Page 132 of Night's Reckoning
“The point”—she spotted a single lit boat in the distance—“is winning.”
Tenzin speared down toward the water, circling the bay in silence as she scanned the terrain. The deep bay was surrounded by mountains and shielded from the worst of the typhoon, but it was still on the ragged edge. Boats bobbed like toys; every vessel but one was deserted. She approached silently, shielded from the wind and rain by her amnis.
All the guards had retreated inside. She made one circle. Two. There were two vampires visible through windows. Two humans above them on the bridge. Another human leaned against an outside door, trying to smoke a cigarette in the gusting wind.
No sign of Johari, but Tenzin knew she had the right boat.
Wet hair plastered to her cheeks, Tenzin landed on the railing across from the human who was trying to smoke. He looked up and his eyes went wide when she crouched down to eye level and bared her teeth.
“Run.” She snarled, and he jumped to the deck, running toward the rear tender. Tenzin lifted her hand and forced the wind through the door. It broke with a giant crash, and she strode inside.
She stepped onto the relative calm of the bridge, water streaming from her clothes. She lifted a hand behind her and slammed the door shut with another spear of wind.
One of the humans dropped to his knees and began to pray.
Tenzin ignored him and looked at the other. “Where are they?”
“Below.” He whispered it, cleared his throat, said it louder. “They’re below.” He pointed toward a staircase in the corner.
“Stay here.” She walked to the stairs. “If you leave this room, I will kill you.”
Tenzin began to descend. She could hear the water dripping below, hitting the floor under the spiral staircase like notes plucked on a harp.
Plink. Step.
Plop. Step.
Ting. Step.
The two vampires she saw when she reached the room at the bottom of the stairs didn’t look afraid, but they weren’t cocky either.
Tenzin walked toward them, already gathering the air in the room to her fingers. “Do you know who I am?”
“No.” The female was more nervous than the male. “And you are trespassing—”
“Liar.” Tenzin waved a hand and pinned the vampire to the far wall with the strength of her furious wind. “She told you I was coming.”
The male didn’t waste time talking. He reached into his belt and pulled out a gun. He raised it and fired at Tenzin before she had time to gather enough air to stop it. She ducked to the side, and the bullet clipped her neck.
She hissed and pulled the bronze blade she carried with her. She spiraled in the air, the blade held before her. The man darted to the side and pointed the gun again.
Fighting with one vampire took her attention off holding back the other. The woman fell to the ground and crawled toward them.
Tenzin spun and kicked the gun from the man’s hand. It flew across the room, and Tenzin hooked it with a gust of wind, bringing the firearm to her hand.
The black metal handle slapped her palm and the gun was hers.
Tenzin saw the woman reaching for something under a seat. She pivoted toward her, raised the gun, and fired.
Something of Ben’s many lessons must have stuck, because even though Tenzin had never fired a gun at a vampire before, she hit her target square in the back.
“Kendra!” The man screamed her name and ran toward her.
Tenzin pointed the gun at him and fired again. This time she missed, so she threw the gun away and lifted her sword.
The man wasn’t paying attention. He ran to Kendra and knelt down, baring his fangs at Tenzin. “You monster!”
“Yes.” Tenzin plunged the sword into his side and twisted. “This won’t kill you.” She pulled the sword out. “Neither will her injuries.”
