It sounded odd to hear her say I had a vision, which I did, but I shook off the craziness. I had a vision when I’d been sucking on Sam’s wrist too. I saw Rianne strapped to the chair.Mind-blowing.I would have plenty of time later to dissect what was happening to me. “Outside the main building, under the portico.”
She kept scanning the woods up and down and far and wide with a mechanical precision. “What else do you see?”
I blinked again, and that time I kept my eyes closed for a brief moment. But I got nothing.
A branch snapped, and I spun on my heel, the bow ready to fire. All I saw were fangs before a burly vampire stalked toward us with daggers in both hands. Then another emerged and another.
Olivia dove into action, firing her crossbow. “Shoot to kill. These arrows are cobalt and laced with an endotoxin that will stop them until the cobalt burns through their hearts.”
The vampire she shot went down. I’d counted three enemies. That meant two were left. I fired at the one who had to be seven feet or maybe as tall as the tree I was next to. Either way, I fired again, my pulse ramming against my ribs.
The brown-haired vampire laughed, baring his fangs. “You better run, human. Because when I sink my fangs into you, you’ll be begging me to stop.”
I backed away and loaded the bow as fast as I could then fired again, and that time I aimed for his groin. He fell to his knees and roared so loud the ground shook.
Grunts sounded as Olivia battled the remaining vampire, but then a fourth one emerged with a sword, the blade long, no doubt sharp and deadly.
I tried to load my crossbow, but I was too late. The fourth vamp got close enough to swing his sword, which was on a collision course with my neck. I might not have the advantage with weapons, but I was quick on my feet. I shifted to one side and ducked.
He growled, his fangs dripping with venom, his eyes liquid black.
I pulled a grenade from my belt, ready to pull the pin. He grinned as though he’d seen the funniest thing. Then he dropped his sword, sniffed the air, and grinned wider. “A treat I wasn’t expecting.”
“Not tonight, vampire.”
I tried to dodge him again, but he was quicker. He lunged at me, tackling me to the ground, and the grenade fell out of my hands. I landed on my back with an oomph. The air was punched from my lungs, and it was all I could do to breathe. Before I could get my lungs working, he hovered over me with his fangs primed to tear my neck off.
I fumbled for the daggers in the sheaths on my legs, but I couldn’t get my hands on either one before he sunk his fangs into me.
I screamed, the sound echoing through the dense landscape. “You motherfucker!”
He sucked on me like a starving creature. I had no doubt he was hungry for human blood. I took in a deep breath and managed to pull the dagger free.
The trees above started to fade. Dizziness set in the more he drank from me. Before he took another pull, I rammed the blade into his neck. He released me, startled, which gave me a small opening to push him off me.
I propelled to my feet, and before he had a chance to react, I drove the blade straight through his eye. He snarled as my blood dripped from his fangs, but I didn’t give him any window to get revenge. With the remaining grenade strapped to my belt, I pulled the pin, stuffed it in his mouth, and ran just as Olivia severed off the head of her attacker with a sword.
A boom shook the earth.
Blood and brains shot out, covering the pristine white snow in red. Olivia was thrown a few feet past me, but then she was upright and running toward the muted light.
I ran like my life depended on it, not caring if another vampire jumped out at me. I had to save Jordyn. The trees began to thin, and the top of the main building emerged. When we finally reached where the woods ended and the open landscape began, my vision blurred.
I was not prepared for the scene before me.
31
LAYLA
Iclenched my teeth as I surveyed the scene through a cluster of trees. A spotlight shone, highlighting the bodies scattered over the snowy open area that led up to the main building. A sickening feeling seized my stomach, and the vise-like grip grew tighter when I spotted Roman standing on top of an SUV. He was dressed in a sharp pinstriped suit, of all things, his blond hair was styled back as though he’d had it done just for the occasion, and he was holding a sword like he was some sort of sentinel, standing watch.
When my gaze bounced past him, I gulped in cold air.
Olivia tugged me down behind a wide tree trunk. “Do not engage.”
I couldn’t even if I wanted to. My limbs were locked tight.
Ever so slowly, I peered around the tree to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. Jordyn was cloaked in a bomb, much like Rianne had been. Vera stood by Jordyn’s side, her head moving in one direction then the other. Given she was a shifter, I was sure she could scent some fresh meat had arrived—meaning us.
