Refuge(147)

“Jesus!” she hissed when the first massive hyena-like creature stepped from the trees. “What the hell is that?”

No one answered her. We were riveted on two more creatures emerging from the woods, followed by at least ten vampires. Terror slammed into me at the sight of the three massive crocotta.

A large head swung in our direction and spoke in a perfect imitation of Jordan’s voice. “Jesus!” it said and giggled.

A second later, roars followed by screams came from the other side of the grounds. What other horrors were the warriors facing? How could we hope to survive this?

God, please help us.

The vampires held back as the crocotta advanced on us. Roland and Peter sprung forward to meet them. One of the crocotta raked its long claws along Peter’s flank. Peter howled and clamped down on the crocotta’s throat with his own powerful jaws. The two of them went down in a snapping, growling mass of fur, claws, and teeth.

Roland let out a snarl, and he and the second crocotta lunged for each other at the same time. I cried out as the crocotta’s mouth latched onto the back of Roland’s neck. They hit the ground with a loud thud and rolled over a few times in the snow before Roland was able to shake free of the creature’s hold.

I was so fixated on my friends that I forgot about the third crocotta until Jordan screamed my name. She leapt in front of me swinging Chris’s sword in a deadly arc. The tip of the sword sliced easily through the shoulder of the creature bearing down on us. The crocotta roared in pain and swiped at her. She dove to the side, but its claws hooked the pocket of her coat and threw her off balance.

Jordan landed hard on her stomach but kept her grip on the sword. In one fluid motion she rolled onto her back and slashed at the crocotta looming over her, cutting a long shallow gash in its chest. Her attack took the crocotta by surprise, but that did not last long. It struck out with a paw and knocked the sword from her hands before it reared up to strike, its mouth opened and drool dribbled between the razor-sharp teeth.

“Jordan!” I screamed. I tried to run to her, but Chris held me back.

A roar split the air, unlike anything I had ever heard. From out of nowhere, a large winged shape dived from the air, dipping so close to our heads that the downdraft from its leathery wings made my hair fly around my face. The crocotta stumbled away from Jordan, and I saw terror in its eyes before it turned to flee. It didn’t get far before it was swallowed by flames so hot I felt them from twenty feet away.

“Alex?” I whispered, too awed by his appearance to be terrified he would come after me next.

Engulfed by flames, the crocotta screamed and thrashed violently on the ground. The wyvern circled the dying creature once before taking off toward the vampires that had stopped their advance on us to stare in shock. Flames sprouted from his snout again, and I heard a vampire shriek in agony. The others scattered.

If Alex’s appearance shocked me, it was nothing compared to the sight of the golden griffin that dropped from the sky with an enraged squawk and snatched one of the vampires up in her sharp talons. The vampire’s screams lasted only seconds before he fell in pieces to the ground. I stared at the gruesome sight and swallowed several times to keep from gagging. If my sweet Minuet could do this, I did not want to imagine what an adult griffin was capable of.

Chris let me go, and I ran to help Jordan to her feet. She retrieved the sword, and the three of us watched the vampires scream and run from the endless attacks from above. The snow-covered ground turned scarlet, and I could not understand why the vampires did not run for their lives, choosing instead to be burned alive or ripped to pieces.

Growling pulled my attention from the vampires to Roland and Peter still locked in deadly battles of their own. Sharp teeth and claws tore at flesh and tried to snap bones. Blood sprayed and hot breath steamed the air. The werewolves and crocotta were evenly matched. We had to do something to help Roland and Peter.

“Jordan, we need to – ”

Jordan jumped forward with the sword raised. But not to my friends’ defense. I saw the vampire as he swerved around her and came at me. He was not a baby vampire, but he was still young and his sneer was cocky, obviously not seeing either of us as a threat. Jordan staggered slightly as she spun to intercept him, and I knew she was exhausted.

I was running dangerously low on energy, but I stepped away from Chris and summoned what power I could. When the vampire grabbed me, I slammed my hands into his chest and gave him a weak jolt. It wasn’t nearly enough power to disable him, but he stopped short and stared at me in surprise.

It was all the opening Jordan needed. Our eyes met briefly, and I stumbled backward as her sword sliced cleanly through his neck. The severed head hit her boot, and she kicked it away before letting out a whoop and shooting me a savage grin.