Free Web NovelChapter 105: Full Moon II
My fingers brushed against the small latch Damon had shown me back when he first gifted me the weapon. Just one flick sent the tiny weapon springing to its full size, the staff lengthening into a metal rod. I stepped out of the way, using the staff to block any debris that Petral had knocked down on his way to the ground.
He landed in a pile of smoke, dust and sand flying everywhere as it clouded my field of vision. The loud boom caused rock to fall from the cave’s ceilings, small pebbles raining down on us as I batted them away with my staff.
The smoke hadn’t even cleared when Petral’s claw reached out from the cloud of ash, heading straight toward me. On reflex, I twisted the staff, using one end to knock him off his intended path.
"A weapon?" he teased, grinning wildly as he swerved in for another attempt. I huffed, dodging before twisting my weapon over. It would’ve hit if it weren’t for the fact that he caught it in the palm of his hand, pushing back against the metal. "That’s not fair."
"You’re a vampire fighting a human," I barked back, "That’s not fair either, is it?"
Petral’s pearly white teeth gleamed in the dark as his smile broadened. Instead of just using one hand, he now had two on the staff, pushing back against my hold. His face was inches from mine as he beamed maniacally. He moved closer, forcing my feet to slide back across the dirt even as I tried to hold my ground.
"You’re a lot stronger than you look," he said, his eyebrows furrowed despite the wide smirk that was hanging off his lips. I thought I could even hear the strain in his voice. "I think this fight is a lot fairer than you might think."
"Cut the crap!"
Tugging the weapon free, I spun around and thrust it in the direction of his face. The tip of the staff merely brushed against the skin of his cheek, drawing what seemed like blood before he dodged swiftly, disappearing back into the darkness of the cave.
"One punch was all it took to send Ariana flying," Petral mused, his voice ringing along the walls of the cave in a distorted melody.
I spun around, trying to spot him in the dark. However, I couldn’t catch anything out of the ordinary.
A distance away, Damon was still locked in battle with the other vampires. Ferocious growls ripped through the air as he tore through flesh and bone, blood spewing everywhere as he made waste of the vampire mob. He was ruthless in battle, every inch as prophesied by those who spoke of his cruelty in battle.
I wanted to go to him. We needed to look for Blaise, who was still missing. There could be more than just Ariana and Petral in the cave who were stronger vampires than the rest of these fledglings. If there was more, Damon and Blaise might not be able to fend against them alone no matter how proficient they were in a fight― especially not while they were in the silver mines!
"Where do you think you’re going?"
I looked up just in time to see Petral falling towards me, claws out and fangs bared, just like before. The red line across his cheek — a scratch that I had caused — stood out clearly against his pale skin. My grip on the staff tightened, ready to swing out― and I did. The staff whistled through the air as it arched. However, right as it was about to hit him, he disappeared in a flash.
Instantly, the blood in my body froze. It was a trap. He had baited me to go on the offensive, leaving my side wide open. I turned on instinct, but that was all I was quick enough to do. Just like I had predicted, Petral had swerved, choosing to tackle me from the side where I was defenseless.
I wanted to move. Every fiber of my body was on fire, urging me to move my hands. However, they felt as though they were heavy with lead. My body seemed to move a thousand times slower than my mind could process and I could only watch as Petral closed in on me.
Time seemed to move a million times slower than usual. If only my body could keep up.
I braced myself for impact, preparing for the worst, but right as Petral was about to graze me, he was knocked out of the way haphazardly. Just like Ariana, he was thrown to one side, slamming against the cave wall for a second time, a cloud of sand spewing forth from the impact.
A low growl sounded from beside me, and when I turned, I was met with a monstrous black wolf. It dipped its head, glancing me over, and my eyes widened with realization. That was when I finally noticed the scent that had been swarming the room, overriding the engulfing smell of blood.
"Blaise." His name left my lips like a silent prayer, barely audible, especially amidst the commotion.
He was alright. He was safe. He came for me.
Blaise turned to look at his older brother, a gaze that Damon caught even in the middle of a fight. They shared a knowing look before Blaise nipped at my clothes, easily flinging me into the air before catching me on his back. I gasped, slipping my fingers through the silky strands of his fur. freewёbnoνel.com
My mate didn’t offer Petral even a second glance before he bolted off, headed straight for the cave’s exit.
Screams of pain and wails of agony tore through the cave. As we passed by the vampires that surrounded Damon, Blaise made sure to knock a few out of the way. I brandished my staff as well, swinging at any vampires that got too close near Blaise’s back where he couldn’t see. ƒreewebɳovel.com
Damon quickly finished off those he was dealing with, throwing the bodies in random directions before hurtling towards us. He ignored the other vampires that gave chase, only increasing his speed, and within seconds, we were out of the cave.
