She did, not understanding any of this. Her protective death magic over the Beast Brigade hadn’t been touched. But someone had clearly gotten under her safeguards and affected the scene. Why?
And why couldn’t she stop worrying about a particular vampire who could more than hold his own?
Khent bumpedinto Rolf inside the necromancer.
“What a fucker, eh?” Rolf said, knocking at the protective shield of necro magic keeping him prisoner inside a being no longer remotely human. “Hey, can Val do this?”
“Not that I know of.” Khent had let himself be taken, needing to get inside their enemy to get his kin free. “If you weren’t so weak, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
To his gratification, Rolf looked shamefaced.
“Promise you won’t tell the others.”
“No.”
“No, you won’t tell? Or no, you won’t promise?”
Khent ignored him. Instead, he sought a vulnerability in Vladimir’s inner armor, impressed by the necromancer’s unexpected strength. “We need to hurry. Onvyr’s alone out there. And I think this staff is the one Nergal wants.”
“I know. I could feel it. The Staff of Blight is calling for its maker. It belongs to Nergal.”
Khent scowled. “We can’t let him have it, or Mormo will never stop bothering us about losing it. And if he knows, the others will as well. They’ll treat us the way we treat Orion and Kraft.”
“I know.” Rolf moaned, his despair clear. “I swear. I was only going to sip from him. Just a taste so I could get a better grasp of his magic. But this human moved way too fast to be mortal. He’s clearly semi-divine.”
“Probably from whatever magic Nergal has settled over him.”
Rolf frowned. “No. It’s not from Nergal. It’s something else. There’s evil in this one. And something unnatural.”
“Some would say we’re unnatural.”
Rolf huffed. “We’re part of the natural order. What Vladimir is doing isn’t. He’s chaotic. Demonic.” Rolf paused. “Didn’t someone say this guyeatsother people? Like, devours their magic?”
“I believe Valentine mentioned this.” Khent ignored the tingle of apprehension he had that she might be in danger. With Mormo by her side, she’d be fine. And besides, vampires didn’t know fear. How ridiculous.
But he hastened to get free. They really needed to make up for this terrible lapse in Rolf’s judgement.
“Sometimes things that eat other things go not-right. Like wendigos,” Rolf said. “They start as human then turn evil when they eat their friends.”
“Not exactly how I’d define a wendigo, but you’re close.” Ah, there. Khent concentrated and shifted a few wards built into Vladimir’s psyche. “I hate to admit it, but this necromancer is talented. His power though, comes from Nergal and that something else you call unnatural. So yes, there’s something else in here.”
He wished he could figure it out. With more time, he might have been able to. But he and Rolf shared a look, sensing Onvyr’s presence. That and the Staff of Blight.
The thing radiated poison, a promise of death that Nergal should not have any contact with. That was one god bad enough on his own.
“Better hurry,” Rolf said, his voice low. “Want me to distract him again?”
Khent settled in to work his magic. “Yes, please. And henceforth, you willnever againcall me ‘Bro,’ or I’ll tell everyone howa humangot the better of you.”
Rolf cringed. “I swear. Gods, this sucks.”
“Yes. And not it a good way.” The memory of Nergal’s smile returned, and for a moment Khent felt a swell of pity for theunderworld god trapped in a lifeless existence. Then he recalled the god’s excitement about taking Valentine. And that would not stand.
Rolf flared his energy and made Vladimir ill.
Khent let loose his massive wings and opened up his magic to detonate the necromancer from the inside out.
An hour later,as he, Rolf, and Onvyr washed goo, guts, blood, and other disgusting human innards from their bodies, they swore an oath never to admit to anyone that a stupid human had gotten the better of them.
