Page 56 of Claim the Twilight
One of the ogre bloods chuckled. “I doubt there’ll be much talking in private.”
Crush shot him a quelling glance.
“What Crushale is trying to say,” a second ogre blood said, “is that we’re not leaving without you.”
Merry’s eyes glittered with unshed tears. “But the grove spell and?—”
He cupped her face with his large hands and kissed her forehead. “We’ll crush this goddess, then we’ll go home to Faerie. Together. We’ll find a way.”
“You won’t be able to kill a cold one or any of Loviator’s other creations,” Kaster said, “but we would be grateful for any help disabling and maiming them.”
A question that had been niggling at me for a while now came to the surface of my mind. “Ordell created the cold ones, so why does it take a blessed blade to kill one?”
“Because they have been corrupted by Loviator,” Kaster said. “A goddess has infused them with her power and intent, and only the power of another god can end them.”
“Gods that are gone.” It hurt to say it. To even think it, after all the time I’d spent in prayer. All the faith that I’d put in the white wings to know the god I’d prayed to was gone…Yeah it hurt.
Kaster’s expression softened. “Gone for now. Not forever. And we are still able to draw on divine power, so we know that all is not lost.”
His words soothed me until I remembered what I now was.
A vampire.
Would a god who created humanity embrace a being such as me? I set the thought aside for another day and put my mind to what mattered right now.
“Just tell us where you want us stationed,” Crush said.
Kaster raised his gaze heavenward, then closed his eyes.
A moment later, two beams of light cut through the night behind him, and two white wings with short buzzed golden hair and piercing blue eyes appeared. They looked almost identical; it was eerie.
“General?”
“Titon, Pyper, take these gentlemen to breach two. They’ll be aiding us in keeping the sector clear.”
He spoke with authority, his tone clipped and curt, and Titon nodded, then turned to Crush and his friends. “Come with us.”
“Wait!” Merry grabbed Crush’s arm. “I’m coming too.” Her eyes flashed with determination, and her chin jutted slightly in the manner it did when she was feeling stubborn.
All four fae males looked at her, then the three ogre bloods looked to Crush.
Crush smiled. “Grab your sword and let’s go.”
She beamed up at him, and my heart felt too full once more, stupid tears pricking my eyelids. Did they realize how much their simple acceptance of her help meant? They trusted she could handle herself, and if Merry wasn’t already in love with the troll blood, then she certainly would be now.
“What about sanctuary for the supernaturals of Dracul?” Hemlock asked. “Can you offer that at Brimswood?”
“I didn’t ask,” Merry said. “I…With Brimswood being locked down…”
Crushale shook his head. “Unfortunately, we cannot provide sanctuary to the non fae. In a few hours, Brimswood Park will be in its own pocket of reality, separate from this world.”
“We should go,” Titon said. “I do not wish to leave my post for too long.”
Kaster nodded his approval.
Merry grabbed her holster and sword from the van and said her goodbyes.
We had a plan and a little extra manpower. Things were starting to look up.
