Battle With Fire (Demon Days & Vampire Nights)

“We are their protectors, Mr. Westbrook,” Vlad said, dropping his folded clothes to the ground, “a troth we take very seriously. They have young ones that can’t run as fast. We need to give them a fighting chance.”

Nine

Unicorns raced from the trees north of us, neighing, their hooves stamping the ground. Those young ones Vlad spoke of galloped with four left feet beside their mommies, some of their legs wobbling and most not coordinated enough to run at high speeds.

More unicorns of all sizes burst from the sides of the island in a mad panic to get out. One took a great sniff as it thundered by, tilting its nose into the air, its nostrils flaring.

“Penny can stick to the ground with me,” Emery started, “since Reagan can use her magic from—”

He cut off as the unicorn skidded to a stop, its hooves cutting into the grass and churning up dirt. Another unicorn bumped into its rump. It slowed as it circled past, then looked back at its pal before continuing on its way. They clearly didn’t like the idea of leaving anyone behind, which was probably why the matriarch still stood beside the vampires, her head swinging, watching her herd head south.

The unicorn that had left the stampede regarded me with shining black eyes as it stomped at the ground. It huffed, blasting me with its hot breath, before bending and sniffing me. I watched that horn come within a foot of my head, not impressed by this turn of events.

That must be Lucy, Darius thought, and I remembered the foal whose mother we had saved. The foal had rubbed against me, which was apparently a no-no—vampires were forbidden to touch without permission, and mothers rarely gave it—and then went to Darius.

I grimaced as it—she—nudged me with her nose. The matriarch stamped her foot and nodded her head, clearly annoyed. Or warning me? Lucy did it again, though, now snuffling my temple with her nose. Her horn stuck out above me, and if she crashed her head down, I would be sorry.

“Apparently she wants you to pet her,” Vlad said with a flat expression, his suspicious gaze sliding to Darius.

“Right, okay, but there’s danger coming, Lucy,” I said out of the side of my mouth, and rubbed her nose. “You need to get going.”

“She has a human name, too. Interesting,” Vlad quipped.

The flow of unicorns defecting from the trees had slowed. The sky boiled, angry black clouds announcing that bad news was coming. At the rate the elves had been moving down the path, they should’ve been here by now. Then again, if they’d noticed the dragons, they probably realized they should wait for backup from the boats. Vlad and Darius had clearly known the elves wouldn’t immediately rush in.

Lucy neighed, stomped the ground, bumped my head with her nose one last time, and ran after the others. The matriarch’s head was still now, and she stared at me. She was not impressed.

“Look, I’ll explain later. Just get out of here, would you?” I motioned her on, not wanting to run for Archion and show her my back. I didn’t want that horn through it. Then again, at the rate these beasts were fleeing, I wasn’t sure about their prowess in battle.

Cahal jogged up, offered a bow to the lead unicorn, and pulled his sword from its place on his back. It glittered like the unicorn’s horn. “I will fight on the ground. Coppelia will follow Archion’s lead in the air.”

“Ah. The druid is back.” Vlad smiled, and it was like we weren’t under attack and running out of time. This freaking vampire was too cool for his own good. “It seems you’ve chosen your side again.”

Cahal’s eyes were so hard that I was surprised they didn’t stake the vampire where he stood. “Yes. I like to win. I intend to have a perfect track record.”

Vlad’s smile sent a chill through my body. He glanced at the matriarch unicorn. She bobbed her head and then pushed through us, taking up the rear of her herd.

“Excuse me,” I mumbled, knocked to the side. Clearly I was on her shit list.

“What’s the plan?” Penny asked, pointing at Darius. She probably knew I didn’t have one.

“I’ll lead the team on foot,” Vlad said, looking between Penny and Emery, at the vampires that hadn’t gone with the unicorns. He looked at me. “Heir.” It was the first time he’d officially recognized me by title. Huh. “This is an illusion. I assume you can take away their hiding places?”

“But then we’ll also take away yours,” I said.

“We don’t need them.” His form shifted into a pasty monster, Darius following his lead. The vampires to the back did the same, readying for battle.

I patted Cahal. “Give ’em hell.”

“With pleasure,” he murmured.

“Penny, you good—”

I cut off when she hurried north with Emery, not needing me to shove her into battle anymore. “Cat’s in the Cradle” was playing somewhere, I just knew it.