We continue down into the depths of the castle. The rooms begin to blur together, a collage of darkness and dried blood. Every forgotten battlefield as a portrait of a fight long passed. In every one, there’s the footprints of people fighting against shapeless shadow enemies. But who those people are begins to change. No longer am I confident it’s Ruvan and his covenant.
There were other people fighting these mysterious enemies throughout the years. I glance at the others, seeing if I can figure out a way to affirm my suspicion, but I’m silenced by their intense and distant stares. These are men and women haunted by battle and blood. They have the same eyes as hunters returning from the marshes after a full moon.
I begin to glean more information from the endless parade of blood splatters and upturned tables. These monstrous vampires we’re hunting are no bigger or smaller in build than our own party. Though they seem fast, and strong, based off the deep gouges that look almost like claws. So much blood, so many battles…yet no bodies.
That’s the most disconcerting part of it all.
“Why are there no bodies?” I whisper.
It’s a long time before Ruvan answers, “They eat the flesh of the dead.”
I ask nothing more.
Winny continues darting ahead and back. She makes hand motions and nods in Ruvan’s direction. A code that only they seem to understand. Even though I’m not privy to their secret language, I know it’s not good when she returns, her usually tanned skin blanched almost a complete white.
Everyone huddles together to hear her whisper.
“Ahead, at least fifteen of them. There’s—”
Ruvan clamps his hand over her mouth. I jerk my chin in the direction she came from, eyes narrowing. The hair on my arms stands on end. The air is electrified.
The vampire lord must also hear the slow scraping—like nails on stone. There’s a lower noise, too. Heavier.Breathing, I realize. It’s ragged gasps drawn through a slack jaw. The vampires around me shift their stances. My heart begins to race, pumping the rush of the impending battle through my veins.
From the darkness, the monster I’ve been waiting for emerges.
CHAPTER15
I realizethat I had been wrong during the hunt. The face of the vampire lord was not the beast that occupied my mind whenever I conjured the image of a vampire.Thiscreature is.
The monster is even worse than what attacked me that night in Hunter’s Hamlet. Its flesh has hardened beyond leather—looking almost like sculpted stone, stretched tight over bone and sinew, causing an almost insect-like appearance. Its jaw hangs limp, mouth wide, oversized yellowed fangs bared among rows of pointed teeth. The monster’s eyes are completely black. No iris.
My hands quiver.
A part of me I don’t recognize is hungry for the fight. That reckless disregard for self-preservation urges me forward. Pushing me to do that which I have precious little experience in—kill.
But the other part of me, the human instinct, is frozen in place as I stare at what must be the face of Death.
Lavenzia launches into an attack.
The beast isfast.
It moves with jerky, unnatural movements. Faster than it should be able to for how weak it appears to be due to lack of muscle. It swings one of its hands at her; long, bone-like nails extend as claws past its fingertips.
She gracefully ducks underneath its arm, jabbing her blade at its shoulder. The silver punctures the skin easily. The monster barely gives a gasp of surprise before falling to the ground, dead.
Just as I ease my stance, Ruvan speaks, low and harsh into my ear. “Don’t relax. One is harmless. It’s the numbers that will kill you.”
I look back to the edge of my vision.
If Winny was right then there’s still fourteen more. I force myself to grip the sickles. The rest of the vampires move around me, away, toward certain danger. But I am frozen in place. Ruvan remains at my side, just behind the rest of them. I wonder if he’s staying to protect me as I falter. He’s sturdy and reassuring, enough so that I wouldn’t dream of pushing him away right now. Not when my nerves are beginning to fray. His breath moves the small hairs at the nape of my neck.
“Are you scared, Riane?”
I’m terrified. Our companions disappear into the complete darkness, past where my magically enhanced vision can see. The sounds of battle breaking out begin to echo back.
“Yes.” I can’t lie to him if I tried, and I wouldn’t try when the truth is so obvious.
He hums. I’ve given him cause to doubt me. I can feel it. I press my eyes closed.
