Page 64 of Blood and Hexes

Echoes of Despair

“For the love of—” Diana cursed.

Would the flood of vampires ever stop coming? Her limbs were starting to slow, the exertion getting to her. The wolves made the battle less of a desperate fight for survival, but they still couldn’t catch a break for half a second.

Then she understood something. These vampires weren’t here to kill them—not really. They were here as a diversion, to ensure all of their attention remained here. “They’re trying to keep us busy so we can’t go to the hill!” Diana shouted, to no one in particular.

The snarling vampire in front of her smirked, as if to say, You’ve only just worked that out?

She shoved her steel knuckles into his throat and sliced it with a round kick, for good measure.

What was going on up there?

“Some of us need to go help Chloe,” Alexius shouted back.

“Not yet,” Levi’s voice rang in the chaos.

“What?”

“Not yet,” he repeated. “If we go now, the Institute and everyone inside is dead. Give it a moment.”

If Diana hadn’t been tossing a shuriken at one vamp cornering Mikar, right after getting out of an armlock with a head kick, she might have throttled him. “We can’t afford to play into their hand! We have to…”

“Wait a fucking minute!” Levi yelled. Then suddenly, his eyes flew upward.

Diana furtively peeked in the direction of his gaze. At first, she thought he was looking at Jack, their one-person air force, single-handedly taking care of all the bats, ravens, and other air familiars, but she noticed a white dove flying past them. A strange sight in the middle of this mess.

Levi smirked, calling to his water, his fists shaking as he stretched his magic. Diana hadn’t ever seen him as disheveled or tired. A wave rushed past them, heading not to their enemies, but to the burning wall of fire in the east.

He was putting out their fire? That made no sense to her.

She kept her mind and eyes on the fight, refusing to let her curiosity distract her. Until she felt the ground vibrate beneath her feet. Then, she looked. It was the fourth earthquake since the start of the fight, all of them brought on by Cat’s mate. The ex-hunter had taken to the vampire life like a fish to water. Usually, he aimed better, unsteadying their adversaries. This time, it came from behind them.

One peek revealed it hadn’t been an earthquake at all. From the new opening in the fire lines, dozens, and dozens, and dozens of vampires were rushing into Oldcrest, marching toward them. She tensed, but the first to arrive bypassed her, attacking one of Aveka’s men.

“Now!” Levi yelled.

Then he was off like a shot, running to the hill. Diana followed, Mikar on her heels. Cat ran too, but not toward Night Hill. Carrying Bash on her back, she headed straight to the Institute. He’d been hurt. Eirikr flew past all of them, flanked by two wolves.

Diana hesitated at the base of the hill, seeing Bill’s body on the grass.

“He’s fine,” Eirikr said, never even slowing down. They kept going. Even though the hill was on fire.

“I thought Night Hill was protected!”

The first and second houses on the hill, the Rosedeans’ and the Beauforts’, were untouched. Every other one was burning, black smoke clogging the air.

“From outside threats.” Levi ran faster. “Those were torched from inside.”

Oh well. At least she wasn’t fond of the Helsing house’s decor.

Skyhall stood unmarred, but guarded by a dozen vampires.

They had a problem. Though few in numbers, these weren’t the vermin sent to the gates. Each and every one of them was a real threat.

Eirikr didn’t even slow, hurling himself at the mass with a scream. Mikar tapped Diana’s shoulder. Without needing further prompting, she moved to stand at his back.

Each blow was brutal, vicious. Magic hit her like a freight train. She gave as good as she got, but after hours and hours of exertion, she wasn’t at her best.

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