Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
“This ground is lost to you. This form is lost to you. This shape is lost to you. Each form she sent this night is now locked in this consecrated earth.” She scattered more drops of liquid from the vial in the four directions, and then above her head and onto the ground.
The remaining beetles the bats had not yet managed to catch smoldered with foul smoke. They emitted high-pitched screeches and leapt from where they were trying to burrow into the walls or climb to the ceiling along a wooden root. Trying to avoid the merciless red wash of light, they flung themselves into the air and burst into blue flames. All around the two women, gray ash began to rain down.
The demon creatures grew frantic to get to Safia, dragging themselves with their claws, trying to get to their back feet to stand upright so they could better run at her. Unlike the beetles, who did target Aura, the demons centered their attention wholly on Safia.
They are programmed to destroy the lifemate of Petru.
Before Aura had told Safia that she protected the other half of Petru’s soul, she had no knowledge of such a sacred duty. And it was sacred. She was entrusted with a man’s honor. These terrible creatures devised in hell would not be able to wrest Petru’s soul from her and give it to their mistress. Whatever use the woman had for it was not anything good. He would suffer greatly if the underground ruler was ever able to get her hands on his soul.
These will not meet their goal this night, Safia assured her.
The rain continued to fall, each large drop hissing, a liquid fire, as it sank into the flesh right through their armor. Holes formed, and orange-red flames began to spring up from the inside like tiny lit candlewicks. The slashed mouths gaped open even wider, and streams of white saliva poured from them in the form of venom, only the white was slowly turning reddish from the fires burning inside them.
Despite the sickening stench, Safia continued to chant, using her sweetest, most angelic voice, as if she had been called from the heavens to sing the creatures a lullaby. They fell to their sides and writhed and moaned, attempting to dig their way back into the earth, but it was sealed against them. They were locked aboveground and could not return to their mistress. The woman could not send any other demons in that form to the surface. Safia smoothed the crystal blade sideways, and the red flames encompassed all bodies left on the ground, incinerating them, leaving nothing but ash behind.
Once again, Safia let a few drops of the water touch the ashes, and then she nodded to Aura. “That should get her really angry.”
Aura waved her hand to clear the stench from the room. Safia was eternally grateful.
“The vampires have grown quiet. They aren’t gone yet. I can feel them sniffing around outside. They know you aren’t Carpathian and therefore can’t move through the air,” Aura said.
“I’m the rabbit, the bait,” Safia said, refusing to allow her heart to pound. They were sticking to the plan. So far, they had done fairly well, but then the underground queen hadn’t been trying that hard. She was only testing them. “Run, little rabbit.”
“It won’t be long,” Aura assured. “Vampires are not patient.”
“Open this door,” a voice demanded.
“I don’t know who you are,” Aura answered. “We are unaccompanied. Our grandfather fell ill, and we cannot open the door to a man. That would be unseemly. You are not a member of my people, or you would know this.”
The vampire made every effort to keep the impatience from his voice. “Your grandfather sent me, child.”
Aura sent a quick grin toward Safia. I’ll bet he’d like to pull out what little is left of his hair. The smile faded from her face, and she pointed to the ceiling. His partner is up to something. Do you feel him up there? You must get used to feeling their presence.
Safia did her best to expand her senses in the way Aura had taught her. Evil had a slimy feel to it. Vampires sometimes simply had a blank space where living energy should be. In this case, above their heads, she caught the trace of something twisted, like a tree branch that might have grown wrong. It was very subtle, but she felt the difference.
What is he doing?
Trying to see into the chamber. He can’t get through my safeguards or your sacred binding spell. The vampires are locked out of the ground. They aren’t aware of that yet, but they will be the minute they try to burrow into it. You consecrated it, and they can’t rest or travel in consecrated ground.
Oh dear. I am going to be on their hit list.