She strikes again, but Gage can't vaporize us in time. At the last second, he throws his barely-there body in front of me and absorbs the impact meant for my death.

I scream out as he collapses to the floor with an unconscious thump, and then the house rattles as Drackus overpowers her hold and charges at her while throwing out a deadly blast of power that almost throws me to my knees just from the side effects.

She dodges it enough to send out a lash of white, and then Drackus is bound and out as he falls to the ground. I didn't know that sort of power still existed, and until now, I never thought it possible to take Drackus down.

I glance out the window to see Kane bleeding and unconscious as well, leaving me alone with the girl desperate to make me a victim. If she was able to take down Drackus, I don't stand a chance.

"They don't know the favor I'll be doing them," she says while wiping her mouth, spitting out the blood staining her teeth and lips. "You're the destroyer."

Destroyer? That body must be toxic, because even the spirit is talking crazy now.

"The only thing I plan to destroy is you before you unleash whatever hell on earth you plan to."

The power burns with the promise of darkness taking me, and I push forth one large ball of energy toward her, striking her in the gut before she can dodge it. The taste of total domination lingers on my greedy tongue, making me want more than just a taste as I throw another deadly assault toward her.

She cries out this time, more blood staining her exposed flesh. The tattered remnants of her clothes barely keep her covered as she stands to her feet much slower this time. She wobbles like dying prey, exciting the predator in me.

"You shouldn't be able to do this. You can't withstand my force. You're still just mortal. She swore this would work," she snarls out.

I tilt my head, curious about a new she. "Who said this would work?"

She growls deep in her throat and charges me with swirling white orbs crashing toward me by the dozens from her frenzied attack. I deflect them almost too easily before the fire in my touch connects with her throat.

She screams out, crying in pain, as I squeeze and force out the fire. I watch with heartless emotion as the flames cloak her, melting her skin in front of my eyes. I don't flinch from the horrid sight. Instead, I revel in my deadly assault.

"Alyssa," Gage gasps as he comes out of his accidental slumber.

His eyes grow wide as though I'm something completely different than the sleeping girl to which he spoke words of love. Kane is squatting by the doorway with his jaw clenched, eyes just as wide, and keeping his silence.

Drackus stirs, rising to see my merciless hold on the spirited witch. He says nothing and barely moves to be on one knee, almost as if he's scared to disturb me.

I turn my attention back to the screaming bitch clutched in my hand, and with barely a thought, I launch her through the gaping hole where a window once stood. She continues to cry out her agony, and I walk over to step through the debris and join her in the snow that is falling by the hunks.

Her body smolders as the flames extinguish against the snow, leaving her a nearly crumbling pile of ash.

I don't shiver from the cold as I did before. Unafraid and maliciously stalking toward her, I stare at her charred body, relishing the sight of the havoc I've wreaked on my unworthy adversary.

"Why did you want me?" I bark, my voice sounding so much darker than ever before.

She gasps for air, choking on each breath. Finally, she manages some semblance of words.

"Because... they killed me," she strains out, coughing directly after, blood spraying from her lips.

"How is that my fault? I wasn't even born."

She steadies her breath, barely staying alive as she continues, "They killed me because they thought I was you."

That sobering statement leaves me stupefied. I want to probe for more, but it's too late. Her last breath leaves her lips in a loud, gurgling exhale, and her body goes limp in the snow. I can almost smell her death right now.

The high is too surreal. I want to unchain the rest of me, release my power in ways that others only try to.

"Alyssa," Gage says from directly behind me. "We need to get you out of here."

I turn with a devilish smirk, but it's washed away when I see the fear in his eyes.

"You're afraid of me?"

"I'm not," Kane says, drawing my attention to him as his eyes glow blue.

Tags: C.M. Owens Deadly Beauties Vampires
Source: readsnovelonline.net