Zane growled low next to him, the sight of his daughter in the hands of the enemy sending a shock wave from him throughout the camp. Several of the soldiers shifted their weight, all feeling the impact.
Ulric was at least a foot and a half taller than Hope, as well as about three hundred pounds of solid muscle heavier. He prodded her forward, one hand in her hair and the knife at her throat, until he reached the center of the clearing. “It looks like I have the Lock,” he bellowed, his voice hoarse.
Paxton kept his eyes on the threat. That bastard would die today.
As one, the members of the Seven stepped forward in perfect formation to surround him. Sam Kyllwood, the brother of the demon king, stood next to Paxton. He began a low chant, one that sounded familiar but wasn’t. Some of the smoke cleared from the air. A bright line of fire encircled the group outside of the Seven.
“What the fuck?” Zane muttered.
Sam shrugged. “The circle isn’t located in one place. I create it when all the elements are here, and Zane, all the elements are here.”
“Ulric has a knife to her throat,” Paxton said, moving forward. “That ends right now.” He shoved past Garrett and Logan, the remaining members of the Seven, and into the circle. “Let her go,” he said.
Ulric threw back his head and laughed. “That is not how this is going to happen. The problem is if I kill the Lock, another Lock will be instantly designated, and I’ll never be free. So here is our plan. King Kyllwood and King Kayrs, if you want the Lock to live, you’ll kill every single member of the Seven right now. Then I want my Intended brought to me.”
Hope snorted. “That’s never going to happen, you overgrown ape.”
Ulric hissed and pressed the knife into her throat. Blood slid down over her delicate neck to her chest.
“Knock it off,” Paxton ordered, not looking at her. She had to at least appear to cooperate until he could get her free.
“It’s true,” she said, goading Ulric. “You all know that we’re not going to sacrifice every member of the Seven or hand over Dessie. Give me a break. We have always been traveling in this direction, Paxton.” She gestured to her chest and then looked at the members of the Seven. “One of you has to take my heart.”
Dead silence met her statement. One of her uncles spoke first. “Absolutely not,” Logan said.
“It’s the only way,” she said.
“I’m going to take your heart if you don’t shut up,” Ulric said. “I have made my demands. I know what this prophet means to you. I know what this female vampire demoness means to you. You will sacrifice anybody and anything for her.”
Paxton needed an opening. There was no way Garrett would sacrifice his mate, Ulric’s Intended. If Paxton thought killing all of the Seven would save Hope, he’d consider it. But he probably wouldn’t do it, because she’d never forgive him, and that was no way to live. His gaze caught on hers. “I love you.”
Her eyes widened. “I love you too. This is a weird time to say it, though.”
God, he loved her. Only she would give him a hard time about his chosen moment. Even though they were both probably about to die, he grinned.
“You’re not listening to me,” Ulric said, pressing the knife in deeper. “I will kill her.”
As if on cue, every member of the Seven lifted a weapon. Paxton had no doubt each held the blood of the three Keys and Hope.
“Now,” Benny yelled.
They all fired. Multiple bullets hit Ulric’s face, striking eyes, nose, even in his mouth. More than one of the bullets made their way inside him. He jerked back.
Hope took full advantage, lifted her leg, grabbed a knife out of her boot and slammed it into his thigh. He jolted and lowered the knife just far enough from her neck that she could slide out of the way. Her blade bounced uselessly off his thigh because it was impenetrable, but the blow had still surprised him.
Pax instantly dodged forward and tackled the Cyst as Hope rolled out of the way. As one, the members of the Seven piled on. Ulric fought valiantly, and soon it became evident that the blood that had been shoved into him didn’t do a damn thing.
They’d never be able to kill this beast.
Chapter Forty-One
Hope rolled to the side, her neck bleeding profusely. Even so, she came up on her knees and then her feet, running toward Garrett. She grabbed him before he could jump into the fight. “Uncle Garrett, I need the combined blood.”
“What?” Blood poured from a wound in his temple, and he was favoring one foot. He looked down, his eyes a deadly metallic gray. “Hope, no.”
“Yes, I need the blood.” She searched his pockets for bullets or darts, careful not to touch him anywhere he seemed to be bleeding. “Come on, you must have some liquid.”
He yanked out a vial. “Here. Throw it at him if he gets close.”
“Thank you.” She took it as he jumped into the fray again.
Ulric tossed Logan across the clearing, causing him to smash into the front door of the main lodge, which shattered into three large pieces. He rolled and came up, running back into the battle, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
Hope flipped open the top of the vial and drank down the contents. The mixed blood tasted sweet, like oranges and vanilla. Interesting. Then she waited, holding her breath for some sort of miracle to happen. She watched the fight, as did everyone else.
Ulric was more than holding his own. No matter what weapon the Seven soldiers used, his skin didn’t bleed. It didn’t bruise and it didn’t crack. He grunted several times as if he felt pain, but they couldn’t get to him. They couldn’t really hurt him.
After a few minutes, she figured the blood had done whatever it was going to do. She reached for the remaining Kurjan blade in her boot and walked slowly toward the center of the circle. “Stop,” she yelled, holding the blade to her heart above her breastbone, right where Paxton had marked her.
Startled, the entire group stopped fighting. Her uncles were bloodied and bruised, while Ulric was only panting heavily. It had been a difficult fight, but he definitely had the advantage.
“You can’t kill him. You can’t even hurt him,” she said.
“What are you doing?” Uncle Logan snapped, moving toward her.
“Stop,” she said pressing the knife in. If she put it directly above her heart, it would split in three and shatter her breastbone. “One of you is going to have to take my heart.” They all looked at her, stunned anger in their gazes. “It’s the only way,” she said. “I can open myself, but you’ll have to actually take the heart and shove it down his throat.”
“Your heart is mine,” Paxton growled, his voice carrying easily on the frigid air.
Adare and Ivar pivoted around Ulric and secured his arms, kicking him in the back of the knees and knocking him to the ground. He struggled, but they could hold him in place on his knees. They just couldn’t hurt him.