There was no dramatic ending, no smoke. Her body didn’t dissolve into mist or ash. She just stopped moving.
Julian stared at the vampire in shock as time stilled. The silence in his ears was deafening.
The floor beneath his feet trembled, and the protection ward in front of him shimmered erratically, as cracks began to infiltrate the magick. Cormac leapt from Ana’s body and turned to Declan.
“You would think to challenge me? You’re nothing more than a pathetic shadow of your mother.” He gestured toward Libby. “Both of my offspring have sorely disappointed me. It is a sad truth that the child Logan shows the most promise.”
“You’ll never get near him again,” Jaxon said, his anger barely contained in his words.
Cormac didn’t take his eyes off Declan. “Do not speak to me, Jaguar. Your time is nearly up.”
Cormac held his hands aloft and gently arced his fingers, motioning to the shadows. Loud growls that sounded like crushed glass sliding across chalkboard slid out at them.
Julian pushed Jaden behind him. He recognized the sound.
Azaiel continued to spin in the air, his body picking up speed as he twisted crazily.
The wards that separated them pulsated as Declan’s hands slowly rose. His eyes were now deep crimson. He didn’t say a word as his limbs moved slowly, and he stepped out of Cormac’s compulsion.
The hatred and anger that had lived inside Declan for six months erupted into a cry of pain that echoed inside the room, but it was soon drowned out by the madness that ran at them from the shadows.
The protection wards vanished, and there was nothing between them and four hellhounds.
Chapter 31
Jaden exploded into action, her only thought to protect her mate, but Julian shoved her out of the way. The men rushed forward, ready to form a line of defense.
She had no time to curse their chauvinistic behavior. Skye stood off to the side, her Glock aimed dead center on Azaiel.
“No!” she screamed, and ran toward the eagle knight, knocking the gun from her hand as it discharged, and the round went wild.
Jaden barely missed the fist that flew out at her as the blonde cursed loudly. “What the fuck are you doing? I had him!”
She didn’t have time to explain. “You will not kill him. We need him alive.”
Skye’s eyes flashed, and she spit her words out angrily. “That bastard, you don’t know what he’s done.”
Jaden whirled around. “I understand, trust me, but it’s not gonna happen.”
Everywhere, chaos rained down upon them. Cormac and Declan were locked in a deadly battle, and the men were fighting off the four rabid hellhounds.
The patrons in Black Magick thought they were seeing cutting-edge entertainment. If only they knew. Down here, it was like Buffy had exploded into reality. Who the hell needed late-night cable?
“I think your plan is about to fail.” Skye shoved past her, as Jaden eyed the fallen closely. He was still spinning madly, his arms spread wide. Blood flew from his body as he teetered in the air.
He jerked and fell several feet until he hovered in the air like a grotesque marionette.
Jaden’s eyes fell to the markings on the floor. She had no clue what they meant but knew they’d harm the fallen if he touched them.
She heard Cormac screech in pain, heard Skye curse and Julian shout in rage. She ignored all of it. Crane was off to the side, his cold face set as he aimed his gun.
Azaiel began to free-fall, and she rushed forward, and leapt into the air. The energy that lay upon the markings burned her skin as she sailed over them, and she grabbed Aziel, taking him with her as they tumbled to the ground on the other side.
Pain exploded in her shoulder, fiery hot, and it shot across her body as she landed on top of the fallen.
She’d been hit.
She pushed herself up. Goddamn, but the pain was bad.