Xera plants her foot into Tali’s stomach, pushing herself to full height before driving the blade downward.
Tali catches her wrist, stopping the strike. I yank her back, curving her body so my little demon can attempt to push and drive the blade into her chest.
“I love the resilience, but this is tiresome!”
When Xeraphine lifts her gaze, she says, “Bite her.”
I understand almost instantly and I think that Tali does too, because I’m moving my lips toward her neck when her wings splay outward.
Her shriek of rage is piercing, and I tumble backward down the stairway.
I recover fast—back on my feet and sprinting up the steps just as Xera charges after Tali.
The exit narrows, and as I barrel through it, my girl stands a dozen or so feet from her mother.
“Get my blood in her system,” she instructs as I come to stand beside her. We emerge near a park, and I can’t help but smirk—this is the same place where I used to stalk Xeraphine in those first few weeks after meeting her.
She shifts her gaze over her shoulder, and I catch the worry creeping into her eyes. I can hear her heart pounding because she knows—this is the second part of the plan if we failed to take Tali down physically. She was right. If it came to a battle of endurance, they’d dance this fight for years, and the only one who’d wear down would be my girl.
She then turns back to Tali, letting her arms fall loosely at her sides.
“Come get my head.” When the words slip from Xera’s mouth, I shake.
I knew this was coming, but seeing her stand there, waiting for the attack, still freaks me the fuck out.
Tali doesn’t waver—she closes the distance in seconds. Before she can land a blow on my girl, I step between them. The attack slows, but notenough. Her strike connects with my arm, the bone shattering instantly, and I use every ounce of my strength to stay standing.
For a moment, everything pauses. Time itself seems to hesitate. I see it then—the way Xeraphine learned to analyze battle mid-fight. And while I fucking hate that realization, I’m glad I won’t have to spell it out for Tali. She knows exactly what’s happening.
She lifts her gaze, and I can feel Xeraphine pressing her forehead against the center of my back.
“I won’t be careless withyourhead, Vampire.” Her eyes pierce into slits as she takes a step back. “Doesn’t mean I won’t hurt you.”
The bones in my arm heal, and I shake it out. “Physical pain is bearable. You taking her is unfathomable. You won’t, but be careful, I have good eyes and can bend quite well.” I lean forward, right where she would have sliced through Xera’s neck. “I’ve bent a lot for my little demon’s cunt; I’ve had great practice.”
Xera smacks my back.
Sue me, I’m a bit nervous and the best way for me to deal with it, is humor.
No one laughs, but it was funny to me.
“Then suffer.”
She comes in for another attack, and as if she thinks I’m the one going to stand here like a punching bag, she’s quite mistaken. Grabbing her wrist, I spin her to the side and kick in her knee. She grunts just as I slam my forehead into her face.
“I’ve never liked hitting women,” I sneer, pulling on her arm. “But for you, I’ll continue to make an exception.”
I raise my hand above my head, and in my grip a weapon forms. Grabbing the solid object, which feels like the texture of a crystal, I go straight for her neck.
I’m sick of this bitch, Iswearto the Gods.
As if inconsequence, she completely tears away from my grip, ripping her arm completely off and rolling backward. She shakes out her shoulder as a new limb forms.
Then, she’s gone.
I step back, circle Xera who hasn’t moved from behind me and catch Tali’s elbow as she is attempting to land a blow on my little demon.
“Fuckinginfuriating!” she hisses.
