To Destiny’s horror, doors began to open as human prey answered the collective call of the vampire. She could see the red flames blazing in the sunken eyes of the undead, the grimaces of joy at the prospect of a blood feast. The humans’ adrenaline-rich blood would give the vampires a rush of power and a tremendous high. The creatures were leaping at victims, determined to kill as many as possible and gather strength for the coming battle.
Overhead the storm clouds were roiling, spinning a witch’s cauldron of black threads. Veins of lightning lit the edges of the brew, momentarily lighting up the grim scene on the ground.
Below her, Vikirnoff cut off one of the undead, a large, bulky monster who was growling continually. Vikirnoff glided in with such grace and elegance, the vampire appeared clumsy and stiff in comparison. The two seemed to explode into action, one moment performing a ritual ballet of shadowing steps, the next moment erupting into violence, lethal and ugly.
Nicolae waved his hand to calm the screams of the victims as they became aware of the imminent danger, immediately removing the chance of a false high for the vampires. The vampires might be able to get the blood they sought, but not the high of adrenaline. Two vampires rushed a couple of people standing in the doorway of an apartment. Nicolae was there before the vampires, thrusting the couple inside, out of harm’s way, and turning to face the snarling undead. The two monsters closed in on him, eager to finish off the hunter and claim their prize. Nicolae exploded into action, a blur moving so fast that Destiny couldn’t follow him, fluid and powerful and extraordinarily dangerous.
Destiny caught a glimpse of Pater as he slipped into the shadows, retreating to allow his minions to fight the hunters while he waited for an opportunity to attack without risk. It was the tactic of a smarter, more experienced vampire. She would have followed him, but there was movement on the second story. A young woman wandered out onto the fire escape just above where a vampire clung to the side of the building. In answer to the creature’s summons, her face was lit with rapture, her arms outstretched as if embracing death.
Destiny saw the eagerness on the vampire’s face, the triumph as it slithered up the building rapidly, a dark spider bloated with power and the need to inflict pain. Destiny was already attacking, shooting out of the fog like an arrow, dropping down from above as the vampire reached the fire escape, certain of his victim. The creature turned at the last moment to face Destiny, his face hideous, his teeth bared, his eyes red-rimmed and blazing with hatred. He leapt at her, talons digging deep into her skin as he attached his reptilian body to her, raking with claws and sinking his teeth into her throat.
They tumbled through space, raking and clawing, the vampire sinking his teeth deeper and deeper and tearing at her body with his claws. He was much stronger than he looked, ripping through her skin to weaken her. Destiny proceeded without faltering, driving her fist deep through muscle and bone, her hand clenching the blackened organ that provided life for the creature. His scream was horrible, even muffled by her own throat as he gnawed off a great chunk of her flesh. They fell together, bounced off a projection of the building and hit the pavement. Destiny held on grimly to her prize.
Nicolae! She tossed the heart out onto the street so the jagged bolt of lightning Nicolae was conducting could incinerate it into black, foul-smelling ash. The creature gripping her went limp, talons still dug deeply into her side and arm. Teeth still sunk into her throat. Destiny threw him off her and with her remaining strength staggered out of the alley toward the open street. Her legs went out from under her and she sat abruptly on the pavement.
Destiny tilted her head to look up at the sky at the white lightning and the clouds spinning madly above her. It really was beautiful. But cold. Surprisingly, she was very cold. For some reason, she couldn’t regulate her body temperature, and she was shaking. She attempted to focus on Nicolae, to see if he needed help, but it was too much trouble to turn her head. She was shocked when she found herself lying flat on her back, her body heavy and feeling strange. She should have been afraid, but she was only mildly curious. Mostly she worried about Nicolae.