A Clash of Storms (A Shade of Vampire #50)(38)

“You don’t want to do this,” Jax added.

“I don’t.” I shook my head, tears glazing my eyes. “I don’t want to hurt any of you…”

I glanced over at Hansa, who was lying on her side in the fetal position, trying to keep her breathing and pulse even as she fought the shifter toxin. I felt myself torn on the inside, the pain crippling my very soul.

“Just kill me…”

“Oh, just get it over with.” Azazel scoffed and snapped his fingers.

I felt myself starting to pull the trigger, but I struggled against it.

“No!” I shouted, my blood boiling and burning through me.

“Jovi, look at me!” Jax said, perfectly calm, his golden eyes drilling into me.

I felt his influence; I heard the whispers getting louder, shaping into voices. The image in front of me warped, and I couldn’t see anyone other than Azazel, big and dark and evil. I tried to force myself to move the crossbow away and aim it at him, but my body didn’t respond.

Fight it.

My muscles tensed. My inner-wolf roared and howled, desperate for freedom.

“Don’t be foolish, boy.” Azazel’s voice trickled into my ear. “You can’t stop it.”

Fight it, Jovi.

“Jovi, please… Fight it…” My sister’s voice echoed through.

It surged through me. Whatever Jax was doing to me, it wasn’t enough to help me, but Aida’s heartfelt plea seemed to give me the boost I needed. I roared as I pulled the crossbow away and aimed it at Azazel. The tip of the poisoned arrow pointed at his head, ready to go.

He sneered, then waved his arm, sending out an invisible pulse that hit me like a freight train. I felt my bones crack when it threw me back. I hit the floor hard, with a thud, landing on my back.

My muscles instantly relaxed, and I felt my head get light, a deaf pain throbbing in my temples.

I blacked out.





Serena





I watched helplessly as Hansa convulsed on the floor, the poison causing unbearable damage to her body. I couldn’t move to help her, my crossbow locked on Azazel. I couldn’t let him out of my sight. He didn’t seem to mind, watching us with amusement flickering in his yellow eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I shot my arrow, but Azazel saw it coming. He flicked his wrist and the projectile vanished into a puff of smoke and ashes. I held my breath as I reloaded, Azazel’s chuckle stretching my nerves.

Jovi was unconscious, but at least he was still alive, his chest moving slightly with each breath. Jax slid on his knees over to Hansa, applying pressure to the wound in her side while his fingers wrapped around the arrow, preparing to slowly pull it out.

I looked over at Draven, who kept his eyes on Azazel the whole time, as did Patrik and Thadeus. We needed to catch him with his guard down if we wanted to get some arrows into him, that much had just become obvious.

“I don’t know what it will take for you people to understand that you can’t win,” Azazel said. “But I’m more than happy to prove it, repeatedly, until either you all die, or fall to your knees and acknowledge me as the supreme leader of Eritopia.”

“Keep dreaming, snake!” Hansa coughed from below, prompting him to laugh mockingly.

“Save your breath, darling. I can see the life slipping out of you already,” he shot back.

Jax started pulling the arrow out, making her groan and curse from the pain. She pushed him away, pointing at Azazel.

“Forget me! Kill him! Don’t falter, don’t hesitate—kill him!” she shouted.

A giant fireball hit Azazel from behind, hard enough to swallow him whole. My breath hitched as he struggled with it before the flames turned green and fizzled out in a puff of black smoke. His skin tone was darker, parts of his beard and hair still burning as he patted them down, cursing under his breath.

He glanced over his shoulder at Vita, who’d attacked him. She stood proudly with her chin up, holding a torch. Another fireball formed in her spare hand.

“Oh, please.” Azazel clicked his teeth and waved her away.

His hand gesture triggered another invisible pulse to shoot out. It knocked Vita off her feet, and she fell backwards with a squeal. He then brought the diamond up to his lips and whispered something into it. I realized too late what was happening—Vita was pulled to her feet, unable to control her own body.

She stared at us with horror, blinking rapidly as Azazel controlled her like a puppet. He’d managed to get some of her blood, too, which suddenly made sense to me. She’d been a prisoner here, after all.

“What… What’s happening? You… You took my blood!” She cried out as she was made to move around like a doll on strings.

“I must admit, I find myself continuously offended by your inability to acknowledge my greatness.” Azazel sighed theatrically as he moved his fingers in the air, watching as she obeyed his every command.

My heart shrank in my chest. I feared that the “fun” would soon stop and that Azazel would do something much worse to her. He was paying attention to every move around him, and as long as he was so focused, our poisoned arrows or Druid spells would fail. Most importantly, he had Jovi and Vita under his control. We couldn’t risk trying something else, yet.

“Let her go.” I gritted my teeth and aimed the arrow at his head.