A Meet of Tribes (A Shade of Vampire #45)(66)

Whatever this was brewing between us, it was just beginning, and I smiled. I knew for sure that I wanted more. I wanted everything.

As our horses reached the limestone wall, I was hit by a sudden feeling of uneasiness.

Something felt wrong. Horribly wrong.

The wall was torn down, chunks of stone scattered all around.

The succubi camp fanned out beyond, still and quiet, thick black columns of smoke rising from multiple fires.

“NO!” Hansa shouted and jumped off her horse.

I felt queasy as I got off and walked toward the scene in front of us. Draven and Bijarki followed.

Hansa jumped over the broken limestone and ran into her camp. A tragedy unraveled in front of us. Dozens of succubi lay dead on the ground, arrows and swords sticking out of their bodies. Silver blood glazed the dark red grass. Tents had burned down.

The smell was unbearable, a mixture of charred flesh and burnt hair.

My stomach turned, and I felt a wave of nausea taking over. I struggled to walk forward.

Draven came next to me, his arm stretching to keep me close. I leaned into him and looked at every single element that was part of the horrific composition. Bijarki ran ahead, looking for survivors.

The camp had been attacked. I recognized the arrows stuck in some of the succubi. Destroyer arrows. They had found the Red Tribe somehow, and they’d had no interest in leaving any prisoners.

Hansa found one of her generals barely alive, her stomach riddled with Destroyer arrows. She fell on her knees and pulled her sister’s head onto her lap, her face pained and lower lip trembling uncontrollably.

“Who did this?!” Hansa asked the dying succubus, who kept coughing silver blood.

“Sluaghs…found us… They came with Destroyers… Sluaghs on the ground with swords and axes, Destroyers above with their arrows and spears… Early morning when we were sleeping… Didn’t stand a chance…”

I froze and felt Draven stiffen next to me.

Bijarki came back, slowly shaking his head. “None left alive.”

The general heaved and gave her last breath, dying in Hansa’s arms.

I then realized how difficult the road ahead would be. Azazel had found the Red Tribe and had killed them all without hesitation or any interest in taking any of them prisoner. My heart sank at the sight of Hansa in so much pain.

I had seen her suffer before when she lost three scouts to the Destroyers at Arid’s camp, but this was a whole new level of devastation. In just one raid, the Destroyers had managed to wipe out the entire Red Tribe. I couldn’t begin to imagine how she must feel.

Hansa’s breathing hastened. She seemed close to hyperventilating. She let out the most heartbreaking and excruciating roar I had ever heard in my life.

Birds scattered out of the dark forests covering the northern mountain ridges.

I felt Draven’s fingers dig into my arm.

The Red Tribe was gone, and our alliance with the other creatures of Eritopia seemed more fragile than ever.

And by the looks of it, Azazel was only just getting started.