I’m going to get him. Finally there was nothing getting in my way of having my revenge on this asshole.
Donovan and I launch ourselves at each other as the men take care of the shades. Raven’s taking on so many of them at once that they’re practically crawling all over him like annoying bugs, yanking at them and crushing them, ripping them off of him and tearing them apart limb from limb. It would be a lot more violent if the shades weren’t constructs that are basically like mummies, only faster and stronger and a lot more terrifying. Dust flies everywhere instead of blood, limbs crashing to the earth and heads rolling.
Cain’s using his demonic powers to set the shades on fire. Some of them are managing to get into the water in time to put themselves out, but Cain’s getting his fire strong enough that some of them are burning into crisps before they can, the unholy sort-of-life that was living in them going out and turning them into nothing but husks.
North is being brutally efficient, stabbing them or slicing them in the necks so that their heads go rolling. He’s not wasting any time, just taking them out with his daggers with one swift move after another.
Honestly, I would find all of this hot if I had the time to admire it, which is a shame.
But I’ve got to deal with Donovan.
He lunges for me, claws and fangs extended, and I dodge just in time. I have to think of something, and fast. I’m good, but I don’t have a vampire’s supernatural strength and speed. If he gets me I’m through.
Although, I do now have this glamour ability. And it’s a really damn good one. I could try something with that.
“You really think we came here alone?” I snap at Donovan.
I’m really going to have to sell this if Donovan is going to believe that this is real. What can I conjure up that will make him think that it’s time to retreat? To give up?
“I don’t see anyone else around,” Donovan snaps at me. His eyes gleam red with hunger. “It’s going to be so sweet to taste your blood after all the problems you’ve given me. You really thought you could kidnap me and use me, and get away with it? You thought that I wouldn’t get you back and get my revenge?”
“And you think that I would let you get away with all the shit you put me through?” I snap right back. Come on, Kiara, you can do this. You can create an entire beach, you can conjure up a small army. “You sent assassins after me and then set me up as a ritual sacrifice! Of course we brought a fewfriends.”
Descending out of the sky as a glamour illusion is a whole group of gargoyles, wings spread and claws and fangs out, transformed and furious.
“The guys have a few favors to call in,” I inform Donovan triumphantly.
The wind seems to move with the flapping of their wings as the gargoyles descend, landing on the beach ready to fight. They all snarl at Donovan, who looks a little pale in response. Well, vampires are pale naturally, but I don’t think this is from that.
I smirk. “The demons should be here any minute. They were difficult to persuade. They’re such self-centered people, but theylovedthe idea of being able to beat up some conniving upstart vampire and a mage who thinks he could possibly get any power that would defeat them.”
Donovan’s gaze darts from one gargoyle to the other, and he looks even more concerned at the idea of demons showing up.
One of the shades jumps onto North’s back and manages to get him into a headlock, choking him with its arm like a band of iron against his throat. I take a risk and yank off one of my brass knuckles, throwing it like a frisbee. The spikes embed themselves in the head of the shade and it topples off.
North winks at me as he turns and embeds his dagger in the throat of another shade.
Donovan turns to face the gargoyles, snarling at them instead of me. “Come at me!” he yells. “I’ll take on all of you!”
Well, I suppose he gets a point for bravado.
Raven sees what’s happening. “Portal!” he yells and dives for Donovan.
I make the glamoured gargoyles lunge at Donovan at the same time, so that he’s distracted by all of them coming for him. Raven gets the advantage and grabs Donovan right as Cain opens a portal right next to them.
Raven flies through the portal with Donovan, who snarls and tries to bite him, but Raven’s skin is stone and nothing sinks in.
“Come on!” I yell at North.
North fights off the shades and dives for the portal as Cain maintains it. I grab him and yank him through with me as we go in last, the portal closing behind us even as the shades try to follow after us.
Fuck yes. We have Donovan again, and this time, we’re not going to let him go for anything.
CHAPTER8
We’re back in the safe house, with Donovan secure. Or, temporarily.
He struggles against Raven’s hold, hissing and spitting like a cat, his eyes blood red. Raven is strong, but he won’t be able to hold a vampire like Donovan for long.