“Too bad. This is how we’re going to endthis,” he said.
He jammed the blade into his chest and hit the mechanism. It split into three, slicing open his breastbone above his heart, right where she’d marked him. “Jesus,” he muttered.
Blood flowed, spraying in every direction.
“Holy fuck,” Dage snarled.
“Vero.” Paxton looked at his brother. “I needanother knife.”
Vero stepped up. “I’m not letting you do this.”
“Only take half,” Paxton said.
Vero’s eyebrows rose. “It’s an idea.” He drew out a knife and yanked Paxton’s chest toward him.
Paxton gasped and dropped to one knee. “Make it quick,” he ordered.
“Stop,” Hope said, grabbing Vero’s left arm.
“No, he is right,” Vero said. He shoved the knife into Pax’s chest and sliced, bringing out a quarter of Paxton’s heart. The entire area was deadly silent. He lifted it up.
Paxton groaned and clutched his hand to his breastbone, shoving it back in place. “Help me up.”
Vero ducked his shoulder beneath Paxton’s arm while Hunter ran forward and took the other one, both of them helping Paxton to his feet. Paxton was stark white, and blood still flowedfrom his chest.
“Here.” Hunter sliced his wrist open and pressed it toPaxton’s mouth.
Pax drank quickly, his gaze hard on Ulric, taking the piece from Vero.
Ulric watched the proceedings, his mouth slightly open as if he couldn’t believe it.
Paxton pushed Hunter’s wrist away. “I’m okay.Get me to him.”
They strode across the battlefield to where Ulric struggled on his knees. “This isn’t going to...” the Cystleader started.
Paxton shoved his heart in Ulric’s throat, his fist goingall the way in.
Ulric bellowed and snapped his fangs into Paxton’s arm.
Paxton growled and yet didn’t move.
Ulric ground down as if he was going to bite through Paxton’s entire arm, and then his terrifying red eyes opened wide, his jaw going slack.
Paxton pulled out his bloody and scraped arm before taking a step back. The members of the Seven did the same, everybodywatching Ulric.
Hope caught her breath, holding it. This was insane. Everybody watched mutely. Ulric shoved himself to his feet and staggered, then coughed several times. He held his stomach.
Thunder rolled in the distance, and lightning zapped across the mountains. A dark shadow crossed the sky and molested the sun, as if an eclipse had comeout of nowhere.
Ulric lifted his head and bellowed. Sparks flashed through the air. Electricity arced, and the ground rumbled as an earthquake hit. Buildings began to topple.
The Seven moved as one up to the fiery ring of the circle. Benjamin, Adare, and Ivar put their heads back and yelled to the heavens, seeming to push some of the shadows away from the sun.
Brothers Quaid and Ronan lowered their chins and focused, sending visible demon energy toward Ulric in the center of the circle. Logan and Garrett stood shoulder to shoulder, hands out, seeming to harness the wind.
The fight was brutal. The wind keened, the earth cracked again, and more darkness flooded the sky. The air was electric, and it burned Hope’s skin. She gasped. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t breathe. Her body trembled andher soul shook.
It wasn’t enough. The Seven were destined to do this, but Ulric had more power than any of them had realized.
