A Clash of Storms (A Shade of Vampire #50)(45)

He growled from the pain but didn’t get a chance to retaliate.

I heard Hansa roaring from behind Goren before she jumped and shoved her broadsword so deep through his throat, it came out the other side. I had to move my head so I wouldn’t get cut in the process.

I stilled, my muscles tense and both hands clutching the handle of my sword, which was still stuck in his arm.

Hansa glared down at him. Goren’s eyes were bulging, his mouth gaping as he choked. Blood poured out, glazing his square chin and throat, before it joined the crimson stream flowing from Hansa’s masterpiece of a stab wound.

“I made a promise to the fallen sisters of the Red Tribe, and I have to say, I am thrilled that I’m able to keep it,” she said, her boot against his back.

She bellowed as she pulled the sword out and sprang upward in a twisted jump. She came down hard with a mid-air swing, and the blade cut Goren’s head off cleanly. She landed on both feet, wearing a proud grin. The head rolled off the platform, and that was the last either of us ever saw of the source of many of our nightmares.

Blood sprayed everywhere from his neck, but neither of us seemed to care. We smiled at each other. Revenge felt good.

The beast’s body fell to the floor. I pulled my sword back and growled as I kicked his body a couple of times, pushing him toward the edge. I put all my strength into the third hit, until the rest of Goren joined his head in the abyss below the platform.

Hansa and I both looked down at what was happening below, allowing ourselves a few seconds to catch a breath. Throngs of incubi were being savagely pummeled by our allied forces. Explosions tore their ranks apart, bright orange fireballs that expanded and burned everything in their path, even swallowing some of the Destroyers that had been too slow to pull back.

Bajangs were pouncing on hostiles, tearing their heads off, while Maras teamed up with the succubi to take on the hordes of Destroyers still defending the castle. The Lamias were hard at work, their Druid magic shooting fire darts out at the beasts, while the Tritones and Grezzi’s incubi were busy battling Azazel’s incubi.

One by one, however, the soldiers that had been charged with defending Luceria were breaking from their ranks and turning on their own garrisons. I could hear their commanders furiously spouting orders and telling them to get back into their positions, but many incubi had already decided to give our alliance a chance.

I couldn’t help but grin when I saw one cluster finally overpowered as our forces broke through the western gates and poured into the castle.

“This is it,” I said, then looked at Hansa.

“Let’s kill some more Destroyers, Aida,” the succubus replied. “They seem to have it covered down there.”

I winked, then nodded. We both turned around and stilled. There was plenty of fighting left to do, with Destroyers still keeping our forces busy while Azazel faced off with Draven, Serena still stuck in his invisible grip. Every time Draven tried to move toward him or launch a spell, all the while holding that golden force field against him, Azazel clamped down even harder on the chokehold in which he had Serena. Destroyers consistently tried to come at Draven, too, but Jax and the others did a fine job of keeping the beasts busy and away from the center of the platform.

Draven needed some kind of distraction to get Serena out of Azazel’s grip, but the others were busy keeping his side clear and defending themselves. I was about to suggest helping him to Hansa, when movement behind Azazel caught my eye.

Viola was slowly walking toward him.

As soon as he saw her, Draven’s force field died out, consternation imprinted on his face.

Viola’s body was gradually lighting up all bright and pink, her skin incandescent with sheer Eritopian power. Her gaze was glowing violet, her chin high and her expression solemn and unwavering. I’d seen something similar coming from her when she’d influenced the shifters back at the mansion.

This was serious stuff she was summoning.

My heart stopped as I understood what was happening.





Serena





Azazel’s hold on me was relentless, and I was beginning to see stars before my eyes. I choked and continuously struggled to free myself, but he was slowly yet surely suffocating me to the point where I couldn’t find the strength to even push out a barrier to distract him.

Draven had kept trying to intervene, but every time he’d muttered the beginning of a spell, Azazel hissed, warning him as he tightened his grip on me. The young Druids fought Destroyers away from us and tried to return to our side. They wanted to supply Draven with more of the energy he needed to perform stronger spells and get Azazel to drop me. We’d obviously missed a few details during our strategy session, but it was too late to turn back.

I then noticed Draven’s golden force field go out.

I caught a glimpse of Aida and Hansa taking a few steps toward us before they stopped, their eyes wide and their faces pale. It was then that I spotted Viola approaching us, and I stilled, suddenly worried less about my predicament and more about everyone else’s, remembering Vita’s first vision of how all this would end.

As Viola moved closer behind Azazel, he sensed her presence and glanced furiously at her—while still trying to keep his eyes on Draven to avoid a surprise attack.

“Okay, I clearly have to address this problem now.” He rolled his eyes with frustration. “What are you doing here? I thought you Daughters weren’t getting involved anymore!”