Page 61 of Blood and Hexes

Mikar’s blows were mindless, aimless. He hacked up flesh, anything in front of him, acting on pure instinct. He could hardly see anything. All around, there was chaos.

The one thing he remained conscious of was Diana. She never got too far, still protecting his blind spots, like he guarded hers.

Mikar’s first wound hurt, but after a while, he stopped feeling them. Cuts on his arms, legs, stabbings, and teeth grazing his limbs were just proof he was still alive. Wave after wave of vampires came at them, their sheer numbers making it impossible to take the slightest moment of rest. He heard a tormenting cry and saw Chloe’s attacker shove a serrated blade inside her flank. The man was dead before he hit the ground, cut in two. In the blur, Mikar didn’t know whether it had been Levi or Eirikr eliminating the threat. Maybe both. He didn’t have the time to pay attention. The hit wasn’t fatal, that was all that mattered.

“We’re disposing of the rabble!” Eirikr yelled over the ring of blades and screams. “We need to find Aveka!”

But there was no leaving this place, no escaping the incessant stream of vampires charging at them from all fronts. The largest bolt of lightning Mikar had ever seen parted the sky and struck the mass of bodies rushing at them, allowing for a split second of respite as charred vampires flew back and hit the ground. Though he was nowhere to be seen, that was clearly Seth's doing.

Eirikr bit down on his arm and handed it to Chloe, who drank from him without hesitation. "The hill," he said. “There are spells brewing. I feel it. She’ll be there. Go."

She looked at the line of enemies, stepping over their dead brethren to reach them.

Eirikr repeated, "Go. Now." She nodded and ran north, fast as a shadow.

Mikar inspected Diana's wounds, most shallow, save for a nasty bite to the shoulder. "Can you move your arm?"

She rolled her shoulder. "Hurts like a bitch, but it's healing. I'm good. You?"

He couldn't even feel pain, his adrenaline clouding anything that would impede his chances of survival. Mikar just had time to nod before the battle resumed.

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