Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(113)

“I didn’t bring her here, dammit. This is the witch’s fault—” Then Evalle yelled at Quinn, Sleeping Beauty’s here.

Purple smoke boiled behind Tristan as the priestess disappeared. Tristan and the Kujoo leader exchanged worried glances.

“Release Evalle and Vyan if you want to live,” Tzader ordered.

Now free to move, Tristan stepped forward. “Hand over the stone and I’ll give you those two.”

“You will not!” the warlord shouted.

Tristan leveled the Kujoo leader with a vile look of contempt. “You lied about what you were going to do with Evalle. I will do as I say.”

“Do not hand over that stone!” Evalle caught Laurette looking up at Vyan, who was murmuring words as if in prayer.

Wouldn’t do him much good if he was talking to Shiva. The Hindu god had refused to intervene.

Storm made a move forward and Tzader stopped him. Evalle sent Storm a small smile to thank him for coming through. She called to Laurette. “Free me and Vyan.”

Laurette’s gaze shot up and down between Evalle and the rock in her hand. The young woman said something to the rock and Evalle fell to the floor, but Vyan still hung above her.

Evalle stood up and asked Tristan, “You still want a throw down?”

Tristan released a growl of disgust. “Don’t make me do this, Evalle. You’ll lose.”

“I don’t think so. We have the rock on our side.”

That pulled a wry laugh out of the male Alterant. “You going to take the rock from her?”

“No. But once I link with her I’ll have that power on top of being an Alterant. Don’t make me use it on you.”

“You can’t link with a human who isn’t Belador.” Lack of conviction lay beneath his challenge.

Evalle turned to Laurette. “Where did you learn to put those Gaelic words on your pottery?”

“From my granddad.”

“Do you know what they say?”

“No.”

“I do.” Evalle glanced at Tzader and the rest of the Beladors when she spoke. “The words say, ‘This is the home of a Belador descendant. Care for my grandchild as I would.’” She turned to Tristan, whose lips parted in surprise. “We can link with her, and you will lose.”

Way to go, Evalle, Tzader murmured in her mind.

Yeah, but I really don’t know if it will harm Laurette or not if we try to link with her.

Tristan opened his mouth to speak, but the warlord screamed at his men and the Nightstalker creatures, “Kill them!”

Evalle swung into the battle as all the Beladors poured into the room except for two left to guard Laurette.

Vyan called to Evalle. “My sword! In the corner.”

She looked where his head had angled and saw the weapon she yanked to her hand kinetically just before a crazed Nightstalker flew at her. She swung the blade, slashing him in half.

Triquetra blades flew from Quinn’s hands as fast as bullets from a rifle.

Spinning as she moved, Evalle brought the sword up, swinging it at the warlord, who turned in time to block with his sword, which broke hers in half.

How’d that happen if Vyan is immortal, too?

Brina appeared in the corner and lifted her hands, chanting.

Every Belador in the room instantly held a gleaming sword with their triquetra emblem on the hilt and Celtic scrolling engraved in the metal. Even Evalle. Storm and Casper were gifted with a pair of swords as well but not Belador weapons.

Tzader spun his sentient blades at a Kujoo, slicing off his enemy’s head. Immortals were hard to kill, but cutting off their heads usually worked.

Blood spewed across Evalle’s neck and shoulder from the arm Casper slashed off a ghoul that flew away screaming. Casper became a blur of cowboy and Highland warrior, wielding a sword like a man born to it. Storm swung his sword with equal fervor, looking deadly if not skilled.

A Belador went down beneath a wad of clawing Nightstalker creatures.

Evalle blasted a wave of power at them, scattering the creatures.

This might not be enough Beladors to win the fight against immortal warriors the Medb had infused with Noirre majik.

Evalle looked at Laurette, who stood shaking in a corner behind the two men who would protect her with their lives. The young woman was terrified. Evalle yelled, “Laurette, look at me!” When she had the girl’s attention, she shouted, “You’re a Belador. This is your tribe.”

Before she could say more, a Kujoo attacked. Evalle fought back, meeting his sword blow for blow until she struck across his body, cutting it in half. She yelled at Laurette, “Order the rock to end the bloodshed.”

Laurette looked down at the Ngak Stone in her trembling hands and cried out, “Make everybody stop!”

Evalle’s body froze. Crud. She should have been more specific.

Laurette raised panicked eyes to sweep the room then park on Evalle. “What now?”

Evalle tried to talk but could only make noises.

Laurette lifted the stone. “Free Evalle to move and speak.”

Evalle’s muscles loosened at once. “Good girl. Step out from behind the men, because they can’t move.” When she had Laurette standing in the open, Evalle told her, “You’re almost out of time.”

“I want to send the Kujoo home. I told Vyan I would do that.”