A Shield of Glass (A Shade of Vampire #49)(3)

It was safer to run through the woods than fly above an open field. My feet touched the hard ground, and I moved between the trees, my wings retracted beneath my shoulder blades. I moved fast, constantly changing my direction by a few degrees, but always heading toward the white rock.

I glanced to my right and saw Aida running, followed closely by her shifter. A couple of yards farther away were Phoenix, Anjani and their unlikely companions, while Aura, Almandine, and Eva were ahead with the other three shifters.

I heard branches breaking behind us as we got closer to one another. Hooves soon thundered along the trail we left behind, the neighing of flying horses chilling me to the bone.

Whatever happened, I had to make sure the others were safe. My heart thudded as I shortened the distance between Aida and me. I needed her safe; otherwise I would cease to function altogether.

“We’re right on track,” Aida called out, still at least twenty feet away from me. “The white rock was marked on Serena’s map to Stonewall.”

I briefly remembered their account of the journey to the east, and the creatures they’d met along the way. If I wasn’t mistaken, we’d entered a forest patch that had been claimed by succubi of the Green Tribe.





Aida





I’d yet to reach the point of exhaustion in my run toward the white rock. The adrenaline rushed through me, and seeing Field alive and well to my left gave me even more energy. The mutated shifters were incredible, and I couldn’t understand why the Daughters of Eritopia had been so against them.

Granted, they were literal freaks of nature in these parts, but they kept us alive and were unbelievably useful in battle. If anything, I only wished Viola had affected more of these creatures. The thought of her instinctively made me look to my right, watching Phoenix as he jumped over tree stumps, followed closely by his shifter. Grief was imprinted in his eyes, hidden beneath a frown as he moved. His gaze softened slightly every time he looked at the creature keeping him company, as if it were a reminder of Viola.

I kept my breathing under control as I increased my speed through the woods. I could hear Destroyers still after us, and I kept my sword and shield ready for a final round with whatever was left of that pack of slithering monsters.

I glanced over my shoulder and counted eight atop their horses, wings gathered to their sides as they galloped toward us.

The white rock was only a few feet ahead, and I hoped we’d made enough noise to capture the Green Tribe’s attention. I knew they were somewhere nearby, and I prayed to all the forces of the universe to see them come out and help us get rid of our chasers. The more energy we preserved, the better our chances of making it till morning with all our body parts intact.

“Just ahead,” I shouted as we reached the clearing that held the white rock.

Phoenix and Field arrived just after us, followed by Anjani. Our shifters stopped on the edge, their pale muscles twitching—presumably aching for another fight. Aura and Almandine were already waiting by the large slab of snow marble, their long knives drawn and ready to attack. Eva gripped a sword in her hands, her yellow eyes wide and fangs bared. I’d never seen her like this before, and even I had to admit that, as beautiful as she was, she looked downright fearsome in that moment.

Anjani and Phoenix brought out their crossbows, aiming for the Destroyers’ heads as they landed with heavy thuds. The shifters charged them, some going for the horses’ throats while the others bit into the Destroyers’ arms and legs, dragging them to the ground.

I heard a whistle as I got ready to take on one of the remaining beasts. I looked back and saw a shower of arrows soar over our heads before piercing the Destroyers. They caused the monsters terrible pain, temporarily incapacitating them. It gave us the opening we needed, and Phoenix, Anjani, Field, and I launched our attacks and beheaded the last four Destroyers.

The Destroyers’ heads rolled through the tall grass as the shifters returned to our sides, wiping the blood off their mouths and resting on their knuckles. They’d sustained several injuries, but none seemed fatal. Their eyes flared violet as they watched dozens of succubi with green war paint emerge from the trees beyond the white rock. They immediately shifted into copies of us which, despite its creep factor, seemed like the sensible thing to do since they were outnumbered by succubi with arrows designed to kill them.

The succubi approached us with their bows stretched and arrows ready to kill us.

We stilled, leaving our weapons on the ground and slowly raising our hands into the air. Only then did I feel my heart pounding in my chest, my body heat pulsing outward, and beads of sweat trickling down my face.

“We mean you no harm,” I called out to the succubi, who took several steps toward us.

One of them came closer, her pale blue gaze carefully analyzing each of us. She seemed surprised by our “twins” with violet eyes, as she lifted an eyebrow. I glanced at the others in my group and saw Phoenix’s jaw tense, his eyes flickering gold as his fingers twitched. Knowing him, he was ready to send out a barrier to keep the succubi at bay.

“Who are you?” the blue-eyed succubus growled, unyielding in her stance.

She was getting a little too close to Phoenix at this point, her arrow aimed at his head.

“Put that arrow away before you hurt someone with it,” he said, his teeth gritted.

“Or what?” she sneered, and took another step forward.