A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(69)

We were out of Azure Heights at this point, and I heard the explosions behind us. I saw the smoke and dust coming out of the collapsed tunnel.

Crap… How will dragon-Blaze come after me now?

Should he come after me?

My heart skipped a beat as I realized that I was getting carried off to the Valley of Screams. I wrestled against my captor, but to no avail.

“What are you?” I asked as we darted across the field with impressive speed.

I didn’t get an answer. Not that I was expecting one. I was too busy stifling my fear and trying to register as much of my current environment as possible. There had to be a way out. I had to focus and let my survival instinct do its job.

Blaze and Caia had been left behind in that prison, surrounded by daemons. My chest constricted as I wondered what had happened to them.

Were they okay? Were the daemons any match for Blaze if he shifted into his dragon form? They probably weren’t, but still, I needed to see them.

I had to get myself out of this mess.

The gorges rose before us, tall and filled with darkness, as the three moons shimmered above in their soft shades of orange, yellow, and off-white.

The creature holding me was stronger than I was—and that said something about the daemons’ physical capabilities. Not only were they able to cloak themselves, but they were also incredibly fast and powerful, unlike anything I’d ever seen before.

We entered the gorge as screams echoed in the distance ahead.

“There’s no way I’m ending up as daemon chow,” I muttered, my right hand close enough to the knife I had strapped to my thigh. I’d already lost my sword when the creature had grabbed me in the prison.

I had to do something. The louder the screams got, the more my nerves stretched and snapped. The daemon was relentless in its run.

My index and middle fingers managed to pull the knife up from its sheath. I gripped the handle and gathered all the strength I could muster in that moment.

I jammed the blade into what must have been the creature’s arm around my torso.

It hissed and came to a halt.

I must have done something right. I wiggled and tried to slip out of its hold, but a puff of yellow dust was blown into my face. I sniffed, then coughed, and my entire body went limp.

A pair of glowing red eyes stared back at me, before everything started to fade away.

No… Damn it…

Whatever that dust was, it was meant to knock me out. I opened my mouth to protest, but no sound came out. I lost consciousness, and darkness swallowed me whole.





Harper





(Daughter of Hazel & Tejus)





By the time I got back to the infirmary, Hansa was already recovering, though slow and drowsy in Jax’s arms. He had a hard time letting her go, constantly checking her pulse and wiping the sweat from her face with a dry cloth.

Avril and Heron had also returned, and were briefing Jax and Patrik on their findings. The Correction Officer they had followed hadn’t taken them to the prison, but they said he’d been busy questioning the Imen that Caia and Blaze had previously interviewed, and mind-bending them into forgetting he’d ever been there.

“They have a secret agenda, for sure,” Scarlett muttered as she stared at the map on the table. “They could’ve just asked us for interview notes, if they really wanted to know what the Imen told us…”

I was still shaking from my encounter with Caspian. He’d asked me not to tell my team that he’d been the one to help us against the daemons, twice. I was tempted to do the very opposite. These were my people; I trusted them with my life. But then I remembered Caspian mentioning the many lives that depended on his concealed identity. I couldn’t help but consider those people. I knew nothing about them. I didn’t even know who they were. However, an innocent life was an innocent life. Surely, Caspian had good reasons for doing all that with a mask on.

I decided I’d keep it to myself for a little while longer. Maybe a day, at most, until we found out more. Whatever this city was hiding, Caspian knew something. I was determined to get it out of him sooner or later.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t find the prison.” Avril sighed. “But I’m more than happy to try again tomorrow.”

Jax nodded slowly.

“It’s okay, tomorrow’s another day,” he replied. “Early morning might actually be better, with most Exiled Maras still sleeping.”

“I’m still surprised the protection spell didn’t work,” Patrik muttered, visibly dismayed. “I know I’ve never performed it before, but still… It had all the ingredients and power it needed to charge up and stop the hostiles from coming in. I focused and visualized the red eyes. The image was quite clear in my head when I cast the spell…”

“Maybe that’s why it didn’t work,” Hansa murmured softly against Jax’s chest. “Maybe you needed a full portrait of the beasts…”

“Yes, probably.” Patrik nodded slowly.

A loud thud outside startled us, mainly because it was followed by a familiar growl. Avril opened the door, and we rushed outside, leaving Jax and Hansa behind. We all stilled in front of Blaze in dragon form, his jaws open and bloody, and Caia slipping off him, not too steady on her legs.

Avril rushed to help her stand. Caia looked wretched, covered in dust, tears streaming down her cheeks. The Correction Officers stationed outside had already backed off, watching from the top of the stairs, clearly uncomfortable in the presence of a fire dragon. It was the only part of the night that gave me a sliver of satisfaction—knowing they could see Blaze in his full form. Now they probably understood that we were not to be played with.