The realization hits like ice water. The sophisticated security system, the magical barriers, the vampire guards – none of it was breached. Someone let them in. Someone who knew exactly where we’d be and how to access Marcus’s supposedly secure penthouse.
We have a traitor.
Another blast of dark magic interrupts my thoughts, this one powerful enough to shake the entire floor. I dive behind an overturned table, mind racing. Who could have betrayed us? Who even knew we were meeting here?
Then, through the smoke and carnage, I see him – Marcus materializes out of thin air with his team of vampire warriors flanking him. His eyes meet mine for a split second, a flash of urgency and concern flickering through their depths, then he lunges at a vampire aiming his weapon at Mom’s petrified figure.
The moment her area is clear, he moves again, appearing at my side faster than I can register.
“What—?” I begin, only to falter as the air crackles and Marcus rips out the throat of a vampire who’s charging toward me. I stare at him for a second; his presence hits like an electric current, our magic instantly harmonizing. Power rolls off him in waves as he tears through the attackers.
“Stay close.”His thought echoes in my mind, and I immediately resist it, although it’s probably not the best time to let pride get in the way.
“I can handle myself.”
Despite the resistance, I find myself moving in sync with him. We fall into a natural rhythm – my shields deflecting attacks, his speed complementing my offensive spells.
A vampire lunges at my blind spot. Before I can react, Marcus’s power merges with mine, creating a blast that reduces the attacker to ash.
“Impressive!”
I feel his thought like a wash of approval, and it warms me, even though it shouldn’t.
I spin to cover his flank, my fire spell connecting with another vampire.
“Focus on the fight,” I mutter, but can’t help noticing how smoothly he moves, all lethal power and fluid grace. His shoulder brushes mine as we circle, and despite the fight, my body hums with awareness.
“You’re magnificent when you fight,”his thought slips through, followed by a flash of desire that definitely wasn’t meant for me to sense.
I falter for a split second, heat rushing to my cheeks. A bolt of black magic nearly catches me, but Marcus pulls me against him, his body shielding mine as he deflects the attack. The solid warmth of his chest against my back sends my pulse racing for reasons that have nothing to do with battle.
“Pay attention,” he growls in my ear, but his hands linger longer than necessary before releasing me.
We move together like we’ve fought side by side for years. His shadows weave through my fire spells, creating devastating combinations. Each shared thought, each brush of contact, each moment of perfect synchronization builds something dangerous between us – something that feels increasingly difficult to deny.
Suddenly, a blast of magic separates Marcus and me, forcing us apart. His presence lingers in my mind, but the physical distance makes our connection feel stretched thin.
Through the battle, I spot High Priestess Seraphina backed against a wall, her hair wild around her face as she fends off two vampires. Their movements are too coordinated, too precise. They’re up to something.
“Get away from her!” I launch myself forward, channeling my power into a concentrated burst of energy. One vampire stumbles back, but the other dodges with mind-boggling speed.
Seraphina’s magic ripples out, elegant and deadly. “They’re moving in patterns,” she calls to me as I reach her side. “Watch their formations!”
She’s right. Now that I’m paying attention, I can see it. The vampires aren’t just attacking – they’re systematically pushing us into smaller groups, cutting off escape routes. Each time we try to break their line, they force us back with precisely aimed charges.
“They’re herding us,” I realize, throwing up a shield as a burst of foul magic tears toward Seraphina. “This isn’t random – they’re splitting us up on purpose.”
Through it all, I catch fragments of Marcus’s thoughts – similar realizations, mounting concern. He’s too far away, blocked by a wall of attackers that seems to thicken whenever he tries to reach us.
Seraphina’s eyes meet mine, sharp with understanding. “A coordinated attack,” she says, her voice grim. “They knew exactly where we’d be, exactly how to breach the defenses.” She’s echoing the thoughts I’d had when the attack began.
Another wave of vampires pushes between us and the others, forcing our group further into a corner. I catch glimpses of Marina and Zephyra being driven in the opposite direction. Mia and Rowan have been backed up against a wall nearby.
They’re not just separating us – they’re isolating specific targets.
They want us…my sisters and me. It shouldn’t surprise me. We’ve been targets all along. But still, knowing what they have in mind, my blood runs cold.
A flash of movement catches my eye – Astra is cowering near the doorway under attack. The High Priestess launches herself forward before I can stop her, a blur of movement as she races to protect her sibling.
