Pretty When She Destroys (Pretty When She Dies #3)(76)

“Oh, yeah. Totally.”

“We have a few weeks. Just a few more weeks.” Amaliya hated that fact. Biting at a hangnail on her thumb, she wondered if they’d find the location where The Summoner planned to tear down the veil in time to stop him. They were assuming it would be in San Antonio, but that wasn’t necessarily the case.

“We can do it. Somehow. We have to.” Samantha glanced significantly at her diamond ring. “I mean...c’mon. I have so much to live for. Besides, I’ll look like shit without a tan.”

“You could always try spray-on tanner,” Amaliya suggested with a smirk.

“And be orange? Gross!”

Samantha urged her little car past yet another semi-truck. Interstate 35 was crammed with long haul vehicles. The highway narrowed when they entered a construction zone, the sides hemmed in by concrete dividers. Amaliya exchanged glances with Samantha.

“This is it,” Samantha said.

“Yeah,” Amaliya whispered through still lips.

Setting her arm on the console between them, the vampire opened her hand. Samantha wove her fingers around Amaliya’s. Instantly, their magicks tangled together. The two women steeled themselves for the attack they knew was coming. There was no chance The Summoner wouldn’t attack when both of them were together and outside of Austin.

The rending of metal, squeal of tires, and screech of air brakes tore through the night. Amaliya whipped about in her seat to see out the rear window. One of the big trucks traveling behind Samantha’s car was jackknifing across the two lanes. The fender of the cab slid along the concrete barricade, sparks cascading into the air. The squeal of brakes was followed by the crash of vehicles colliding. The trailer flipped onto its side, blocking the entire road behind them.

Samantha pressed her foot down on the accelerator, keeping her little car ahead of the epic collision. The two lanes ahead were strangely clear of traffic. There was an absence of red brake lights in the all-encompassing darkness before Samantha’s car. On the other side of the construction barricades, oncoming traffic continued to roll past, the headlights blazing in the absolute darkness. They were miles between towns, hemmed in by overgrown fields, trees, and silent construction vehicles.

“This is it,” Samantha muttered again.

Amaliya observed that the semi-truck had finally come to a standstill. “We’re cut off.”

The spell exploded seconds later. The purple haze shimmered in the air, arcing over the area. A second spell popped into action, encompassing the car in a protective shell of blue power that would block any spell attempting to render the occupants unconscious. Samantha shoved her foot onto the brake, her fingers tightening on Amaliya’s hand. Their seatbelts caught across their chests as the car squealed to a sharp stop. The dome of purple black magic spread out overhead, glittering menacingly. It appeared to be a repulsion spell, one that would keep humans out of the area until the ambush was over.

“You’re on, little bitch!” Amaliya tensed her hand around Samantha’s.

Samantha closed her eyes, her ghostly magic shimmering around her, sucking Amaliya’s necromantic energy into its swirling mist. “Roberto!”

The handsome Mexican man flashed into existence in the back seat of the car. His hands became solid, cupping the intertwined fingers of the two women. Amaliya bit her bottom lip, allowing Samantha to drag deep on her power and pump it into the ghost.

“Do what I told you,” Samantha ordered. “No f*cking around, or else.”

Roberto scowled. “Of course.”

A dark shape leaped over the concrete barricade and hurtled toward the car. Amaliya freed herself from her seatbelt just as the werewolf hit the car, flipping it over onto the passenger side. The window shattered. Amaliya didn’t pay the bits of glass any heed as she kicked out the windshield and jumped out. The werewolf rushed her. It was massive, well over six feet tall and covered in a dark black pelt. Long claws swiped through the air aiming for her chest. Amaliya ducked under its attack and slammed her fist into the taunt muscles of his stomach, sending the wolfman sprawling.

Amaliya unfurled her necromantic power, feeding it into the darkness to summon the dead. “Come to me,” she ordered. She felt the dead stirring, but something was wrong. They couldn’t come to her.

“Amaliya?” Samantha called out.

“They’re blocking me! Fuck! The spell they cast is blocking me! I need bodies!”

“Bodies? Gotcha!” Samantha shouted back.

The patter of feet in the darkness announced the arrival of more attackers. The sound of gunshots echoed through the air.

Amaliya rushed the werewolf as it sprang to its feet. When it straightened to its full height it was even taller than she realized. The half-man, half-wolf creature growled, revealing all its gruesome fangs. Amaliya bared her own sharp teeth and attacked. It caught her about the waist as she jumped at it, trying to kick it in the groin. Sharp claws raked her skin, drawing blood. Amaliya grabbed its snout with her hands in an attempt to keep it from biting her. The pointed teeth ripped at her hands.

Amaliya hissed with frustration, determined to take the werewolf down. Its massive head whipped back and forth, trying to break her hold. She managed to brace one of her heels against its leg, gaining some traction. Her long black nails dug into its face, drawing thick, dark blood.

To her surprise, it fell forward onto its knees, releasing her from its grip. Amaliya fell onto her backside and hands. Behind the werewolf, Roberto gleefully plunged a silver dagger into the back of the great beast. Whipping about, the werewolf knocked Roberto into the concrete divider, but the ghost only laughed, winking out of sight. The wolf howled in frustration. Roberto reappeared on the other side of the creature, and silver blade flashing, kept up his assault.