Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Erlik didn’t see the man, and he didn’t chance looking to see where he was. He continued to roll, knowing that his blade had sunk deep into the slayer. Like all demon blades, it was tipped with poison and an anticoagulant. The hunter had scored on him, but in the end, he had killed the slayer. They just didn’t know it yet.
To his astonishment, the hunter didn’t follow up on his advantage. When Erlik gained a deep depression where he could conceal himself for a moment, he crouched low, so he could see the battle and mark the position of the hunter. All five Carpathians were engaged in battle with the vampires. The fight looked fierce and bloody, but even he could see that the tide had turned against the vampires and his demons. Few were left alive, and the slayer, slumped as she was over the dragon’s neck, continued to spray the downed men with dragon fire.
With a cry of alarm, the woman on the white horse suddenly switched mounts, leaping from the large horse to the back of a flying dragon. Her dragon appeared to be made up of flowers, not looking lethal in the least.
Erlik wasn’t going to take any chances. He scooted back into the depression, did his best to shut down the pain and then oriented himself in the wild chaos. He knew the three hundred were lost, but it didn’t matter, he knew the slayer would die. Her death would be painful, as befitted an enemy of his mistress.
The moment he was certain the slayer and the woman on the flower dragon were wholly occupied in breathing dragon fire on the remainder of his demons and the hunters were incinerating vampires using whips of lightning, he took off at a run for his remaining army. There were only two hundred left, but that wouldn’t matter to the mistress. She would be more than pleased that he had fulfilled the largest part of his mission. Once the slayer was dead, the Carpathian hunters would leave, and he could return to massacre the villagers. In the end, it would all work out.
He ran, his every sense flaring out to find traps. To his dismay, he heard the harsh cry of the crow over his head, keeping pace with him. Marking him. He didn’t bother to try to fling a spear at the creature; his injury was too severe. He ran until he heard the sounds of a fierce battle, his demons snarling and growling, cursing their opponents.
Abruptly, the heavy mist parted to reveal the battlefield. The fighting took place under several large ancient trees. The branches reached out in all directions, some thick and gnarled and some newer and slender. The limbs of the tree provided an overhead canopy blocking out most of the moonlight, but he managed to make out the figures through the heavy mist.
Erlik halted, so shocked that he could only stare at his last remaining men. They fought each other, hacking and killing the demon closest to them. They snarled and gnashed teeth, shrieking curses and threats at the very men they had marched with.
“I believe you are looking for me.” A soft, compelling voice reached out from the mist.
He found himself straining to hear those low, velvety notes that made up that voice. He swore he could see musical notes of silver and gold and wanted to see more. His mind had been in total chaos, but now he felt calmer.
“You are?” he prompted, needing to hear the voice again.
Around them blood and death were everywhere, but time seemed to stand still as he waited for the answer. He needed to hear that voice. It seemed his centuries of existence had brought him to this one moment—the most important moment of his life.
“I am the demon slayer.”
At first, he couldn’t understand what she said. The quiet statement refused to penetrate. The lily dragon emerged from the mist, not making a sound. On her back was the blond woman he had stabbed with his poisoned dagger. She looked pale, almost gray. He should have felt satisfaction at the sight of her. He knew he had killed her, and the knowledge was in her eyes as well. After centuries of darkness, looking at cruelty and depravity, she nearly blinded him with her light.
He barely noticed the other woman with the wealth of long black hair, crows circling over her head, astride the flower dragon. He had eyes only for the demon slayer. She mesmerized him with her voice, with her light. His mind tuned to her, wanted to reside, just for a small respite, in the peaceful aura of her.
“I have killed you.” For the first time in his life, he felt sorrow.
“I am aware. You wish for peace. For rest. I have come to give that to you.”