Blood spilled out of the wound to soak her shirt and skin, but she was able to lift her bow and fire an arrow at the vampire who rose up behind Braith. Though her aim was off, she still struck him. Braith spun as the vamp fell back before his head swiveled toward her once more. His hands fisted and his nostrils flared as he seemed torn between grabbing her and taking from here or continuing after Sabine.
The muscles in his forearms bulged when he finally focused on Sabine once more. Sabine continued down the street with more speed than she’d been exhibiting when she’d first emerged from the house. She was almost to the barricade at the end of the road.
“Braith you have to stop her! No matter what she must be stopped!” Aria shouted to be heard over the noise.
He glanced back at her and she saw the understanding in his eyes. If he went after Sabine, he couldn’t stay with her anymore and he had to go. His jaw clenched as he turned away from her.
Aria barely managed to keep her mouth from dropping open when Braith started running again, shoving aside vampires as he moved faster than she’d ever seen him before. Despite the chaos around her, she couldn’t help but marvel at the strength emanating from him as he blurred with speed. She rushed forward, trying to keep up with him, but it was impossible for her to do so.
“Go! You’re faster than me!” Aria yelled to Xavier as Braith closed in on Sabine, Goran, and the few vampires still trying to protect her. Braith couldn’t face them alone, no matter how much stronger he’d become since his death. He was outnumbered and Sabine was extremely powerful too.
It didn’t matter if Xavier was faster or not, Sabine and Goran spun to face Braith as he reached them.
***
William
William watched as Braith grabbed hold of Goran and yanked him forward. The red cloak the vampire wore tore in his grasp, but not before Braith wrapped his hands around Goran’s arms and pinned them down.
He followed Aria as she cleared a pathway before them with her arrows. Keegan stayed at her heels, lunging at vamps and bringing more than a few of them down with his powerful jaws. Xavier lifted Aria off the ground and held her against his side as a vampire leapt at her.
Thrown off balance, the vamp tumbled onto the ground. Lifting his foot, William drove it into the back of the vampire’s skull, caving it in. Daniel bent and drove his stake through the vampire’s chest before jerking it free.
“Have to help him!” Aria gasped as she squirmed in Xavier’s hold.
William met Xavier’s reddened eyes over the top of Aria’s head. He knew Xavier was debating keeping her away from the fight unfolding at the end of the road, but Aria wouldn’t survive it if Braith died again, and she had every right to fight for both of their lives. William gave a brief bow of his head to Xavier before spinning and firing at two vampires running toward the wood line.
Tempest snatched a staff from a downed vamp and gripped it in her hands as she fell back against William to batter back the vamps around them. He pushed her behind him, swinging out and punching the vampire trying to get at her. His fangs lengthened as he jerked the vamp toward him and drove his hand through the man’s chest. Wrapping his hand around the vampire’s heart, he tore it free and threw it aside.
Another vampire came at him as they seemed to realize that, if they took him and the others out, they may be able to crush this rebellion. Many of them probably knew what Aria looked like, and they most certainly knew who Braith was. William’s gaze shot toward his brother-in-law when Aria released a strangled cry.
Braith and Goran were entangled with each other, tumbling over the ground as they sought to kill one another. Sabine looked on beside them before her head lifted, and she took in the commotion surrounding her. Xavier set Aria down when Sabine launched herself onto Braith’s back.
William doubted the woman had ever gotten dirty before, or willingly tangled with anyone, but she had to realize she was losing this battle and the only chance she had left was to take out Braith while he was busy fighting her son. Beneath him, Goran launched a fist straight at Braith’s heart when Braith tried to pull Sabine off his back.
Braith lost his grip on Sabine as his hand encircled Goran’s wrist to keep it from plunging into his chest. Goran screamed when Braith jerked his hand to the side, snapping the bones in his wrist before throwing a punch over his back. He caught Sabine in the face, knocking her hold on him loose enough that Braith could seize Goran’s head.
Sabine shrieked as Braith wrenched it to the side. For the first time, William saw true distress in Sabine’s eyes as she tried desperately to free Goran from Braith’s deadly hold, but Braith would not be deterred.
When William had first encountered Goran, he’d thought about how much he would enjoy watching Braith tear Goran’s cotton ball head from his shoulders, and he did, he really, really did enjoy watching it. A smile curved his mouth as Braith tossed the head aside.
Braith sat back, grasping at Sabine over his shoulder when her hand encircled his throat and her blood-red claws pierced his flesh. Blood flowed down his neck and over his shirt.