had no need for anyone else.

Mae’s nails scraped the dirt as she fisted her hands. She pushed off the ground slowly. There was only one thing she could do.

Better that we swallow our pride and beg Barquiel for mercy, than watch them die before our eyes.

Na Ri’s bitter silence told her she felt the same way.

“Come now, Witch Queen, is that how you show your respect to your new master?” Oscar sneered. He yanked viciously on the chain, strangling her breath and sending her face down in the dirt again. “That’s right.” Glee lent a manic pitch to his voice. “Crawl to me like the worm that you are, Mae Jin! Learn your rightful place in the new world order the Dark Council shall bring about. Once we locate theBook of Shadows, the Sorcerer King will be invinci—!”

“Oscar!” Barquiel barked.

The sorcerer cast a puzzled glance at the demon.

Mae barely had time to register his shocking revelation before a whistling sound tore across the warehouse from her left.

Oscar looked around. His eyes bulged. He cursed, let go of her chain, and raised a shield.

A rocket-propelled grenade slammed into his barrier and sent him hurtling across the building. The sorcerer smashed straight through the wall and vanished from view, his gurgled scream swallowed by the sound of the explosion.

The boom died down.

Mae blinked, her pulse drumming rapidly in her ears.

The sorcerers and witches who’d accompanied Oscar beat a hasty retreat toward the other side of the building. The devils straightened, strange clicks leaving their throats as they cocked their heads from side to side, as if they were puzzled by something.

“That guy is such a tool,” a woman said in a voice laced with distaste.

“Yeah,” a man agreed leadenly. “If I’d listened to him for one more minute, I would have hurled my breakfast.”

Mae twisted around. Her stunned gaze found the figures framed by what used to be the warehouse entrance.

There were sixteen of them, all dressed in dark combat suits that glittered in a mysterious way. They were holding an array of deadly weapons and wearing even deadlier expressions.

“Se—Serena?!” Violet squeaked.

CHAPTER10

Violet was staringat the beautiful, dark-haired woman who’d spoken.

“Hi, Vi.”

“Lou.” Erik’s shoulders slumped. He smiled weakly at the powerfully built, red-haired man standing beside the woman. “You guys sure are a sight for sore eyes.”

“Hey, Erik.” Lou’s gaze twinkled as he observed Regina. “You’re looking mighty fine there, old gal.”

Regina simpered.

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