Page 25 of Witch Untold
“And then ran away, too weak to fight off the wolves,” Elijah says. “That’s changed now. You need to get out of here and back to Cora and the coven. Warn them about the Sons of Adam’s power. Prepare.” He grits his teeth. “Keep her safe.”
Conah is staring at the runes, as if memorizing them.
A prickle skims across my scalp and my gaze travels to the door, where a strange greenish smoke is seeping into the room.
“They’re here,” Elijah says, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a tremor to his voice.
The smoke billows up, and Conah and I back up instinctively as a sense of wrongness pervades the room. A sick feeling swells in the pit of my stomach.
I’m no longer in control, and I don’t like it.
The smoke billows higher and separates into two man-shaped clouds, and then two males stand between us and the exit.
Conah and I rush them, but we barely make it a step before we’re thrown back against the wall and pinned there by an invisible force.
“Fuck.” Conah strains.
I don’t bother wasting my energy. I know power when I feel it. Elijah is right. These vampires are something else. If we’re going to get out of here, it’ll be by wit not strength. I focus on the two vampires, taking in every detail and filing it away for later examination.
Both are gaunt and pale, but their frames suggest potential power. The stockier one has his gaze pinned on Elijah. He smiles widely, showcasing lethal fangs. I note the warlock flinch, but he recovers quickly, raising his chin.
He takes a step toward Elijah.
“No,” the taller one snaps.
The stocky one glares at him and then his eyes narrow. “You’re not my master, Mircea.” He lunges at Elijah and sinks his fangs into the warlock’s jugular.
Elijah doesn’t make a sound, but the vampire does—gulping, slurping, and moaning.
It’s disgusting.
I get the impression his brother feels the same because his lip curls slightly. “Damn it, Radu. His blood is useless. A short-term fix. Leave room for what we need.”
Radu tears his mouth from Elijah’s neck. “But it’s intoxicating.”
Elijah’s eyes are closed, his breathing erratic.
Radu ducks his head back to Elijah’s neck.
“Stop it. You’re killing him,” Conah demands.
Mircea’s eyes flinch and he moves so fast he’s a blur, then his hand is on Conah’s throat, squeezing.
“No one speaks to my brother in that tone except me.”
Conah’s eyes bug and my chest tightens. We’re defenseless, weakened. He could kill the reaper, and that…That bothers me.
I must be going insane.
The air seems to go still, as if in anticipation of what the monster will do next.
Monster.
For once I’m not the monster in this room.
I don’t like that either. “It’s easy to showcase strength with your opposition incapacitated, isn’t it?” I smirk at the vampire.
Mircea releases Conah, who immediately begins to cough. He steps away, his gaze raking over the reaper, deliberately ignoring me.
