Anita Clenney - Embrace the Highland Warrior

Cody ran for the closest vampire, swung at it as it streaked past, and saw the form turn solid for a second. He hit it, but the blow wasn’t lethal. Damn it! How were Shay and Bree doing it? He struck again, slightly higher, and caught the creature’s neck. It dissolved into dust, and he turned to the next enemy, this one a demon. It disappeared the minute he took its head.

Amid the hissing and screeching that battered his ears, Cody heard a human cry. Whirling, he saw Malek at the edge of the fight, holding Shay. Cody’s blood chilled at the sight of the ancient demon looming over the other combatants. His skin was thick, the bones in his face prominent, and his hair coarse but streaked with silver. His sharp claws were poised at Shay’s throat.

“Let her go,” Cody said, trying to slow his heartbeat, “and I’ll take you to the book.”

“No,” Shay said, standing tall. “He doesn’t know where I’ve hidden it. Let him go, and I’ll give it to you.” Fury blazed alongside the fear in her eyes. She was up to something.

“Ah, sweet, human love. How thoroughly sickening.” Malek threw back his head and laughed, his voice harsh. Catching him off guard, Shay whirled and drove her butcher knife into Malek’s side, extracted it, and plowed through the demons surrounding him. Malek grabbed for her and screamed, rubbing his hand. Edward’s talisman fell to the ground. A demon tackled Shay, hauling her roughly to her feet, but not before she slipped her knife into her boot. “Don’t hurt her,” Malek bellowed. “She’s mine to kill.”

Cody knew he was powerless. If he tried to use his talisman, he would kill them all, including Shay and Bree. The vampires were gone, dead or retreated.

“Kill them,” Malek roared and ran off, dragging Shay with him.

Cody looked from Shay to Bree, who was bending to pick up Edward’s talisman. He couldn’t save them both. Shay was his mate. Bree was Faelan’s, and she was pregnant.

“Go,” Bree screamed, aiming Edward’s talisman.

“No!” Cody shouted. “You can’t!”

“I can,” Bree yelled over her shoulder. “Go after her! Nina, Matilda, close your eyes!”

The demons screeched and rushed toward Bree. Cody felt the air shift and the ground tremble. It was too late. It couldn’t be stopped. What would be, would be. Cody sprinted after Malek and Shay.

***

“This way,” Faelan called to Ronan. “Hurry.” They moved through the thickest part of the woods, slapping branches out of their way, taking the hit when they missed. His pulse thudded in his ears. Ronan, Declan, and Duncan were on his heels. Niall and Shane were a few yards away. He heard the collective gasp behind him, as others saw what he did. Bree stood facing a wall of demons. Nina and Matilda were turned away, hands shielding their eyes. The air shuddered and the ground shook.

“What the hell?” Ronan said, as the white flash blazed out from Bree’s hand. He and the others threw their arms over their faces, but Faelan kept running, as screams split the air. He opened his eyes and saw Bree on the ground. A roar sounded in his ears as he sped toward her. He didn’t know if it came from him or Ronan.

“Bree!” Faelan dropped down beside her.

“Oh my God. Did you see that?” Bree said, sitting up, eyes wide.

Faelan pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. “What are you?” he muttered, pulling her into his arms. The other warriors skidded to a stop behind him, faces slack with shock.

“We just killed a bunch of vampires,” Bree said. “It was incredible. I’ve never moved like that, but we’ve got to go after Shay. Malek took off with her.”

“I’m going after her,” Nina yelled.

“Get her, Ronan,” Faelan said. “We’ll go after Shay.”

Ronan started after Nina, as hisses sounded behind them.

Ronan threw Nina over his shoulder and dumped her behind a bush beside Matilda, as a dozen vampires rushed at them from the trees.

***

After the talisman light disappeared, Cody glanced back and saw Faelan and the other warriors with Bree. She was alive. There was no time to question how she used a talisman or survived, but thanks to her, he had only Malek to face. He saw a group of vampires rush at the warriors from the trees. Cody kept going. He hurtled a fallen log and shoved a tree limb out of his path so hard the tree cracked. Shay and Malek were fifty feet ahead. He poured on a burst of speed, lungs burning, legs aching. He had to catch them, but Malek was fast for a demon. Cody needed to slow him down. He stopped, pulled a knife from his boot, drew back his arm and threw. The knife sank between Malek’s shoulders. He stumbled, and Shay yanked free.

Cody lifted his sword and ran toward them. “Run!” he yelled to Shay. He swung the sword, but Malek jumped back, and it struck his arm. He bellowed and attacked Cody, slashing his side with sharp claws. A god-awful scream echoed through the clearing, and Shay leapt on Malek’s back, both legs cinched around his thick waist, as she hacked at his neck.

What the hell was she doing, trying to cut off his head with a butcher knife? “Get back, Shay!”

She let go and dropped to the ground. She didn’t seem to have the same speed and strength as she had with the vampires. Malek turned on her as Shay scrambled away. Cody leapt in, driving his sword into Malek’s chest. It wasn’t a fatal blow, and Cody felt himself weakening from his attempts. Malek whirled, catching Cody’s arm. He needed to act fast, while he had strength left to use the talisman. He didn’t know how long he would last against an ancient demon. The one he killed before had been assigned, matched to him, but he couldn’t use the talisman with Shay there.

“Please, Shay. Run!”

She stood her ground, holding her knife, the glint of fury still burning in her eye, as she watched Malek. Did she want revenge? His only chance was to continue to weaken the demon by sword so one of the other warriors could finish him off, assuming they defeated the vampires. Cody waited until Malek rushed at him. He stepped aside and gave a mighty swing with his sword, but Malek ducked and the blade caught him in the arm. Malek turned, teeth and claws bared. Cody sidestepped and swung again, his hands slick with his own blood, and caught Malek in the ribs. The demon roared in pain and knocked Cody’s sword from his hand. “I’ll make her die slowly for that and force you to watch.”

Malek lurched toward Cody, claws extended, but turned with a roar. Cody’s sword was lodged in Malek’s lower back, as Shay darted clear. Malek ripped it out and pointed it at Shay as he advanced on her. “You dare use a knife and sword against me? When I’m finished, you’ll wish I’d been successful twenty-six years ago.”

Cody would have to use his talisman and trust that Shay would run. There was no other choice. Cody gave her a quick glance, knowing it would likely be his last. She was scared, but she stood straight and fierce. God, he loved her. He always had. How could he leave her? They had wasted so much time, lost so much, but this tactic was the only way to ensure that she lived.

While Malek was distracted with Shay, Cody readied his talisman. “When I give the signal, Shay, close your eyes,” he yelled. “I beg you. When it’s over, run!”

Her eyes widened. She shook her head. “No.”

Cody aimed his talisman. “Close your eyes, Shay. I love you.” He chanted. The air grew heavy. From the corner of his eye, Cody saw the demon lunge for Shay and pull her in front of him, a human shield.

“No!” Cody roared, but it was too late to stop the talisman. “Close your eyes!”

Shay lifted her leg and retrieved her knife from her boot. Her eyes locked with Cody’s. He could see it in his head, just as they had so many times before. It all happened at once. She spun out of Malek’s grasp. With a fierce battle cry, she drove the knife under his ribs, up into his heart, at the same moment the light exploded from the talisman. Malek screamed and disappeared.