Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Bright drops of blood began to appear in the vines as the liquid from the vial hit the thick thorns and branches crawling upward to form a cage around Vasilisa. The liquid droplets also splashed outward to encompass the vines spreading out in an effort to trap Siv. Everywhere those drops hit, the water seemed to spread, crawling up the branches, leaving a trail of blue flames behind.
The vampires closest to Vasilisa had been struck by the droplets of the water from the vial. The moment the drops had touched them, holes had begun to appear in their skin. Black smoke rose. The vampires reaching for Siv and Garald abandoned their plans, writhing and screaming, twisting this way and that.
Garald impaled the one in the air on his sword, removing the heart easily, while Siv took the hearts of two others. All the while, he searched for the one who had created the vines. He wasn’t as strong as those in favor with the master, but he nearly was. He knew some magic. Vasilisa had destroyed the demons and consecrated the ground. The vampires would be unable to use it to move through or hide in. If that had been the master vampire’s intent, Vasilisa had taken that escape route away.
There were only three pawns left. They had been too far away for any of the drops of water to touch them. The vines collapsed in on themselves as the blue flames became a full burning fire rushing over the branches and thorns. Whatever lay under the earth couldn’t surface, and the muffled screams testified that the cleansing fire had gone underground to ferret out the heart of the vines.
Siv saw the middle pawn wince, draw in on himself, as if flinching from the terrible heat of those cleansing flames. He moved with his incredible speed, rushing the vampire, slamming his fist into the chest, driving straight through the wall, fingers digging for the wizened, dead heart. Shocked, the pawn didn’t react for a moment, only stood still, his eyes wide, staring without comprehension at the ancient warrior. That moment cost him. Siv extracted the heart, already calling down the whip of lightning to incinerate the still-upright pawn.
He was standing between the two other vampires. They were as shocked as the one he had destroyed. He took their heads, slicing them off so the heads bounced on the white snow, scattering black acid and wiggling parasites everywhere.
As blank eyes stared from the severed heads, he slammed both fists into their chests to extract their hearts. The gurgling noise was disgusting. He ignored the way the acid burned through his flesh as he jerked the hearts from their bodies and tossed them far away from where their bodies would fall. He directed the whip of lightning to incinerate the hearts, the heads and then the bodies. Only then did he bathe his arms in the healing light to rid himself of the acid burns that went all the way to the bone.
Behind you.
Siv was well aware of the vampire creeping up behind him. Thank you for the warning, my lady.
It wasn’t necessary, I see. There was amusement in her voice.
He loved that little intimate note that seemed to tie them together. They would be friends.
He turned to face Mars as the brute of a vampire confronted him. Mars never bothered to make himself appear handsome in an accepted way. He had been a hulking beast of a Carpathian, with wide shoulders and a deep barrel chest. As a vampire, he had retained both, and he added to the appearance of bulk with illusion. On his face, he often gave himself scars to give the appearance of a warrior experienced in many battles. He always wore a fierce, intimidating expression. Sometimes, like now, he carried a club with a spiked knot on one end that looked to weigh a considerable amount. His legs were solid and ended in wide, flat bare feet with climbing toes and long retractable claws.
Siv gave a short courtly bow. Remind your brother of what I said of Rufus. He will attempt to kill him and possibly either kill you or acquire you while I am dealing with Mars.
Have no worries.
How was it possible not to worry when she was his lifemate? He would have to learn to trust her. She had handled the demons without needing him. Still, he would always worry now. He had waited more than a few lifetimes for her.
“I see that you have found a few friends. I never thought you would need to rely on others to fight your battles for you, Mars. You always appeared quite capable yourself.” Siv poured flattery into his voice. “Perhaps the years have not been so kind to you.” His inflection changed to one of slight pity.