"I must take you away from here and honestly, the move itself may kill you," René said, removing the remaining debris from Tony's body.
"Try," Tony moaned. "Please." René gave a curt nod and moved to place his arms beneath Tony's body.
* * *
You can't fight what you can't see. That night, it took on a double meaning. While I was mist, the Ra'Ak couldn't see me. And I was mist until I got right in their faces and sliced through their eyes. I discovered their weakness; hit their eyes and they fall and writhe like the serpents they are. They scream in pain, too, lashing out with their lengthy tails, uncaring as to what they hit or crash into as they struggle and thrash about. Vampires and priests alike were rushing away—the ones that had gotten hit initially were screaming and dying from the poison. I had three Ra'Ak blinded before the last two learned something was attacking them; they began searching for me while trying to fend off Dragon at the same time.
I got one additional eye, causing the one I'd hit to scream and hiss, still looking for me with his remaining good eye. Dragon's huge, tooth-filled head snaked in and snapped that Ra'Ak's head off. The monster dusted, his chunks hitting his brothers and anyone else nearby. Now, only one sighted Ra'Ak remained; the others were still twisting and writhing in pain upon the temple floor. I misted in quickly, hoping to get in a hit with my claws as the Ra'Ak snapped out at me. I barely managed to get out of his way. Dragon took the opportunity to snap the head off one of the three blinded Ra'Ak while the sighted one went after him again. Dragon recoiled and shifted away, even as the one he'd just killed blasted out fist-sized chunks, the bits traveling right through my mist. The remaining vampires were now chasing the few priests that still lived; they'd begun running away from the temple to escape dusting Ra'Ak.
I tried for the eyes of the sighted Ra'Ak again and he snapped at me, leaving Dragon an opening to snap off yet another blinded head, which infuriated the sighted one. He roared—that loud a sound hurt me even in my misted form. Dragon lunged in next but the creature managed to slide out of the way at just the right moment, leaving Dragon exposed. The Ra'Ak, seizing the opportunity, counter-attacked, snapping at Dragon's unprotected neck.
I think I was screaming, whether mentally or physically I cannot say, as I flew toward the Ra'Ak, slicing his eyes first with one set of claws and then the other—I had to come to partial corporeality to do it, running headlong into that horrible, spiked head. My pain-filled shout bounced across the floor of the temple, echoing up and out; I don't think there was anyone within a quarter mile that didn't hear it. Ra'Ak poison truly was as bad as the sun and I was screaming, along with the blinded Ra'Ak, as I dropped toward the floor.
The bone-jarring landing never occurred, however. A very large, black hand reached out to pluck me from the air and I almost didn't have the sense to notice that the fingers on that huge hand had very large claws; I was in too much pain. The scent, however, was very familiar. Kifirin.
Setting me down nearby as gently as he could, he turned toward the Ra'Ak. I whimpered as I watched him. At least twenty feet in height he was, and winged. Kifirin was covered in black scales, was completely naked and smoke was curling from his nostrils. Even the Ra'Ak, blinded as he was, must have recognized the scent because he cowered.
"Ra'Ak!" Kifirin roared. "You have injured my mate! I am aggrieved!" He reached out with one giant hand, gripped the Ra'Ak's neck and squeezed. The Ra'Ak dusted immediately, but the chunks dropped harmlessly to the ground instead of blasting outward. Kifirin roared, shaking the ground with the force of the sound before going after the other sightless Ra'Ak, executing him just as swiftly. Karzac, who'd come from nowhere, was suddenly at my side.
"I will do my best to neutralize the poison," he assured me, but the poison was already working its way through my body; I couldn't feel parts of it now.
"Karzac, I think it's too late," I whimpered.
"No, hush," he said, while light formed around his hands.
"How bad is it?" Dragon was suddenly at Karzac's side, light enveloping his entire body. That was Power with a capital P, I think.
"We will deal with this," Pheligar was suddenly there as well, helping Karzac. "Little vampire, do not be afraid." Karzac reached out with two fingers, placing them against my forehead. I was out in an instant.
* * *
René, who had the ability to fly, just as his cousin and many others among the older vampires did, carried Tony to a nearby rooftop. The scene below had been so chaotic and noisy that his exit with Tony in his arms had not been noticed.
"My friend, if all goes well, I will be your sire from this point forward. You will be my sixth turn, child." Tony was losing consciousness along with his blood; the femoral artery in his right leg had been severed and he would be dead soon if René did not act quickly. René lifted a wrist to his mouth and bit into it savagely. "Drink, child," René placed compulsion as he held his wrist over Tony's mouth. Tony opened his mouth, allowing the blood to drip inside it. He swallowed. And then swallowed again. René was mentally ticking off seconds; he'd done this before without the aid of a watch. He was well-versed on turning.
* * *
"Little King," Kifirin raised Gabron up from the pile of Ra'Ak dust—Gabron had gotten hit and knocked temporarily unconscious with the dusting of one of the monsters.
"Where is Lissa?" Gabron gazed about, somewhat dazed still from the wounding.
"She is safe," Kifirin was no longer in full Thifilathi form; he looked humanoid again. Kifirin had watched with a bit of concern mixed with a little humor; even the Larentii was there, helping his little Queen. The Larentii held quite possibly the best and most powerful healing abilities, although the Saa Thalarr and their own healers were quite talented as well. His little Queen was in good hands, if Kifirin himself couldn't get to her. He was satisfied with the way things were.
"Who are you?" Gabron asked.
"I am Kifirin," the High Lord of the Dark Worlds replied. "Little King, one day I will come for you and your vampires here, and you will help my little Queen rule Le-Ath Veronis. You have all proven your worth this night."
"Lissa mentioned that world. Is it true, then?"
"Very true." Kifirin smiled. "Come. Let us gather your vampires before the news crews descend like a flock of crows." Gabron laughed and allowed Kifirin to set him on his feet.
* * *
Altogether, three hundred of Gabron's five hundred vampires that fought with him died that night. The two hundred that survived were counted as heroes by the population of Refizan, although no one could seem to find them afterward to offer thanks. Certainly no interviews were agreed upon. Since Refizan had space travel, however, the footage recorded made its way offworld and was seen on many other worlds; eventually coming to the attention of many vampires. Those vampires all witnessed the little female vampire who, with the help of a Dragon and another creature that some named High Demon, (because that was the closest they could come to a true identification) destroyed five huge, snake-like creatures, along with thousands of smaller, flesh-eating monsters. The footage that received the most play was of Lissa killing a twelve-foot monster and then blinding four of the five large serpents so they could easily be defeated.