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He holds me around the waist and I wrap my arms around his neck, loving the feel of his strength against me. It makes me feel protected. Safe. Despite the fact that we are now floating miles above land.
“We don’t want to get caught by them,” he says, “but I cannot make you and me a shadow while flying us both.”
“You can turn into shadows?”
“In a way,” he says. “More like a bat.”
“I knew it!” I exclaim, excited to discover this new fact. I grin up at him, then return to scanning the forest for clumps of shadows among the silver.
Raúl chuckles. “You’re too smart, Penny.”
I snort at that when movement ahead catches my eye. A clump of shadows disturbs the silver of some trees. “There,” I say in a whisper, pointing to the clearing.
He nods, then with his arm still tight around me, opens his pocket watch and calls his vampires. He gives them our location quietly, then puts it away.
“Now what?” I ask.
“Now we wait.” His fangs slide out. “Then we get my mother back.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Eight vampires arrive within seconds, confirming my suspicion that I do slow Raúl down. Right now, though, I don’t care. It is Nava and I who found the rebels.
A good distance away from the site, Raúl descends into the forest. His vampires surround us, withdrawing their weapons silently. I am amazed when the swords don’t make a sound, even against their sheaths. Raúl and his team communicate with hand signals and I stare, wondering what they say.
His vampires spread out and stalk off toward the rebels. “Stay behind us,” Raúl whispers. “Drain anyone you can.”
I nod, my heart racing with excitement and dread. I’ve never willingly gone into battle, obviously. My palms sweat and I wipe them against the fabric of my dress. Suddenly, there is a roar, followed by steel clanging against steel.
I pick my way through the trees, heart still racing, and focus in on the vampires. At least it’s easy to tell who is a rebel. Their clothes are worn, dirty, after traveling in the forest. My eyes struggle to keep up with the speed of those around me.
After a minute, I give up, and instead, try to search for Carmen. I don’t see her close, so I walk around the fight. For a moment, fear grips me and I cannot move. I breathe through it, and it passes quickly. Now, more than ever, I am grateful for all the work Raúl and I have done so I can go outside without breaking down.
I make it to the opposite side and still no sign of Carmen. Gingerly, I step forward. A rebel vampire sees me, and his hate-filled eyes cause my breath to catch. He shoves his opponent, then before I know it, his arm is around my neck, nails digging into my shoulder.
“Stop, or she dies,” he hisses. Raúl glances at us, caught in between two other rebels, unable to break free.
Sweat breaks out on my forehead as I tremble. I look down, hoping I can see his shadows. Relief washes through me when I can. Quickly, I grasp them, pulling the shadows away from him and into me. He twitches, his arm tightening. He doesn’t let go, though, so I continue to drain him.
A high-pitched wail comes from next to my ear, and the vampire lets go of me, shoving me forward. My foot catches on a rock and I fall to the ground, bracing myself with my arms. Raúl is above me in a second, dragging the two rebels with him. I roll to a sitting position, reaching my hand out and draining the rest of the vampire. He falls to the ground, twitching like Niles had in the forest, skin ashen.
I whip toward one of the vampires Raúl holds, draining his shadows next. When he is a barely-alive husk, Raúl tosses him aside. A vampire, the blond one from before, steps out of the shadows. Slung over his shoulder is an unconscious Carmen.
“Raúl,” he says.
Raúl grits his teeth and glares at the vampire. “Nelson. Get away from my mother.”
“I was just leaving,” he says and draws his sword. “Though, now I am tempted to stay.”
His sword flashes through the night, descending onto Raúl. Raúl blocks the sword with his own. I never even saw him draw it. Their swords clash against each other. “Drop her, now,” says Raúl.
“Julian has plans for her,” says Nelson as he whips his sword toward Raúl’s abdomen.
Raúl dances away and strikes Nelson’s sword, advancing on him. He has little options for aiming, though, since the vampire continues to hold Carmen. The other vampires clear the area, not wanting to get stuck in the crossfire.
Raúl aims low and slices at Nelson’s thigh. Nelson dodges and swipes at Raúl’s shoulder. Raúl moves away, but not before being scraped by the tip of the sword.
Raúl sucks in a breath and anger flashes across his face. He advances again, this time keeping low. He is successful this time, and cuts into Nelson’s thigh. Nelson growls, then backs away. “Got to go. Julian needs us,” he says. Not bothering to sheath his sword, he disappears into the forest.
