The man stomped on it.
He briefly glanced at me. “Stay there.” Then he went into the heat of the battle. I noticed he headed toward Delara, who struggled against a blue-haired vampire. She was on the defense and losing.
I climbed to my feet again, noticing Waleron look at the scary new guy and nod. The guy in return did the same. Animosity was evident, but they were willing to put it aside for this fight.
I kept my back to the wall, sliding toward the door again when I saw Abby suddenly vault away from the Ink holding her. The beast, which had scales and looked part dragon with its body and yet stood on two feet like a human, appeared shocked and confused. I looked across the opposite side of the room to Kilter, who staggered then fell to his knees.
“Kilter, you’re too weak. Call your Ink to you,” Waleron ordered.
Abby ran toward Damien and Liam. Neither one had any clue she was free and was going to jump right between them.
I took off after her. “No, Abby,” I shouted.
I ran hard and fast across the living room into the next room, but I knew I wasn’t going to be able to intercept in time.
I was too late.
Abby ran right between Damien and Liam and took a kick to the gut when Liam aimed for Damien. She went flying five feet through the air and landed in a heap on the floor.
Both men stopped and stared with shock. Then a deep, deafening roar emerged from Damien’s throat. They both went for her.
But I was closer.
I landed on top of her, shielding her with my body. I looked up to see Damien struggling against a vampire’s hold and Liam standing over me.
He grabbed my forearm, ripping me from Abby. Then he threw me like a rag doll. I bounced off the wall and hit the floor.
My vision blurred as pain shot through my shoulder where I took the brunt of the impact.
I ignored it, grinding my teeth as I crawled to my feet again.
“No, Rayne,” Kilter shouted as he tried to get to me.
Liam held Abby around the waist. She appeared dazed as she squinted her eyes as if she tried to focus.
Damien broke free of the vampire, grabbed the wooden chair closest to him, snapped a leg off, and pierced the vampire underling in the chest with it.. A shrill scream echoed then abruptly ended as he collapsed to the floor.
Damien turned to Abby and Liam, his face a mask of fury.
Liam backed away toward the stairs, Abby as his shield. Neither paid attention to anything around them but one another. I saw my opportunity. I grabbed a knife that had slid under one of the overturned chairs.
I’d need every bit of strength in order to make this work.
“When I put my hands on him, take Abby,” I said to Damien.
“No. Get out of here before I have to save your ass, too,” Damien said, his tone menacing. His eyes remained locked on Abby and Liam.
I approached Liam and Abby. “I can do this. If he takes her, we are all dead.”
I didn’t wait for Damien’s reply as I ran at Liam.
His eyes darted from Damien to me, but he didn’t seem too concerned as he half-grinned.
I slammed into both of them and plunged the knife into his shoulder. He fell back a step then chuckled. Regardless, it was enough of a distraction as Damien leapt, dragging Abby away as I put my hands on Liam and called to my ability.
“Simian, now. Rise,” Damien said.
Liam’s emotions plowed into me with red-hot fury. The intensity gripped my mind, bleeding my thoughts and filled them with his anger.
“What the…” He shook his head and staggered into the wall taking me with him, his arm locked around me.
I screamed when his fingernails pierced my skin and sunk deep into my back. Liam, shoved me aside and I fell to the floor on my hip.
“Fuck,” Kilter shouted.
I crawled to my hands and knees as Liam stood above me, but his eyes weren’t on me; they looked around the room. His face scrunched up and he hissed, revealing his long, white fangs. Then he went for me.
Damien said, “Liam’s going for Rayne. Two seconds.”
Liam bent, grabbed me by the neck, and lifted me to my feet. Then he grabbed me on either side of the head so hard it felt as if he was going to crush my skull.
His head jerked to the right and he laughed a high-pitched tone. “Your daughter is mine.”
He lowered his head and his fangs pierced my throat.
I heard a loud wail as I struggled to get free. Then my eyes hazed over and everything went black.
“NOOOO, RAYNE.” I WAS too far away to get to her, but Waleron saw what was happening and Traced in front of Rayne and Liam.
It was like fighting in quicksand as I tried to get to her and every single body, table, and enemy was purposely in my way trying to block me.
A cold chill went through me as I leapt over the overturned couch and Liam grinned at Waleron before sinking his fangs into Rayne’s neck. “No!”
I threw a table out of my way then snapped a Worm’s neck and decapitated him.
Another came at me, but my eyes were on Waleron and Rayne. He knocked me off my feet and I was stunned for a second.
“Waleron, blast the fucker.” Jesus Christ, why wasn’t he stopping him?
“She’s too close. I’ll hit her,” Waleron replied.
“She’ll die if you don’t.”
Waleron never hesitated in a fight. He reacted without emotion. He was our Taldeburu because he didn’t hesitate even if there was a chance of harming one of his own.
Waleron knew the consequences for indecision. We all did.
But I knew the problem. He had never had another soul in his life that was his own blood. No kin. No wife. Not even a home that we knew about. But now he had a daughter.