Page 105 of How to Stake a Vampire
She slowly straightened and turned toward Ludvik, her expression shifting to something far more terrifying than mindless fury.
“You,” she hissed in a voice like winter wind. “You hurt me. You made me hurt others!”
“No,” Ludvik mumbled, his face went white.
I blinked as I felt the vampire’s strength leaving him.
“I gave you power,” Ludvik blubbered. “I gave you purpose?—”
The wraith narrowed crimson eyes. “You gave me pain.”
She moved faster than even Ludvik could, her ghostly form passing through Ellie and me to reach him. We gasped at the icy feeling.
The wraith’s touch drained Ludvik of color. His eyes rolled back in his head and he screamed. Ellie and I let go as he dropped to the ground and curled up on himself, his scream fading to incoherent blubbering.
The wraith studied him dispassionately for a long moment before looking around at all of us.
“Thank you.” Her grateful gaze lingered on Mindy. “I can rest now.”
My throat tightened as she faded away like morning mist.
The power that had kept me in my humanized wolf state retreated along with my rage. I shrank back down to my regular human form and slowly flexed my hand. Getting used to this new ability was not going to be easy.
A low groan distracted me.
Finnic had come over and kicked Ludvik.
Ellie and I stared.
The dwarf chieftain shrugged. “Just in case.”
The other dwarves took this as a sign and came over to kick the vampire with undisguised enthusiasm.
“Should we stop them?” Ellie asked warily.
Her rage had started to subside and along with it her strange power.
She looked like my best friend again, albeit with fangs and red eyes.
I grimaced. “We might suffer collateral damage if we interfere.”
Gregory and Barney headed to the altar to free Virgil. Ellie joined them while I went over to Bo.
Samuel shifted back to his human form and tagged along with me.
“How is he?” I asked Hilda anxiously.
“He’s got a cracked rib,” the dwarf announced where she was tending to the Husky. “He’ll be fine with some rest.”
Bo wagged his tail weakly. “I did good, right?”
Samuel smiled. “You did amazing, mutt.”
I squatted and kissed my dog’s head, my hands trembling with relief. “Next time, you’re staying home.”
“What and let you guys have all the fun?” Bo protested. He winced. “Ow.”
A heavy scraping noise drew everyone’s gaze.
