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“No one’s saying you are,” Hunter replied, his tone softer now but still firm. “But we have the same goal—to stop them. We’re better off doing this together.”
Mercy’s pulse quickened as she glanced between them. The tension in the room was still palpable, but there was an unspoken agreement now—a fragile alliance forged in the face of a common enemy. They were in this together, whether they liked it or not.
A crash from outside jolted them back to reality. The sounds of battle echoed through the abbey—shouts, the clang of steel, and the eerie hum of magic. Time was running out.
Hunter’s gaze met Mercy’s, and she could see the determination burning in his eyes. “Let’s move,” he said, his voice low and urgent.
Mercy nodded, her heart racing. She turned to Adriana, who had already begun gathering her magical supplies. “We’ll need everything you’ve got,” Mercy said.
Adriana gave a curt nod. “I’m ready.”
Elyria swept past them; her steps silent as she moved with predatory grace toward the door. “Let’s finish this,” she murmured, her voice cold as the wind outside.
Together, they stepped out into the hallway, the weight of the impending confrontation pressing down on them like a storm cloud ready to break. Mercy’s heart pounded in her chest, her senses on high alert as they moved quickly through the abbey’s corridors.
As they neared the courtyard, the sounds of the battle grew louder. Magic crackled in the air, sharp and potent, as the witch and vampire unleashed their fury on Colby’s men. The courtyard was a mess of overturned debris, tendrils of dark energy spiraling into the sky like smoke.
Colby’s men were doing their best to hold the line, but it was clear they were struggling. The witch’s power was overwhelming, and the vampire moved with deadly precision, striking down anyone who got too close.
Mercy’s stomach clenched at the sight.This is it,she thought.This is where it ends.
Hunter stepped forward, his hand tightening around the hilt of his dagger. “We take them down. No compassion; no grace.”
Elyria moved beside him, her expression cold and unyielding. “They will regret ever crossing paths with me.”
Mercy’s breath caught in her throat as she glanced at Hunter, feeling the weight of the moment settle around them. This was their line in the sand—perhaps their last chance to stop theritual and prevent the destruction that loomed over them like a shadow.
With a deep breath, Mercy stepped forward, her heart pounding as she prepared for the fight of her life.
CHAPTER 14
HUNTER
Hunter felt the dark magic crackling in the air, like invisible tendrils of chaos weaving through the courtyard, seeping into every corner of the abbey. The oppressive energy swirled, thick and suffocating, cutting off the light and choking the purity of the once-sacred space. This wasn’t just a skirmish; it was a full-blown war. The witch’s magic and the vampire’s bloodlust had turned the courtyard into a battlefield, and Hunter knew they were all fighting for their lives—and for something far greater.
The witch stood at the far end of the courtyard, her lips moving in a silent chant, her dark eyes gleaming with malevolent power. Around her, the air shimmered and warped, distorting reality as her magic twisted and bent the natural world to her will. She was a conduit of destruction, a storm ready to break, and Hunter knew that if they didn’t stop her soon, there would be nothing left to protect.
Beside the witch, the vampire stood tall and deadly, his eyes glowing red, fangs bared in anticipation. Swirling overhead, the reinforcements they had called—an entire nest of vampires—swooped down from the sky like dark shadows, their forms shifting mid-air before landing with silent grace. The vampiresspread out, their movements fluid and lethal, cutting through Colby’s men with ruthless precision.
Bullets wouldn’t even slow them down. The abbey’s defenders were left with only more primitive weapons to take down their enemies: fire, decapitation, and a silver or wood stake through the heart. They seemed impervious to holy water, and whether or not direct sunlight could kill them was unknown as the witch had managed to block out the sun, and holy water was in short supply.
The two things those who battled against the invaders did have was training. Colby’s captain of the guard, Decker, had trained their men well and they were managing to at least hold the attackers at bay. It wasn’t much, but it was giving those with the gift of magic who could combat the witch directly a chance to find a way to end the battle with the residents at the abbey the victors.
An icy pressure built in Hunter's chest as he absorbed the chaos around him, every sense sharpened to a razor's edge. The shifters were holding their ground, but barely. The vampire assailants were relentless, their strength bolstered by the witch’s magic, and it was only a matter of time before the tide turned against those who called the abbey home.
He couldn’t let that happen.
“We need to take the witch down,” Hunter growled, his voice thick with urgency as he turned to Elyria. “She’s fueling the vampires. As long as she’s casting spells, we don’t stand a chance.”
Elyria’s eyes blazed with cold fury as she followed Hunter’s gaze toward the witch. “I will handle her,” she said, her voice as sharp as a blade. “But first, we must deal with these vampires.”
Without another word, Elyria raised her hands, and the earth beneath her feet responded. Vines and roots erupted from the ground, twisting and curling like living snakes as they lashedout at the nearest vampires. The creatures snarled and hissed as they were entangled, their claws slashing at the thick tendrils of nature that sought to bind them.
Hunter didn’t waste any time. He shifted into his falcon form, his body shrinking and twisting as his wings unfurled. With a powerful thrust, he soared into the sky, his sharp eyes scanning the battlefield below. From above, he could see the full scope of the battle—the clash of magic, the flashing of steel, and the blood that stained the earth.
Colby’s men were fighting valiantly, some in their human forms, others in their shifted states. Wolves, bears, and lynxes tore through the vampires, their claws and teeth gleaming in the dim light. But the vampires were fast—too fast. They darted in and out of the fight, their movements a blur as they struck with deadly precision.
Hunter’s eyes locked onto a group of vampires who had surrounded a wolf-shifter, their claws tearing into his flesh as he howled in pain. Rage flared in Hunter’s chest, and he dove toward them with a speed that defied gravity. The talons of one foot struck like lightning, raking across the back of one vampire and sending him crashing to the ground. In the other, he held a silver-tipped dagger with which he could fight in human form. Before the creature could recover, Hunter shifted mid-air, landing in his human form with the dagger ready to strike.
